Karma and Rebirth: What Do We Mean? - First we must be sure that we understand what these terms mean in Buddhism.

The law of karma and reincarnation are often the first things that many people think of in connection with Buddhism. Unfortunately, misunderstandings are common. Even among those who consider themselves Buddhists, differences of opinion and superficial teachings all too often obscure what the Buddha actually taught in his discourses. Some Buddhists insist that Buddhism makes no sense if one does not believe in a literal view of reincarnation and karma as an explanation for life’s suffering and seeming injustice. If karma and reincarnation are not literally true then they see no point in even taking up Buddhism in the first place. Other Buddhists view reincarnation and karma as metaphorical or as nothing more than a skillful mode of teaching that the Buddha used as a concession to those who did not understand his deeper teachings. In this article I hope to clear up some of the misunderstandings by citing the Buddha’s teachings as recorded in the Pali Canon.

Before going any further, however, it is best to clarify the terms. The term “reincarnation” is one that most English speaking Buddhists tend to steer clear of, preferring the term “rebirth” instead. Damien Keown explains why in his definition of the term “reincarnation”:

Term generally avoided by writers on Buddhism since it implies the existence of an immortal soul (atman) that is periodically incarnated in a fleshly host, a notion more proper to Hinduism. By contrast, Buddhism denies the existence of an immortal soul and does not accept the dualistic opposition between spirit and matter it presupposes. Accordingly, the English term preferred by Buddhist writers to designate the dynamic and constantly changing continuity of the individual from one life to the next is ‘rebirth’. Neither this term nor ‘reincarnation’ has a direct Sanskrit equivalent, and Indian sources speak instead of ‘rebecoming’ (Skt., punarbhava) or ‘repeated death’ (Skt., punarmrtyu). (Oxford Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 235)

The term “rebirth,” then is more acceptable as it does not have the connotations of a spirit that is re-incarnating, or taking on a material life again and again. From this point on, I will refer to the Buddhist teaching of the process of punarbhava or re-becoming as rebirth and not reincarnation. Rebirth refers to the process whereby the causes set in motion by one being will continue on even after that particular being’s death and join with other causes and conditions to bring about the birth of a new being, a rebirth in a stream of continuing causes and conditions.

This brings us to the term “karma” which too many people confuse with “fate” or “destiny.” “Karma” actually means “action.” The Buddha defined karma as the intentional or volitional actions of sentient beings. “It is volition that I call karma; for having willed, one acts by body, speech, and mind.” (AN 3:415, see In the Buddha’s Words, p. 146) These intentional acts can be discerned as wholesome or unwholesome. The unwholesome are those actions driven by greed or blinded by hatred, and misled by delusion. Wholesome actions are those that are generous and compassionate and guided by wisdom. Karma refers to the causes that we make whose consequences will someday have an effect on our lives when they come to fruition. The Sanskrit terms for the “effect” or “fruit” of karma are “vipaka” and “phala” respectively. Therefore, when we reap the effects of our own previous causes, it is more technically accurate to call those effects our vipaka or phala. Though it is karma in the sense that it is the ripening of past karma. Karma, however, is not the only factor that contributes to the quality of our lives in each given moment. It does not determine everything and does not rob anyone of free will. Most importantly, karma is something we ourselves produce and are responsible for. It is not a mysterious force, fate, or destiny coming from outside of ourselves. Karma is something we ourselves set into motion in every moment of our lives.