Karma Is Our Perfect Teacher
Karma is the residue of our past judgements held in the mind, which are echoed in our behaviour. The path to enlightenment is dealing with this inner echo – our sticky residue.
Our attitude to life depends on the acknowledgement of this karma, be it pleasant or unpleasant. Our reaction to others tells us everything we need to know about ourselves; rather than condemning others – who, incidently, are trying to cope with their karma – we enlist the qualities of the six perfections (generosity, patience, morality, discipline, concentration and transcendent wisdom).
Our reactions are our perfect teacher as they are with us all the time, and are shaped by our background. Until perfect enlightenment, karma will be with us. To be a perfect student in order to ascend the levels, we acknowledge that we have to face our karma as it becomes increasingly subtle – and the teacher becomes stricter.