Expert: Justin Choo - 1/11/2010

Question
If someone suffers in this life, than it is because of his bad karma acumulated in his past lives. So, why should we feel sorry for such a person?

If a serial criminal gets the death penalty than why should I fell sorry for him. He deserves it.  

Answer
Hi Liviu,

Welcome back.  Hope my previous answer clarifies some of your doubt.

Now coming back to your question; actually no one ask you to feel sorry for such a person.  But to be realistic,even without any reason, as goog-thinking persons it is natural that we would feel sorry for such a person.  

To adopt an attitude like what you wrote is a misunderstanding/misinterpretation of the law of kamma.  First we have to understanding that the person now is not exactly the same as the previous one.  The Buddha spoke of rebirth as not exactly the same nor completely different.  It is not like reincarnation where "X" reincarnate into the same "X". If it the exactly the same person, then this person will be able to remember his past lives.  Reincarnation is a Tibetan concept.  The Buddhist concept is "rebirth" where the life-stream of consciousness passes from one life to another, carrying the storehouse of kammic energy with it.  What the previous life (or lives) had done, the present life or future lives will have to experience the good and/or bad results or retributions. We can put the blame on the actions of the previous life (or lives), but we cannot condemn the present life for what it is. The present life is just an extension of this life-stream continuum.

Just to use common sense, if you suffer now, you wouldn't want others to condemn you that you deserve it because of your past kamma.  You know that you did nothing wrong in this life.  So it is just unfair to blame the person, in this case, you.

Understanding the concept of kamma helps us to understand why certain people have to suffer a lot without apparent reasons.  It is not a concept for you to put blame on the person.

Take care.

Justin Choo