How does Karma works?

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Kamma works in visible ways. If you steal money, the results (vipaka) of that kamma (action) can include worrying you will get caught & getting punished if you get caught. People will not trust you. Your reputation will be bad.

The Pali suttas (AN 6.63) state kamma ends when the eightfold path is practised. If you stop stealing & know with clear wisdom why should never steal again, the old kamma ends.

If you stole money from someone you know, you can repay it if you can, to make it all better. If you cannot repay it, no problem.

There is nothing that will guarantee the same theft will happen to you in return.

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Karma is dependent on:

  • intensity of your volition and number of thoughts involving the action
  • purity of the subject of the action

So if you seal from a very good person the the karma will be strong likewise you take time to execute with a lot of effort and /or you feel very strongly overcome by greed then this will cause more strong Karma.

Now to overcome this Karma if you make a donation the same apply. In this case the motivation is not strongly rooted in greedlessness hence Karma may be week. Hence giving many time over what you stole may not defunct this Karma.

Also note your roots of good are generally weaker than roots of good. This again means unwholesome action (stealing) and counteraction (donation) in the balance of probability might be heavier.

All this is balance of probability. There are rare cases where people who have done a loot of good and little bad have got bad results and people who have done a loot of bad and little good have got very good results, hence this is also a motivator to get out of the cycle of birth than accumulating Karma may it be good or bad. Whenever you face a situation alway try your level best to accumulate good karma and not the bad though.

Also if you perceive someone to be good to do something against them you need stronger volition regardless of the person being good or bad. Also you repent and regret the action more increasing your Karma. Regardless of the level of volition of perception if a person is good he is like a mirror. If you steal from such a person the Karma will be greater.

Also see: The Working of Kamma, 2nd ed, by Ven. Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw

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