Buddhist Vocabulary: Karma

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Written By Lama Döndrup

Word origins:

The Tibetan word for karma is le (phonetic; Wyl. las) which means action or deed.

Karma is a Sanskrit word which has come into standard use in the English language. Karma is the law of cause and effect. For every action there is a result. When one engages in actions of body, speech, or mind, these actions leave imprints or karmic seeds in one’s alayavijnana or storehouse consciousness. These imprints accumulate over lifetimes and when the right causes and conditions arise, these seeds come to fruition and manifest as the various circumstances in one’s life.

There are 4 types of actions: wholesome, unwholesome, both wholesome & unwholesome mixed, indeterminate actions which take place after enlightenment.

  • Wholesome, beneficial actions bring about favorable, positive results.

  • Unwholesome, harmful actions bring about unfavorable, negative results.

  • Mixed actions bring about mixed results, some of which are positive, and others are negative.

  • Indeterminate actions do not bring about results in the realm of samsara, conditioned existence.

The intention behind one’s actions also contributes to the flavor of the result. Karma from current or past lives can ripen at any time in one’s present life, in one’s next life or future lives, or not at all. Understanding the law of cause and effect provides a context for understanding one’s current circumstance and empowers one to engage in actions that will bring about beneficial results in the future. 

Lama Döndrup

Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work. Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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