Karma: Five Skandhas and Twelve Nidanas October 16, 2007

The Shambhala School of Buddhist Studies is offering a 6 week course on "Karma: Five Skandhas and Twelve Nidanas," starting Tuesday October 16 at 8:15 pm, and running for 6 consecutive Tuesdays.

The word Karma has become part of the English language, but it's meaning is poorly understood. By studying the Nidanas or "Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination" we gain insight into how our actions create situations and possible suffering in the future.

In the Rice Seedling Sutra, the Buddha explains the key teachings of dependent and related arising like this:

"Because this is present, that will arise, and because that was born, this is being born".

"Karma depends on ignorance; body and mind depend on karma; birth and death depend on body and mind". If ignorance is the starting point what is it ignorant of?

With the picture of the "Wheel of Life" as a visual aid, the general definition of karma and the specific chain reaction of the nidanas and realms become quite vivid and easy to understand.

Shambhala Meditation Centre of Toronto
670 Bloor Street West #300
Toronto ON M6G 1L2
(416) 588-6465
toronto@shambhala.org
http://toronto.shambhala.org

Official Website: http://toronto.shambhala.org/program_details.php?id=9691&cid=171