Generally, we feel like solid people. There is a real me here. But if you look at it from the viewpoint of multiple lives and the mind and body having a different continuum, then we begin to see that what we are is just kind of a karmic bubble, not something real and solid. By saying that we are a karmic bubble, karma means that we are conditioned, that we are the result of causes that were created in the past. That does not mean predetermination, but it is referring to this incredible complexity of various causes that conditioned who we are right now and what our situation is. When we think about that, we realise that we are not concrete personalities or concrete people but we are conditioned phenomena. By understanding that we are conditioned, it means that there is a possibility to change because things that are conditioned are dependent, they do not exist under their power. As our conditioning changes, who we are changes as well. This means that we have the possibility to progress along the path and become fully awakened Buddhas. We do this by just changing our conditioning.

When we were young, we did not have much control over our conditioning. Not much control over outside influences, but even from the inside we did not know how to evaluate the conditioning we received. Now that we are older, we are able to think more logically and more reasonably so it is possible to begin to deliberately and conscientiously transform the way we condition our lives and therefore create the causes to become much more joyful and enriched people who can really make lives meaningful for the world and ourselves. Having that kind of view of ourselves — just a karmic bubble, nothing permanent or concrete — reminds us of the possibility of change and transformation and gives us a vision of hope and optimism for the future. It gives us some belief, confidence and faith in our potential.

“365 Gems of Wisdom” e-book is out now!