Siebe’s questions:
“Yesterday on tv was the case of a mother who killed her two children. She was always very caring. But some day developed a depression and took medicine, a antidepressend. Probably these medicine have triggered agression and her violence against her own children.”
If someone commits an immoral deed while not been aware of it (say, becoming insane or while sleepwalking), then the Buddha had said that there are no kammic consequences.
“What about children getting brainwashed by IS ideology or sektarian ways of thinking?”
Unfortunately, the Buddha did not set these kammic laws. Those are Nature’s laws.
– It is parents’ responsibility to make sure that children are not influenced by “bad influences” whether it is friends or via the internet. They will suffer their own kammic consequences.
“How can people be held responsible for such when there has not even yet developed a personal conscience, or right view? How can one say the blind are responsible? The blind cannot be held responsible.”
Nothing happens without causes. One is born blind, born with “less wisdom”, or even born into conditions where one does not even get an opportunity to learn Dhamma,these are all due to one’s previous kamma (actions).
– This is not any different from being born an animal or peta. Is it “fair” for one to be born an animal? It is not matter of fairness; it is just cause and effect.
– Again, these are Nature’s laws. A Buddha only discovers them.
“To think we are so free and wise is a big mistake…”
No one said that. Think about what is stated above.
– Whatever the condition that each of us are at, those have arisen due to our own past actions. We have no idea when we did them, could be many lives back.
– However, with the development of panna, we can overcome tanha and be free of all suffering, EVEN IF we have done many bad kamma.
– This is why the life story of Ven. Angulimala is so important. He had killed almost thousand people, but was able to avoid all that bad kamma.
“Account of Angulimāla – Many Insights to Buddha Dhamma”
– Of course, he must have done very strong good kamma too, to be able to comprehend the deep Dhamma so quickly.
All we can do is to make sure to not accumulate anymore bad kamma and to cultivate good kamma, and make our utmost effort to learn Dhamma to make those tasks easier. That effort will not go to waste.
