In this engaging and accessible teaching titled “Karma”, delivered to the Rime Society in Boulder, Colorado, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche demystifies one of Buddhism’s most fundamental yet misunderstood concepts. Known for his “Lazy Lama” persona, Rinpoche uses humour and practical examples to explain how action and intention shape our experience of reality.

The talk is structured around common questions from Western practitioners, moving from foundational definitions to advanced methods for transcending karmic patterns.

Key Teaching Topics

1. Karma: Neither Free Will nor Fatalism

Rinpoche clarifies that karma is not a “predesigned” fate where we are helpless victims of our past. Instead, it is a dynamic system of causes and conditions. While we cannot change what has already happened, we have the power to create new conditions that can delay, modify, or even purify past negative actions.

2. The Primacy of Intention

A central theme is that karma is essentially an action of the mind. Rinpoche explains that:

• The motivation behind an act is more karmically significant than the act itself.

• Seemingly negative actions driven by a pure heart can have positive effects, while “crooked” intentions ruin positive deeds.

• Karma is not a system of punishment or reward; it is simply the natural result of mental and physical activities.

3. Purification and Wisdom

The talk explores how to “go beyond” karma. Rinpoche describes Compassion and Wisdom as the strongest tools for purification:

• Compassion acts as a direct antidote to anger, greed, and attachment.

• Wisdom involves the experiential recognition of our true nature, which is an indestructible awareness. When we stop grasping at a solid “ego” or “self,” the ground upon which karma operates disappears.

Practical Application

Rinpoche touches on modern ethical dilemmas, such as organ donation and assisted dying, emphasising that these are individual choices based on one’s own level of courage and lack of regret rather than rigid religious laws. He concludes by encouraging practitioners to focus their minds on pure objects, such as a Buddha or enlightened being, to gradually transform their habitual “addiction” to samsaric reactions.