Actions and rebirth.

Question:(Unedited)

I reviewed your responses to my questions on karma and I would like clarrification to better my understanding.
I had thought that karma was a "moral" force, such that if you lived under delusions and caused great harm in this life, in the next life because of cause and effect,you would be made to pay for that in some way. But this is not entirely so. It is more of a "natural" force. Is this a fair assumption?
Also, in the case of a Hitler or Stalin, what would happen to them in a next life? I had thought that karma would dictate, that because they caused others to suffer, either in their actual existence, or, in their next existence,because of cause and effect, they would in some way, suffer themselves. What would happen under such an example?
And finally, I'm confused how subtle consciousness after death, because of cause and effect, is somehow given a new life, by the natural process of karma.
Could you please answer these three questions?

My comment:

Hi Mc,

Your qn: "I had thought that karma was a "moral" force, such that if you lived under delusions and caused great harm in this life, in the next life because of cause and effect,you would be made to pay for that in some way. But this is not entirely so. It is more of a "natural" force. Is this a fair assumption?"

My comment: Kamma is an Amoral force. It is the natural universal law of retribution. A good action will yield a good result; and a bad action will reap bad consequence. The big question is "When"? It may be immediate, next life, or future lives. We do not know for sure when the result or reaction will actualize. This is the "natural force" which we refer to as "natural phenomenon". I concur with you that it is a fair assumption.


Your qn: "Also, in the case of a Hitler or Stalin, what would happen to them in a next life? I had thought that karma would dictate that because they caused others to suffer, either in their actual existence, or, in their next existence. Because of cause and effect, they would in some way, suffer themselves. What would happen under such an example?"

My comment: You are correct. Without exception, our lives are dictated by the sum of all our past and present actions (kamma). Certain kammic actions take precedence in their fruition. For example, the killing of one's mother or father is a very grave kamma which will have immediate fruition, having rebirth in hell. As for the others, we can say kamma works in mysterious ways! But be forwarned, there is no escape from dire retributions from evil actions.

Your qn: "And finally, I'm confused how subtle consciousness after death, because of cause and effect, is somehow given a new life, by the natural process of karma."

My comment: Take the example of the electric current. When we fix a 1000-watt bulb it lights up brightly. After a period of time it blows up and a new bulb replaces it. Assume that the new bulb is only 5 watts, then the light will be very dim. Our storehouse of kammic actions is like the different wattage bulbs. Our consciousness is like the electric current, which does not change. The manifestation of our consciousness depends on our kamma, that is the wattage of the bulb. If our kamma is very wholesome and pure then the wattage of the bulb will be great. If our kamma is very negative and evil, then we will have the 5-watt bulb!