Karma in Shōkū’s 證空 Teaching

Abstract

Action (karma) is an important issue in Buddhism. Based on the basic principle of ‘attaining the results of one’s actions,’ action is associated with the present world of existence as well as the next one. In particular, attention is paid how action is treated in Pure Land Buddhism, that preaches the salvation of an ordinary person possessed of fetters who accumulates sinful actions: the elimination of sinful deeds is indispensable for rebirth in the Pure Land. This paper examines the notion of action as understood by Shōkū 證空.