Kamma is the one big metaphysical issue the Buddha talks about a lot: the nature of action, what action does, when it gives its results, the fact that action is real, that it gives results both immediately and over time.

"A lot of people believe that kamma is one of those teachings that’s not particularly relevant to their meditation practice. But essentially, kamma is what the practice is all about. After all, kamma is what you’re doing to create suffering. Changing your kamma is what’s going to bring suffering to an end. The Buddha tends to avoid talking about metaphysical issues, but kamma is the one big metaphysical issue he talks about a lot. The nature of action, what action does, when it gives its results, the fact that action is real, that it gives results both immediately and over time: These are metaphysical issues. And the reason the Buddha focuses on these and not on other issues is because the nature of action is important for understanding why we suffer and how we can stop suffering. There’s the kamma that leads to suffering; there’s the kamma that leads to its end.

So we’re here trying to understand what action is all about, what action does, and what it creates."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Becoming" (Meditations4)

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