How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?

[CFTraveler]

Hey Wallbridge.
Just a couple of comments- 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. It seems to me that the idea behind it is to lose the attachment to both pleasure and pain, so that no karma is accumulated.

And, I think the key behind Robert's comment is awareness- the more 'spiritually advanced' you are the more aware you are of what the effect of your choices are, and the more you can control this effect. Awareness of this connection is what makes the difference, and the ability to choose.

Bye, CF.

[Antares]

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).