We Are Responsible for Our Own Circumstances

[icy]

If we respond with a negative attitude, negative things will eventually come our way. Unlike the scenario in the movie, it doesn't always happen right away. We can be very nice people but still have lots of problems. On the other hand, we can be awful people and have a wonderful time. But from a Buddhist perspective, it's just a matter of time before we receive the results of our conduct. And usually it is true that people with a positive attitude encounter positive circumstances. Even if the circumstances do not appear positive, they be transformed through a positive view. On the other hand people with negative minds complain even when things are going well. They also transform circumstances, but they transform positive ones into negative ones!

Both our present and our future depend on us. From moment to moment, we are creating our future. We are not a ball of dust tossed about by the winds of fate. We have full responsibility for our lives. The more aware we become, the more capable we are of making skillful choices.

[Big Uncle]

Yes, in Buddhism, we are solely responsible with whatever we encounter, be they good or bad. What we experience does not depend on whether we are a good person in this life or not. It depends upon the karma that we had accumulated for over numerous lifetimes. So, we never know what karma will come to fruition but of course, the right circumstances would trigger individual karmas to surface within our minds and our surroundings.

Since, we only want pleasure and not pain, we have to always choose to open good karmic conditions and we can do that by our actions. We can do that via our prayers, maintaining good samaya with our Guru and also choosing to only act in virtuous ways. When we abide in virtuous actions, it will only open positive karma for us. However, life is never smooth sailing for everyone and sometimes our negative karma will surface and we have to sail through it with dignity  and strength via our practice and the Dharma.

                                                                                                                                                                 

[Q]

The right attitude don't really classify in the sense of negative or positive reactions. When we have full conviction on the laws of Karma, cause and effect, then we will accept that whatever negative happenings that befall us is a direct effect from a cause we have created.

I know many people that tell me, if you just accept whatever suffering you're going through and just be carefree about it, then you are not really taking responsibility on yourself. I beg the differ though... It is through accepting the negativity we experience that shows we understand the law of karma... and through this understanding, we will have the wisdom to turn it around by attacking the very root of the cause.

[pgdharma]

Karma is a law in itself, which operates in its own field without the intervention of any external, independent ruling agency. Karma constitutes both good and evil. Good actions get good. Evil receives evil. As we sow, we reap somewhere and sometime, in this life or in a future birth. What we reap today is what we have sown either in the present or in the past.

Buddhism stresses the importance of the present and the future. Far more constructive is looking to the future and moving forward.  What really matters, however, is how we can improve ourselves from this moment forward, how we can change the circumstances that we find ourselves in. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.

[apprenticehealer]

It is so true that we are all responsible for whatever circumstances that we are in.
Whatever situation we find ourselves in, we have created it all by ourselves. We do not know what we did in the previous lifetimes, and when karma ripens in this lifetime, and we are placed in a terrible situation, as long as we fully understand and believe how karma works, we can withstand the suffering we go through.
If we, instead blame everyone else and not take responsibility of our actions, thoughts and speech - we are creating even more negative karma for ourselves .
If we came into this lifetime with many merits and good karma from previous lifetimes - and we do not initiate more good karma and merits, but instead, through being horrible, mean and nasty, we 'use' up all our good merits - we then suffer the consequences of all the bad and negative karma we have , on our own , created !
We are definitely responsible for our karma, like we are the only ones responsible for our bank account. 

[buddhalovely]

We are each given a set of experiences in life. The experiences are neutral. They have no meaning. It is how we interpret the experiences that give them meaning. Your interpretations of your experiences shape your beliefs and theories about the world which, in turn, influence the way you live your life. The grandfather’s lesson is that when you can’t change your circumstances, you change yourself.

We automatically interpret all of our experiences without realizing it. Are they good experiences, bad ones, what do they mean and so on? We do this without much thought, if any, to what the interpretations mean. For instance, if someone bumps into you, you wonder why. The event of her bumping into you is neutral in itself. It has no meaning. It's your interpretation of the bumping that gives it meaning, and this meaning shapes your perception of the experience.

' You can't change the world, but you can change yourself '

[Tenzin K]

Although Buddhism regards the human body as spiritual, it also acknowledges the power of the mind. Most people who engage in a spiritual community are looking for more satisfaction in life. If life was perfect, humanity would have no motivation to meditate or search for enlightenment. At the core of Buddhist philosophy, is the idea that happiness has nothing to do with external factors. Happiness is all in the mind. It’s something we must all find for ourselves.

And, just as Jesus did in the Sermon on the Mount, Buddha left us “reminders” of how to stay on the path towards satisfaction and enlightenment:

Human rebirth is precious: We, as humans, have an opportunity in this life to find enlightenment. According to Buddhist teachings, if enlightenment is attained, we can recover our consciousness and carry it with us to our next life. This is motivation for us to make our lives meaningful.

Death is inevitable: You will die; we all do. So, don’t waste a single day because you never know what day will be your last.

Karma can’t be avoided: This is equivalent to, “Treat others as you want to be treated.”

Suffering exists: Ignorance cannot protect you from life’s inevitable suffering. Face the world and you will find “real” release from suffering.

In Buddhism, there is no threat of eternal damnation; there is only the prison of your mind. Finding a spiritual teacher can be exceptionally rewarding, but, in the end, Buddhism exists completely in yourself.

[brian]

Wwe are definitely responsible for our conduct and we can relate this to karma. Whatever we did for the good or for the bad, the effects will eventually fall back onto us although some might argue that while doing bad some crooks still enjoying life. This brings to the existence of karma. We do good and bad in our countless lifetimes, it is a matter of some good and bad karma ripens upon us at the same time. Example: one being rich but have a lot of problems. So what we are today is actually what we did yesterday. If we are fat, that was because we have been eating excessively.