Karma, sin and punishments: apparent similarities from different traditions

 

Karma, sin and punishments: apparent similarities from different traditions

In this post, I’ll quote some texts of two different traditions, Buddhism and Christianity about three different topics about the concept of ‘wrongdoing’ and its consequences. Put side by side, I believe that the similarities are astonishing. I thought that, perhaps, it was better if I had not revealed the sources of these texts in this piece but I decided to put them in the footnotes. I suggest, however, to read them before and after having doing that, read the footnotes.

The nature of wrongdoing

“"'I am the owner of my actions (kamma), heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir'...

…

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.

"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.

"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.

"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.”[1]

“He said to them, “Are even you still without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled into the latrine?  But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy.  These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”” [2]

The saviour as a physician and those in need of salvation as ill

“Pay heed, sirs, to what is spoken by the Clear-eyed One. The surgeon, the great hero, roars like a lion in the jungle.”[3]

““When an unlearned ordinary person experiences painful physical feelings they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They experience two feelings: physical and mental.

It’s like a person who is struck with an arrow, only to be struck with a second arrow. That person experiences the feeling of two arrows.”[4]

““Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.””[5]

Punishments as way to recompense for wrondgoings

“ If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.  I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.””[6]

“ That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.  Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’  Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.  When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’  But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.  Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’  Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.””[7]

“"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil kamma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the devas. That evil kamma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the fifth deva messenger, King Yama falls silent.

"Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted.”[8]

“Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.  Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”[9]

Brief commentary

The first series of texts convey the idea that ‘bad karma’ and ‘sin’ are intentional action, i.e. actions performed with a bad will. The second series suggests that both religions see our condition as a state of illness and view the saviour as a physician. Finally, the last set of texts seem to indicate that punishment are a way to recompense for our wrongdoings. Also, all the texts more or less say that the transgressor is punished until the whole recompense has been given, which certainly suggests that the punishment has an end. Most, but not all, Christians believe in the possibility of endless punishments. Buddhists, of course, think that all states of existence are temporary, ‘hells’ included. 

Personally, I do not think that the above textual similarities are a random coincidence but should be taken at face value. The ‘message' is similar  on these subjects between different traditions (but not the same, of course, and differences should not be neglected).

 

 


Comments

  1. boundless93February 18, 2026 at 2:37 AM

    Also, I noted similarities between what the Buddha is reported to say in the discourse SN 22.60 (https://suttacentral.net/sn22.60/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false ) about the fact that if samsara didn't contain pleasure attachment would be impossible and what Gregory of Nyssa says in chapter 20 of 'On the Making of Man' about the fact that humans can't choose evil if it isn't presented in the guise of something good: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2914.htm (scroll down until chpater XX)

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