Why Break the Karmic Cycle? (Why Reach Nirvana ?)

Momo

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A question for the knowledgeable skeptiko community,

Why should one aspire to break free from the karmic cycle? Everything I've read so far treats it as a self-evident goal, but are fuzzy on the motivation.

I'd be thankful for any insight from you guys.
 
The law of karma is that you experience the consequences of your actions. Good actions have good consequences and bad actions have bad consequences. If you ignore slights and insults and refrain from harming anyone, and if you only do good actions you will only experiences good consequences from your actions. So far I have not said anything metaphysical, but now I will: After death, in your life review, you will experience how your actions affected other people from their perspective. You will feel all the pain and suffering you caused, and you will experience all the joy and happiness you caused. In a future incarnation, you might have to experience the harm you caused to someone in a previous life. When you harm another person, you harm yourself, but good actions lead to joy and happiness. So it is only self interest that should lead one to cultivate only good karma. That is the whole point of karma, it is our great teacher. From karma, one learns that it is more desirable to be good. That is one if the important lessons of spiritual development that makes us fit for the higher levels in the afterlife.

The main way of clearing up your karma, in addition to helping others, is forgiveness - ignore negativity instead of propagating it. Every action has consequences that spread from one person to another like ripples on a pond. If you absorb waves of negativity instead of propagating them, if you return good for evil, love for hate, if you break the (karmic) cycle of negativity, that action itself has consequences that spread out. If you find only being positive is hard to do, try meditation which should help you develop equanimity.
 
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My understanding was that any karma (good or bad) still keeps you in the karmic cycle, you need no karma to break out.

Maybe I should restate it as, why would one want to reach nirvana?
 
why would one want to reach nirvana?
Because they were a kick-ass band?

Okay, I'll "behave" (well mostly). I think karma as commonly viewed is a misconception. Among other flaws it rests on the concept of linear. But from within the concept - I'd say the answer is much like most people don't want to spend their entire incarnation in college - even if they have a blast while attending. Oh . .wait . you stated for the knowledgeable people . .whoops sorry for butting in.
 
My understanding was that any karma (good or bad) still keeps you in the karmic cycle, you need no karma to break out.

Maybe I should restate it as, why would one want to reach nirvana?

I don't really subscribe to that view but the belief was that you didn't have to reincarnate any more. Life was pretty tough in those days a lot of people would rather skip the whole thing if possible. But what we hear from NDErs and spirits communicating through evidential mediums is that you incarnate a handful of times and then move on beyond the earth school. Those sources don't mention breaking the karmic cycle, except the occasional mention of having to experience something in a future life that you might have done to someone else in a previous life, but that is the exception rather than the rule.
 
My understanding was that any karma (good or bad) still keeps you in the karmic cycle, you need no karma to break out.

Maybe I should restate it as, why would one want to reach nirvana?
At one time I tried to make sense of such things as though there was a set of rules. It even made sense to me. Nowadays I find it making less and less sense. It comes across as no more meaningful than the Christian theology I was brought up with. Maybe all such ideas are merely approximations.
 
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