Age of Responsibility?

[kendali]

If kamma is a universal law then its effects cannot be altered, correct? If so, are we not responsible for our entire lifetime of kammic debt? Even if we violated a precept as a child? Or is intent needed and, if so, at what point in our maturation are we able to form reasonable intent? I wonder if any one person can make that judgment about another.

The faith tradition I left has an age of responsibility - 13 years old. After that age you are held accountable both to your community and deity for moral and religious obligations. Before that you are seen as being primarily driven by a baser instinct. Is there such a concept similar to this in Theravāda?

A personal case in point: When I was 8 or 9 years old I killed a bird. I didn't have much of a developed concept of death but I did know that dead meant forever gone. What is my kammic responsibility? Does merit-making help in these cases?

Sorry for all of my questions! I love the collective wisdom here and I would love to study the suttas better so as to better answer my own questions. I am very thankful for this sangha.

[samseva]

Age has nothing to do with it; it is the intentions and the understanding of the actions which determine the results. The kamma-vipāka (karma-results) from all actions are dependent on the intention, and the degree of the intention at the moment in someone's life when these actions were done. If a child kills a frog or a larger animal (deliberately and not by accident), there will inevitably be kamma-results from this action. However, they will not be as grave as someone of 40 years old, who has a more complete understanding regarding the implications of killing another living being.

[The Thinker]

You can only practice when you find it and some many never be lucky enough, we start by changing our outlook, changing our intentions, and clearing out the unwholesome by practicing the wholesome.

Good book here: - https://forestsangha.org/teachings/book ... ge=English" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And many others on the site.


Be humble

[santa100]

A personal case in point: When I was 8 or 9 years old I killed a bird. I didn't have much of a developed concept of death but I did know that dead meant forever gone. What is my kammic responsibility? Does merit-making help in these cases?

There's no set age for it's an inter-connected web of various factors: innate potential, nurturing environment, past and present kamma, etc. An 8-9 year-old child brought up in a good family with strong faith in the Buddha Dhamma would not intentionally kill any being whether large or small. Even if the child wasn't raised in a good family, but due to wholesome kamma in a previous life, his/her natural innate tendency could also prevent him/her from doing unwholesome evil acts. The reverse can be said for the case of a child being brought up in a violent environment or with a violent innate nature due to previous unwholesome kamma..

[paul]

"Before that you are seen as being primarily driven by a baser instinct."
There are three unwholesome roots, greed hate and delusion, which are completely removed at the attainment of arahatship.

[cooran]

Hi Kendall, and all,

These essays by renowned Buddhists might be of interest:

Kamma and its fruit
http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh221.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With metta,
Chris

[kendali]

Thank you for the resources.