A conversation at Dangerous Harvests started out on the topic of financing a dharma center but morphed into a discussion of karma. One commenter, bob, said,
Karma makes no sense unless coupled with innumerable lifetimes. That we all have been through the cycle of existence, from being gods to being hell beings, should be a source of compassion for ourselves and others. If we think of these things as only in reference to this present life, or to other people we very easily get caught up in gain/loss, praise/blame etc thinking.
As a zennie, I tend to distrust anything about dharma that "makes sense." Cognitive knowledge is too limited, too one-sided. If you can conceptualize it, you're missing something. I do realize other schools of Buddhism are less, um, contrary about things.
That said, to me, karma doesn't "make sense" if it doesn't impact this life. I don't dismiss karma continuing in other lives, but this is the life I'm focusing on at the moment. And as my first Zen teacher used to say, "What you do is what happens to you."
Karma is about taking moment-to-moment responsibility for our actions (note to self: pay attention!), and not just for our own benefit. With practice you become more sensitive to the way the effects of your actions ripple in all directions, reaching far beyond your individual sight to impact others.
To me, the issue is not to move beyond this present life, but beyond this individual self. You can still get caught up in gain/loss thinking if you believe the future being who will accrue the benefit of your good work is still little ol' you. But if you are no longer limited to "self," it hardly matters what life you're talking about.
As far as the gods and hell beings and other beings of the Six Realms go -- these can be understood on many levels, and I don't think only one level is the "right one. I have read essays by some Vajrayana teachers describing them as personality types. My teacher says we pass through many realms every day. We might manifest as a hell being one moment and a deva another moment.
In other words, these are not necessarily just places where you may be reborn in some distant future. Remember, the Buddha said we die and are reborn every minute.
Another commenter, Petteri Sulonen, responded to bob's comment on his own blog. There's a bit on Vasubandhu's model of personality and memory that I find intriguing. He also links to Shravasti Dhammika's excellent essay on karma that I've linked to in the past. One of my Zen teachers was impressed with this essay, also; it's not just a Theravadin perspective.
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