How to Purify Bad Karma

The old saying "What goes around comes around" is a simple way to explain the notion of "karma." Meaning "action" in Sanskrit, karma in Buddhism means that none of our actions are insignificant; the things we do determine what things will happen to us. With karma, action equals reaction; if we act in a positive manner, good things will happen to us. Conversely, negative actions result in negative reactions. Believers in reincarnation believe we carry our positive and negative karma with us from one life to the next. Thubten Chodren, a Buddhist nun and teacher who studied under the Dalai Lama, says you can purify your bad karma by practicing The Four Opponent Powers: Power of Regret, Power of Reliance/Repairing the Relationship, Power of Determination not to Repeat the Action, and Power of Remedial Action.

Instructions

1. Regret your negative actions. Buddhism teaches that "regret" is different than "guilt." When you feel guilty about the action, it is self-serving because it centers on you and how you feel. Regret, on the other hand, "has an element of wisdom; it notices our mistakes and regrets them," Chodren says. If you've acted in a harmful way, you should think about what you've done and how your actions have negatively affected others. You should also think about how those actions may hurt you and others in the future.

2. Try to repair the damage done by your negative actions. If your actions have caused harm upon another person or persons, it is important to apologize to them for what you've done. Sometimes this isn't possible because the person is dead, we've lost touch with him or we don't know who our actions have damaged. This is okay since what is more important, says Chodren, is to repair the damage within your own mind. "Here, we generate love and compassion, and the altruistic intention for those whom previously we held bad feelings about," she says. By changing those negative emotions within us that caused us to act negatively in the first place, we can change ourselves from within.

3. Strive not to repeat that negative action in the future. You should set it in your mind that you will not commit the negative act again; the longer you are able to keep that promise to yourself, the more confidence you will gain that you can break bad habits and act in more positive ways. It is not always easy to do this, so if you do find yourself repeating a negative action, such as losing your temper or gossiping, Chodren says you should tell yourself you will not repeat the action for the next 2 days. Once you've achieved that goal, you can say to yourself "I will continue to try and not do that again."

4. Take positive action. Practicing Buddhists have many methods of remedial action including reciting mantras, making offerings to a monastery or temple, and meditating. Chodren says you can also do things like perform community service such as volunteering at a hospital, feeding the homeless or teaching people to read. Any action that benefits others can be considered a remedial action.

Resources

• Luminous Wisdom
• A View on Buddhism