You are currently logged-out. You can log-in or create an account to see more talks, save favorites, and more. more info
Karma Talks

Karma (, from Sanskrit: कर्म, IPA: [ˈkɐɾmɐ] ; Pali: kamma) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called the principle of karma, wherein individuals' intent and actions (cause) influence their future (effect): Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma and happier rebirths, while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and worse rebirths. In some scriptures, however, there is no link between rebirth and karma.
In Hinduism, karma is traditionally classified into four types: Sanchita karma (accumulated karma from past actions across lifetimes), Prārabdha karma (a portion of Sanchita karma that is currently bearing fruit and determines the circumstances of the present life), Āgāmi karma (future karma generated by present actions), and Kriyamāṇa karma (immediate karma created by current actions, which may yield results in the present or future).
Karma is often misunderstood as fate, destiny, or predetermination. Fate, destiny or predetermination has specific terminology in Sanskrit and is called Prarabdha.
The concept of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions (particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism), as well as Taoism. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life as well as the nature and quality of future lives—one's saṃsāra.
Many New Agers believe in karma, treating it as a law of cause and effect that assures cosmic balance, although in some cases they stress that it is not a system that enforces punishment for past actions.
Title | Speaker | |
---|---|---|
Title unknownSerial: BZ-00416B Sesshin lecture Fox, Karma, Daily Life, Priest-and-Lay, Lay, Heart Sutra, Priest, Funeral,... |
Oct 22 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Breathing and Posture in ZazenSerial: BZ-00402B One-Day Sitting Zazen, Posture, Repentance, Patience, Oneness, Concentration, Bell, Karma |
Sep 17 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Enlightenment in Soto ZenSerial: BZ-00402A Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra, Soto Zen,... |
Sep 10 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Bowing to Our Dharmakaya NatureSerial: BZ-00004A Saturday Lecture Dharmakaya, Karma, Practice, Freedom |
Apr 30 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
August 21, 1982, Serial No 01528BSerial: BZ-01528B One-Day Sitting Sangha, Building, Non-violence, Study Period, Karma, Happiness, Passions, Mindfulness... |
Aug 21 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
August 7, 1982, Serial No. 01528ASerial: BZ-01528A Saturday Lecture Peace, Non-violence, Current Events, Peace, Non-violence, Greed, War, Hate, Karma,... |
Aug 07 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Blue Cliff Record: Case #80Serial: BZ-00033 Does a Baby Have the 6th Consciousness?, Saturday Lecture Consciousness, Storehouse Consciousness, Monastic Practice, Discrimination, Buddha... |
Jul 31 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Transcending Ego Through Humble Self-ReflectionSerial: NC-00994 Monastic Spirituality, Set 7 of 12 OSB Cam, Ego, Enemies, First Principle, Karma, confusion |
Apr 30 1982 |
|
Bodhisattva Ceremony RecordingSerial: BZ-00010A Recording of BZC's monthly Bodhisattva Ceremony. The Kokyo is Fran Tribe. Bodhisattva Ceremony, Bodhisattva Way, Hate, Greed, Karma |
Apr 18 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Hyakujo and the FoxSerial: BZ-00016B Form and Emptiness, Karma, Sesshin Day 2 Hyakujo, Karma, Form-and-Emptiness, Karma, Fox, Priest-and-Lay, Priest, Daily Life,... |
Feb 21 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo -- Endless DimensionSerial: BZ-00016A Ten Phrase Avalokiteshvara Sutra, Sesshin Day 1 Dharani, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Sangha, Big Mind, Evil, Karma, Manjushri,... |
Feb 20 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Precepts Karma, Buddha, Buddhism |
1982 San Francisco Zen Center |
|
Mumonkan Case 36 Karma, Time, Practice |
May 31 1981 City Center |
|
Rooted Freedom in Monastic LifeSerial: NC-00873 Monastic Spirituality Set 3 of 12 OSB Cam, Commitment, Money, First Principle, Karma |
Apr 08 1981 |
|
Monastic Life and the Interreligious DialogueSerial: NC-00468 Monastic Life and Interreligious Dialogue: What does our life as monks mean to the non-Christian world? OSB Cam, Inter-faith Dialogue, Buddhism, Breath, Karma, War |
Sep 1980 3 of 3 New Camaldoli Hermitage |
|
