concept of luck

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
Viachh
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concept of luck

Post by Viachh »

Good luck in the world is what Buddhism calls good karma. There is no concept of luck in Buddhism.
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DooDoot
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Re: concept of luck

Post by DooDoot »

No
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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Re: concept of luck

Post by SteRo »

Viachh wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:55 am Good luck in the world is what Buddhism calls good karma.
The world that doesn't know and/or does not believe in the buddhist teachings of causes/conditions and effects speaks of 'luck' which implies coincidence independent of causes/conditions.
Viachh wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:55 am There is no concept of luck in Buddhism.
Since there is nothing that happens independent of causes/conditions according to buddhist teachings.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

A little leprechaun may just decide to be really Loving one day and drop you some gifts along the road. But I would listen to Obi-Wan-Kenobi: "In my experience there's no such thing as luck." A fully trained Jedi who knows the ways of the Force is actually also a Buddha. :jedi:

:anjali:
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

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SarathW
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Re: concept of luck

Post by SarathW »

Buddhism teaches Niyama or Pacaya.
Kamma is only one of them.
So chance or luck play a part in it too.

=======
Causality
The Abhidhamma teaches us that:

there are natural laws which govern the universe (niyaama dhammaa);
our mental and physical states arise dependent on causes — dependent origination (pa.ticca samuppaada); and
conditioning and influencing relationships exist between these effects and their causes (paccaya).

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... #causality
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Mahabrahma
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

Sarath you're completely right, but you have to understand there are causes and conditions behind all things, even if the cause is causeless. For example in Love and luck, the cause is causeless. Luck is a form of Love from the Universe, so in a kind of way, luck is not a thing but a person, a Buddha, because even though Love is called a "thing" by some, it is actually a person and an extension of a person. Buddha is Love, and that is the last word in what Love is. That is the truth that is dependant on my own point of view. :jedi: :tongue:
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
Viachh
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Viachh »

SarathW wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:38 am Buddhism teaches Niyama or Pacaya.
Kamma is only one of them.
So chance or luck play a part in it too.

=======
Causality
The Abhidhamma teaches us that:

there are natural laws which govern the universe (niyaama dhammaa);
our mental and physical states arise dependent on causes — dependent origination (pa.ticca samuppaada); and
conditioning and influencing relationships exist between these effects and their causes (paccaya).

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... #causality
Does Schrödinger's surviving cat have good karma or is she just lucky?
SarathW
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Re: concept of luck

Post by SarathW »

According to Buddhis teaching, only a Buddha will be able to tell how Kamma operates.
The way I understand Buddhist Kamma is more of a mental rather than physical.
For instance. if I kill someone it equates to I am killing myself.
When I am angry at someone, it really affects me not the other person.
It is similar to Newtons law, that every action has a equal reaction in the opposite direction.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Mahabrahma
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

SarathW wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:12 am According to Buddhis teaching, only a Buddha will be able to tell how Kamma operates.
The way I understand Buddhist Kamma is more of a mental rather than physical.
For if I kill someone it equates to I am killing myself.
When I am angry at someone, it really affect me not the other person.
Yes but the killing generates negative karmic waves in the Universe, it is not an imaginary act, hence the bad karma. Also, if one is angry at someone their anger may cause retribution, hence the reactive aspect of that karma. If you understand karma practically you can understand it as part of the Law of cause and effect.
Last edited by Mahabrahma on Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
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-Dhammapada.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

SarathW wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:12 am It is similar to Newtons law, that every action has a equal reaction in the opposite direction.
Yes he definitely was describing karma from what I understand with this, in his own language, if that Newton's Law is understood properly.
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at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
SarathW
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Re: concept of luck

Post by SarathW »

I believe in Kamma but do not believe that there is one to one relationship.
For instance that there are certain Kamma is not operative.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Mahabrahma
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

Also, there is such thing as senseless evil that causes harm to people who did not create waves of bad karma, and bad karmic actions that can be forgiven, and such forgiveness can lead to the obliteration of one's bad karma. And it is to be understood that evil is never deserved, we must stay out of the affairs of karma and instead liberate those trapped in the workings of negative karma, through Buddhism.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
form
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Re: concept of luck

Post by form »

There is a sutta on karma that talks about if a person kept lying and rebirth as human, people do not trust him. If one steals a lot and came back as a human, he lose his possession easily. The to me is probability statistics or can be termed as luck?
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Re: concept of luck

Post by Mahabrahma »

form wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:44 am There is a sutta on karma that talks about if a person kept lying and rebirth as human, people do not trust him. If one steals a lot and came back as a human, he lose his possession easily. The to me is probability statistics or can be termed as luck?
Ultimately what kind of karma is going to hit a person is based on the contents of their character and their endeavour, though there are other factors as well.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
form
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Re: concept of luck

Post by form »

Mahabrahma wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:02 am
form wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:44 am There is a sutta on karma that talks about if a person kept lying and rebirth as human, people do not trust him. If one steals a lot and came back as a human, he lose his possession easily. The to me is probability statistics or can be termed as luck?
Ultimately what kind of karma is going to hit a person is based on the contents of their character and their endeavour, though there are other factors as well.
Tendencies and probability.

Some people with occult knowledge on this aspect may know more. The Buddha do not elaborate on this area probably it is not beneficial to know too much.
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