Karma and human history

By Victor M Fontane

Natural disasters, warfare, ethnic dislocation, and social turmoil manifest in the vast realm of Dharma as a collective karma continuously generated by sentient beings caught in ignorance, greed, and hatred. These phenomena are not merely isolated personal experiences but are the inseparable outcomes of interwoven causes and conditions along with karmic resonance. With the rapid advancement of modern technology and the Internet, the exchange of information transcends borders, leading to a significant blending and clash of races and cultures through immigration, tourism, and warfare. This acceleration of previously separated karmic interactions is facilitated by social and technological connections. Consequently, the exchange and innovation of ideological systems intensify not only the manifestation of contradictions, hatred, and collective anxiety but also give rise to a larger vortex of collective emotion, wherein the three poisons thrive within social media, group identity, and public opinion storms. Furthermore, the amalgamation and dislocation of ethnic groups under disaster continuously shake the boundaries of identity, deepening separation and conflict. 

From the perspective of Buddhist causality, such phenomena are the most vivid embodiments of "no-self" and "impermanence": while nations, civilizations, communities, and individuals may appear firmly established, they are, in reality, contingent and illusory, subject to the arising and ceasing dictated by conditions and ultimately susceptible to instant dissolution. The "self" and "we" that we adhere to have already undergone constant transformation within the illusory cycle of cause and effect. All these disturbances of public sentiment and chaotic circumstances serve as the most authentic revelations of individual attachment and the illusion of permanence in the world. They teach us that only through awareness of how the three poisons circulate within body and mind, within communities, and among humankind can one relinquish "self-attachment" amidst turmoil, recognize the pervasive nature of collective karma, and cultivate compassion and wisdom that transcend division and suffering. 

In times of modern crises, every individual is a connected entity and a concrete actor influencing the whole. One’s benevolent intentions, tolerance, and wish to self-dissolve the three poisons subtly propel the renewal of collective karmic flows. Ultimately, to resolve blending and conflict, a thorough contemplation of the truth of reality is required, alongside a profound understanding of dependent origination and no-self, and a self-aware practice of equal compassion for all sentient beings. This represents the sole path to transcend discriminative attachment, break through apparent stalemates, and facilitate dual transformations of individuals and communities in chaotic times. The so-called phenomena of starseeds and lightworkers in the new era are merely instances of the Dharma emerging in modern language as skillful means, prompting individuals to rest inwardly in a pure thought and ultimately return external projections to the inherent completeness of their own minds. All dharmas ultimately derive from the fundamental truth, so there is no need for worry about the superficial. Every chaotic manifestation serves as a counterforce to enlightenment; it is only through diligent practice of compassion and wisdom amidst ever-changing conditions that one can truly embark on a complete journey that transcends the self within the turbulent currents of historical change.