The Large Sutra on Perfect WisdomSerial: SF-00007B Reading of Dr Edward Conze's translation - this is after 00007A and separate from it. Perfect Wisdom, Evil, Concentration, Karma, Anger |
Apr 25 1980 |
|
Harmony in Life's Koan Dualities Fox, Funeral, causation, Buddha Nature, Karma, Interdependence, Discrimination... |
Mar 01 1979 |
|
Embracing Causality Through Buddha Nature Consciousness, Realization, Funeral, Karma, Pain, Bell |
Feb 27 1979 |
|
Zen Form and Emptiness Time, Karma, Practice |
Sep 10 1977 |
|
Self-Reliance Through Zen Practice Practice, Buddhism, Karma |
Oct 30 1976 |
|
Awakening Through Self-Reliant Practice Practice, Buddhism, Karma |
Oct 30 1976 |
|
Zen Journeys Exhaled Mindfulness Karma, Work, Time |
Jun 16 1976 |
|
Breath as a Gateway to Merit Karma, Work, Time |
Jun 15 1976 |
|
Zen Meditations and Mystical Insights Meditation, Practice, Karma |
Apr 03 1976 |
|
Awakening Through Sound and Self-lessnessSerial: SF-00130 Changes that occur during practice period; sutra story of monk retrieving his mother from hell; composing concrete music; Practice Period, Ceremony, Mahayana, Nirvana, Karma, Manjushri, Addiction, Samsara,... |
Dec 10 1975 |
|
Stabilizing Mind Through Zen Practice Suffering, Posture, Karma |
Jun 15 1974 |
|
Mindfulness Through Zen Practice Suffering, Posture, Karma |
Jun 15 1974 |
|
Pathways to Spiritual EnlightenmentSerial: SF-00125 The third great religious awakening in America. Emptiness, Religion, Manjushri, Interview, Conversation, Karma |
Jul 18 1973 2 |
|
First Type of Consciousness Consciousness, Karma, Buddha |
May 16 1973 Tassajara |
|
Consciousness Consciousness, Karma, Buddha |
May 15 1973 Tassajara |
|
Living Zen in Everyday Life Practice, Tozan, Karma |
Dec 12 1972 |
|
Embracing the Moment's Dynamic Essence Birth-and-Death, Hate, Obstacles, Compassion, Repentance, Karma |
Dec 05 1972 |
|
Engaging Suffering Through Buddhist Practice Suffering, Karma, Practice |
Nov 11 1972 |
|
Transcending Karma Through Perception Karma, Time, Practice |
Oct 31 1972 |
|
Pure Presence in Zen Practice Practice, Zazen, Karma |
May 06 1972 |
|
Allen Ginsberg and MusiciansSerial: SF-00107 Musical event Obstacles, Vow, Instruction, Greed, Chanting, Passions, Offering, Attachment, Karma... |
Feb 22 1972 1 City Center |
|
Infinite Emptiness, Endless Possibilities Practice, Karma, Time |
Feb 19 1972 |
|
Finding Purpose Through Inner Truth Karma, Enthusiasm, Hate, Bowing, Beginners, Happiness, American |
Sep 17 1971 |
|
Freedom Within Karma's Embrace Consciousness, confusion, Birth-and-Death, difficulty, Discrimination, Evil,... |
Aug 03 1971 |
|
Seeds of Consciousness: Karma's Framework American, Karma, Instruction, Consciousness, Culture, Lay, Emotions, Discrimination... |
Jul 15 1971 |
|
Real Precepts Are Beyond WordsPrecepts, Precepts, Observe, Freedom, Emptiness, Sangha, Duality, Karma |
Jul 02 1971 City Center |
|
Changing Our KarmaBaso, Concentration, Karma, Suffering, difficulty, Ceremony |
Mar 09 1971 City Center |
|
The DriverAnger, Karma, Zazen, difficulty, Freedom, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Peace,... |
Feb 27 1971 City Center |
|
It Is Actually Buddha's PracticeSesshin, Tatsugami, Zazen, Karma |
Feb 20 1971 Tassajara |
|
Teisho (Introduced by Jakusho Kwong)Serial: SF-05452B Mill Valley Zendo, talk by Suzuki Roshi Karma, Japan, Emptiness, Precepts, Observe, Ego, Evil |
Dec 23 1970 Mill Valley Zendo |
|
Compassionate Living in Zen Practice Oneness, Ego, Obstacles, Samadhi, Karma, Bell, difficulty, Attachment, Evil |
Dec 13 1970 |
|
Priest Ordination Ceremony: Paul Discoe and Reb AndersonSerial: SR-00069A Reprocessed version may allow for clarification of transcript (some changes made by SDH, July 2025) Priest, Ceremony, Precepts, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Greed, Interview,... |
Aug 09 1970 City Center |
|
Ekō Lecture 3Serial: SR-00228 The Second Morning Eko, Part 2 of 3 [This is the third in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted... Eko, Chanting, Concentration, Karma, Attachment, Mindfulness, Hindrances, Pain, Death... |
Jul 11 1970 Tassajara |
|
Ekō Lecture 2Serial: SR-00229 The Second Morning Eko, Part 1 of 3 [This is the second in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted... Eko, Chanting, Chanting, Anger, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, Karma, Meditation, Doubt,... |
Jul 10 1970 Tassajara |
|
The Willow Tree Cannot Be BrokenSerial: SR-00220 SANDOKAI LECTURE X [This lecture is concerned with the following lines of the Sandokai: Meian ono-ono aitaishite,... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Precepts, War, Interdependence, Observe, Oneness,... |
Jun 25 1970 Tassajara |