Quote Originally Posted by CFTraveler View Post
Karma is the result of a process, not a mathematical equation in which the result is zero- so 2 pains won't make 2 pleasures.
I think there is a mathematical equation involved in the karmic burdens, but yes, not in that sense as CFTraveler indicated. Rather, on the higher level: where lack of understanding finally meets an adequate realization. In this sense, each thought (or thoughts thread) awaits until realized - both metaphorically and literally. So that the final sum is zero.

The problem here refers to the time concept. It is linear thinking that considers a number of "pains" or even "punishments" as put in certain scenarios in life time(s) which 'need' to be opposed by a number of "rewards" or something.

If you remove the time concept and the underlying linear events, there are no events left, only a stream of a... process of the same thread. So: one thread unerealized is released by the thread finally realized. So in the end, we are not talking of a number of numbers (events), but about a simple equation: you may refer to it as E = mc2*

* metaphorically: your energy (left side of the equation, or unrealized energy) is opposed to the heavy mass multiplied by squared speed of light - mass is something that bounds your freedom and awaits for realization. Here's the time secret behind so called 'karma' and 'karmic beliefs'. The heaviness (and the related karmic-driven events in your life) simply disappear when the related thoughts-thread is realized.

Long story short: free will - you can choose whatever you want any time you want. This is called realization (freeing from boundaries). (you do not do that because you are not free - yet; hence so-called karmic events, or rather your perception of those).