won buddhism

9. A man asked the Founding Master, “If one practices the Way wholeheartedly, can one be free even from one’s destined karma?” The Founding Master answered. “It will be difficult to be free from destined karma all at once, but one may find a way to become free of it gradually. If one practicing the dharma is aware of the principle in the changes of the realms of existence and the Four Forms of Birth, refrains from committing evils, and accumulates good deeds every day, one will naturally be closer to doing good and farther from following evil ways. Even if someone tries to retaliate against me as a result of my wrongdoings and I face that person with the dharma mind, with no intention of further retaliation, this conflict of karma between the person and myself shall cease. Even if you have to suffer from some bad consequences, consider the complete emptiness of your own Nature in which no sin karma exists, and reflect on your past wrongdoings and try to rectify them. With such a mind state, all the past sins may melt away like the snow melting by the fireplace. This is the way to diminish the destined karma spiritually. Or, if you practice moral training successfully, you will always be progressing upward in the course of treading the realms of existence. Accordingly, thus becoming stronger than others, you will be receiving just a little compensation from the weaker ones. And as you are accumulating virtuous deeds in the universe, the universe protects you wherever you happen to be, therefore, evil finds it difficult to have an effect on you. This is the way to lighten the destined karma by great power.”

from The Scripture of the Founding Master, Chapter 5, v. 9

28. When Kim Kwang‐Sun passed away, the Founding Master shed tears, and said to the assembly of disciples, “Kwang‐Sun shared happiness and suffering with me for more than twenty years, and had the closest relationship with me. Even though there is no birth and no death, no prosperity and no decay in the Dharma body, it still is unfortunate not to be able to see his countenance again. For the sake of his soul, I will preach about the Law of the Cycle of Birth and Death and about the extinction of karma. Now, you disciples, listen to me most attentively in remembrance of Kwang‐Sun. Your enlightenment acquired from my preaching will be an advantage not only for you but also for Palsan. In the words of the ancient Buddha, it is said that if one practices the great Way of No Birth and No Death, one’s karma, accumulated through many lives, will become extinct. The way to extinguish karma is as follows. If someone causes you suffering and brings you loss, do not hate them or hold a grudge against them, but take it as a debt which you owed them in your past lives, keeping your mind peaceful and never contrary to theirs. If you retreat from a chance for revenge, the karma will cease to cycle. Furthermore, be aware of a state where the Cycle of Life and Death and happiness and suffering are absolutely void, and hold this state of mind. When you can retain your mind in this state, it may be said that the karma of birth and death are completely extinguished."

from The Scripture of the Founding Master, Chapter 9, v. 28