Comments on: How Karma Is Like Pool http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:29:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: clarice feldman http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22516 clarice feldman Mon, 11 Feb 2008 04:13:19 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22516 It's my karma to think Charlie is one of the most creative and intelligent folks around...and a nice guy, too.Bravo, Charlie! It’s my karma to think Charlie is one of the most creative and intelligent folks around…and a nice guy, too.Bravo, Charlie!

]]> By: Charlie (Colorado) http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22515 Charlie (Colorado) Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:47:23 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22515 Thanks for the kind words, guys. DuMaurier-Smith, you make an interesting argument. It's clear (at least to me, although I may be a little feverish myself) that cause and effect always depends on the whole state of the system, not just the obvious "causes". Thanks for the kind words, guys. DuMaurier-Smith, you make an interesting argument. It’s clear (at least to me, although I may be a little feverish myself) that cause and effect always depends on the whole state of the system, not just the obvious “causes”.

]]> By: DuMaurier-Smith http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22514 DuMaurier-Smith Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:26:50 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22514 You're a lot more right than a lot of others. Karma is consequence; however it is not cause-effect. The sages and priests of karma didn't believe in cause-effect relationships. Things happened as an expression of the way the world was, the way all the forces were lined up, and so on. Westerners think infections cause a fever. The traditional Orient saw the fever as indicative of the state of the body, as cracks in heated tortoise shell or thrown yarrow stalks indicated the state of the universe. The way things were was not reducible to chains of cause-effect, but rather to the nature of the system. Nor were these things determinate in the mechanical nature of cause-effect. In pure brute causation, when the fuse is lit, the dynamite will explode. I can't recall who said karma is fan-shaped, meaning you seem to have wide latitudes of choice at an earlier point, you have fewer later, none at the narrow end. Where you are on the fan-shape of your particular karma--the consequence of the way things were at your entry and the choices you made along the way--limits what you can reasonably do. In short, the state of the universe does not cause things, but enables somethings as it necessarily impedes others. You are free to ignore what the bowels of the chicken say about the state of the universe. But the choice puts you on the wrong side of the universe and has consequences, as all your choices will, for your karma. Having free will and making choices wasn't necessarily a good thing in the traditinal orient. Better to attend to your dharma and have "good" karma. You’re a lot more right than a lot of others. Karma is consequence; however it is not cause-effect. The sages and priests of karma didn’t believe in cause-effect relationships. Things happened as an expression of the way the world was, the way all the forces were lined up, and so on. Westerners think infections cause a fever. The traditional Orient saw the fever as indicative of the state of the body, as cracks in heated tortoise shell or thrown yarrow stalks indicated the state of the universe. The way things were was not reducible to chains of cause-effect, but rather to the nature of the system. Nor were these things determinate in the mechanical nature of cause-effect. In pure brute causation, when the fuse is lit, the dynamite will explode. I can’t recall who said karma is fan-shaped, meaning you seem to have wide latitudes of choice at an earlier point, you have fewer later, none at the narrow end. Where you are on the fan-shape of your particular karma–the consequence of the way things were at your entry and the choices you made along the way–limits what you can reasonably do. In short, the state of the universe does not cause things, but enables somethings as it necessarily impedes others. You are free to ignore what the bowels of the chicken say about the state of the universe. But the choice puts you on the wrong side of the universe and has consequences, as all your choices will, for your karma. Having free will and making choices wasn’t necessarily a good thing in the traditinal orient. Better to attend to your dharma and have “good” karma.

]]> By: Red Square http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22513 Red Square Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:11:12 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22513 Good job. A good analogy is always appreciated. A double analogy twice as much. One can mentally expand on the pool analogy and the balls hanging close to the cup, but instead of falling in, being used in an unexpected combination and sending other balls in, maybe two or three at once. I'm not so sure about the Karma analogy, but why complain if it comes free in the package? Two for the price of one. Yay! Good job. A good analogy is always appreciated. A double analogy twice as much.

One can mentally expand on the pool analogy and the balls hanging close to the cup, but instead of falling in, being used in an unexpected combination and sending other balls in, maybe two or three at once.

I’m not so sure about the Karma analogy, but why complain if it comes free in the package? Two for the price of one. Yay!

]]> By: Charlie (Colorado) http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22512 Charlie (Colorado) Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:49:48 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22512 Greg, thanks, it did sort of all blur together. I'm sorry your surface was disturbed. Terrye, thanks! Greg, thanks, it did sort of all blur together. I’m sorry your surface was disturbed.

Terrye, thanks!

]]> By: Terrye http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22511 Terrye Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:06:40 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22511 Hey Charlie, great post. Hey Charlie, great post.

]]> By: Gregory Koster http://pjmedia.com/blog/how_karma_is_like_pool/#comment-22510 Gregory Koster Sat, 09 Feb 2008 08:15:46 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-karma-is-like-pool/#comment-22510 Dear Mr. Martin: Edward Kennedy ran against Carter in the 1980 primaries, not 1976, which had Jimmy running against Scoop Jackson, Hubert Humphrey, Geroge Wallace, Edmund Muskie, and that Mormon, what was his name, oh yes, Mo Udall. It also featured Gerald Ford saying this in the second Presidential debate: "Chopping the air with his right hand, Gerald Ford boldly declared: "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford Administration." (Quote from TIME magazine's 18 October 76 issue.) Other than that, your analysis disturbs the surface lightly. Keep working on those screenplays. Sincerely yours, Gregory Koster Dear Mr. Martin: Edward Kennedy ran against Carter in the

1980

primaries, not 1976, which had Jimmy running against Scoop Jackson, Hubert Humphrey, Geroge Wallace, Edmund Muskie, and that Mormon, what was his name, oh yes, Mo Udall. It also featured Gerald Ford saying this in the second Presidential debate:

“Chopping the air with his right hand, Gerald Ford boldly declared: “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford Administration.” (Quote from TIME magazine’s 18 October 76 issue.)

Other than that, your analysis disturbs the surface lightly. Keep working on those screenplays.

Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster

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