Question
We produce karma through our actions and thoughts, and our lives are influenced by previous karma: I understand that. But I feel it as universal karma; I do not perceive the individual aspect of personally transmitted karma. Parents and ancestors obviously pass on factors that determine our physical and psychological condition, influencing our lives on various levels. Our sociocultural environments, inherited from previous generations, do the same through our upbringing and the principles and prejudices instilled in us... but the idea of "karma inherited" from parents and ancestors does not resonate with me. Because a parent or ancestor failed to observe the precept "do not kill," a baby among their descendants will be stillborn, or because we or an ancestor did not uphold the first kai, we will have a car accident—examples cited by Deshimaru in "Zen and Daily Life"? Because my father was in the military and therefore certainly killed or ordered killings, one of my sisters died at 21 in a car accident? That is not how I can conceive of karma. I perceive instead a karma produced collectively by everyone that we all inherit, partly? Randomly? Also, in response to the question "helping the person we think of," specifically, "Is it possible to direct this virtuous karma through thought toward someone in difficulty to help them? Essentially, to give up the benefits we might receive from karma accumulated in zazen and redistribute them to people suffering more than we are," you answer, "It is completely effective and pure." Here again there is individualization. I cannot conceive of karma directly benefiting a person of one's choice, much less oneself immediately. I saw it as fundamentally destined for humanity, past, present, and future, although I fully understand that my "bad" actions can have an immediate or near-term effect on my present life. Can you help me continue reflecting on the individuality and universality of karma? I am still far from being able to "embrace contradictions."
Sei
Master Kosen’s answer
Bravo, your answer is perfect. That is exactly it.
Kosen