Is it 'okay' to seek a sex partner if spouse is forever severely disabled/incapable

[anachronistic]

Part of getting rid of that attachment is realizing that there is really no such thing as good or evil. It is realizing that everybody gets hurt, and that everybody has different morals, and concepts of hurt.

I used to follow that stuff, until I saw that it was a little self-defeating, like Christianity. I still do believe in concepts like karma, but congregational beliefs eliminate the original reason for religion to even exist; to find the truth.

[Mish]

Actually, Mish, the way it was explained to me (by a Theravada monk) is that the ultimate goal is to have NO karma, good or bad. Karma is a consequence of *attachment*, so even tons of GOOD karma doesn't lead to enlightenment. Its not the same concept as sin, which does keep a balance check. The ultimate goal is to eliminate attachment and, as a consequence, karma.

Or so it was explained to me. Just an FYI, I don't necessarily believe in this stuff.

That's certainly interesting, but it's not the definition of Karma I read anywhere. From my understanding Karma is eternal (Extending into the next life, Hindus believe in Reincarnation) and can't be gotten rid off.

Though, getting rid of attachment is the goal (attachment does not relate to karma, they explain attachment relates to suffering while karma is a universal law being a cause and effect system - because as long as you are alive you will create cause and effect triggering karma laws).

[anachronistic]

That's certainly interesting, but it's not the definition of Karma I read anywhere. From my understanding Karma is eternal (Extending into the next life, Hindus believe in Reincarnation) and can't be gotten rid off.

Though, getting rid of attachment is the goal (attachment does not relate to karma, they explain attachment relates to suffering while karma is a universal law being a cause and effect system - because as long as you are alive you will create cause and effect triggering karma laws).

I don't know about Hinduism, but Buddhists generally believe that one reincarnates, until he becomes enlightened - to become enlightened is to be detached oneself from such things.

The way it was explained to me by a Tibetan Buddhist, was "You do good thing, good thing happen to you. You do bad thing, bad thing happen to you."

How you interpret that is based on what you know. For instance, you're taking that into literal terms, as if it were a cause and effect system. But my understanding, is that you cannot have a universal system, unless it's like government, and laws and everything are dictated to you. These teachings are about the self, not about the universe as a whole. Therefore you decide what is right and wrong, and the person next to you does the same thing.

Karma is basically the idea that you are the one who controls your life. Cause, and effect, yes, but that is not all. If you are the one who controls your life, then you are the person that causes the suffering by holding values that go against the things that happen in nature. When you see something on TV, you see a man who killed an innocent child, or maybe something happened to you in real life; your girlfriend cheated on you - whatever it is, it makes you angry, and you want vengeance. Do you think the person may always suffer from the consequences? No, not always. Sometimes yes, but sometimes no. Eventually they may suffer for a different reason though... or perhaps they have suffered before. That is karma.

[Mish]

Therefore you decide what is right and wrong, and the person next to you does the same thing.

From what I understand you get to make a choice this is where you ave control. Karma is the outcome of your choice what will happen to you, it's outside of your control.

[anachronistic]

Well I will let you understand it that way then. I have explained it 3 times.

[IndiReloaded]

That's certainly interesting, but it's not the definition of Karma I read anywhere. From my understanding Karma is eternal (Extending into the next life, Hindus believe in Reincarnation) and can't be gotten rid off.

Though, getting rid of attachment is the goal (attachment does not relate to karma, they explain attachment relates to suffering while karma is a universal law being a cause and effect system - because as long as you are alive you will create cause and effect triggering karma laws).

Well, just passing on what I was told for interest only. Arguing this stuff is like arguing the merits of warp drive, a likewise fictitious concept.