That’s some of the mystery of the present moment: Not everything in the present moment is determined by the past; you have to have some input from the mind right now.

"That’s some of the mystery of the present moment: Not everything in the present moment is determined by the past; you have to have some input from the mind right now.

You look into dependent co-arising: The intentions of the present moment come prior to sensory contact. Now, sensory contact, as the Buddha said, is old kamma coming at you. This means that you actually experience your present kamma before you experience your past kamma. But we pay so little attention to it — because we’re more interested in the things coming in through the senses — that we don’t really realize what we’re contributing.

So, try to gain a sense of what you’re bringing. You have some preconceived notions, you have some perceptions, you have some intentions. Air them out. Open them up."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "The Power of Present Karma"

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