I have a very enquiring, or analytical mind, meaning that I tend to think deeply about things. This has sometimes got me into trouble like when, as a Christian, I questioned certain Christian teachings instead of having 'blind faith' and trust. I also struggled for answers to certain questions about life, such as, why there is so much suffering among the innocent, why bad things happen to good people, and why good things happen to bad people, regardless of their wealth, social standing, or spiritual beliefs.
I used to think it was a burden, and have often been told that I 'over-think' things, but I have learned to really appreciate my 'over-thinking' mind, and finally, at 52, I can honestly say that I have found answers to those difficult questions that I struggled with for so long. And I've done it without having to depend on 'blind-faith', or faith without evidence.
So what are those answers, and how did I find them? For me, the answers are rooted in the concept of karma, or the universal law of 'cause and effect', where your intent and actions influence future happiness or suffering. But the concept of karma is not just limited to our current life. It needs to be considered alongside the concept of rebirth, future and past lives. The happiness and suffering we are experiencing in this life has been influenced by our intentions and actions in past lives, and our intentions and actions in this life affect, not only our happiness and suffering in this life, but that of future lives.
The word 'karma' is often thrown around like it is some magical, mystical force that pursues good or bad people and makes sure they get what's coming to them, and many people may laugh it off as silly rubbish. But what if it actually is a very scientific law, like the Law of Gravity, or Newton's Third Law?
How did I find these answers? I found them in my discovery of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism, which encourages the analytical mind. Shakyamuni Buddha taught that one should not accept his teachings uncritically, but to apply our own experience and think deeply about His teachings. And after much reading, thought and meditation, karma makes good sense to me and my analytical mind.
