Connected karma

[yontenjamyang]

It is true that we are all connected and that connected karma is true. But please bear in mind that one can only experience one's own karma. That means one CANNOT experience something that one has not created the cause for. I say this now because I think we should not rely on others doing the merits for us and we benefit via connected karma. For example, a Lama may bless a group of people but the results of that blessing is different for everyone in the group.
While it is very good and well for us to dedicate the merits of our meritorious acts to our love one, it is a million times better for them to do it themselves. It is not the same to eat something and to smell it. Smelling doesn't fill the stomach and one cannot really enjoy the food. Only eating the food yourselves does.
So I would say while there is connected karma, its effect is very small. Connected karma's benefit is only better then no karma at all but it cannot begin to compare to one's own created karma.

So please encourage our loved one to practice Dharma. That is the only assurance.

[Dondrup Shugden]

It is true that we are connected by collective Karma.  I was once told by a devote Buddhist that whoever we meet in this existence is someone we either owe or someone who came to pay back.

That sounded awfully scary for me to even wish to meet any more new people.  But as a Buddhist we cannot escape our karma and if certain aspects of your karma do not arise in this life, we will carry it forward to the next life during which time we enhances it.

Learning the Dharma makes me realise that our karma can change, virtuous deeds leads to either gaining positive karma and bad deeds to negative karma. Therefore with even the slightest knowledge of karma, we are in control of our life and can do something with our karma.

After reciting any puja or doing something beneficial, we dedicate the merits collected to others.  Such being the case, I feel it is logical that we can dedicate our merits to our parents who gave us life and also brought us up.

As mentioned by Yontenjamyang, the best is for your parents and loved ones to practise Dharma.  Nothing can beat this method.

[Kim Hyun Jae]

Connected karma is a relationship created and bonded together between a guru with their students or within a family or an organization.

In dharma, this karma connection is created when the practitioner make Aspirations and prayers to wish to be connected with their lama, guru or Buddha in lifetimes after lifetimes. These aspirations is under lay with the wish to attain buddha hood with boddhicitta motivation to take higher rebirths to continue the work and practice of the Buddhas or boddhisattvas.