If we despise callousness shown to us
in our times of need,
we should also not be callous to others
in their times of need.Stonepeace
There is a ‘heartless’ misconception going around. It claims that we should not ‘interfere’ with others’ ripening karmic retribution (业报), because this will make us lose out own good karmas (善业), and even create evil karmas (恶业), for ‘upsetting’ the dynamics of karma. While sounding somewhat ‘sensible’, this is actually nonsensical, as we shall see.
What is the definition of good karmas? They are potential blessings created with good thoughts, words and actions. A thought, word or action is deemed good not only when refraining from being harmful, but when actively being helpful to others too, when there is the capacity to help.
What is the definition of evil karmas? They are potential misfortunes created with evil thoughts, words and actions. A thought, word or action is deemed evil not only when not refraining from being harmful, but when passively not being helpful to others too, when there is the capacity to help.
When others are experiencing suffering, this is when their evil karmas are ripening, thus having karmic retribution. Is this not when there should be help offered to mitigate their suffering? Is this helping not what creates good karmas? While others do need to have some good karmas to be helpable, the only way to know if they can be helped or not is to try to help them.
As such helping is possible only karmically, how can this helping ever ‘interfere’ with karma? Since there is collective karma (共业) at work too, when two sets of karmas interact, such interacting is not ‘interfering’. Since the Buddhas (佛) and Bodhisattvas (菩萨) obviously encourage doing of good with their ongoing efforts of helping innumerable beings, we should help one another too.
Therefore, we should compassionately ‘intervene’ with others’ ripening karmic retribution best we can, as part of the Bodhisattva path (菩萨道) towards Buddhahood (佛果), to relieve suffering encountered on the way. This will help us to create good (and pure) karmas, and also destroy evil karmas (from selfishness), with all these still working with the dynamics of karma.
If we appreciate helpfulness given to us
in our times of need,
we should also be helpful to others
in their times of need.Stonepeace
Related Article:
How Some Might (Mis)Understand Karma
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2026/06/how-some-might-misunderstand-karma
