In Buddhism, kamma refers to volitional actions and their results (vipaka). Kamma is generated by the prevailing conscious mind and results in discernible reactions through the subtle conscious mind. The prevailing mind is responsible for decision making and actions, while the subtle mind attracts similar vibrational frequencies based on those actions. As humans have both prevailing and subtle conscious minds, the human realm is where new kamma is often initiated through choice and resolution of past kamma. It is important for humans to live wholesome lives guided by wisdom rather than ignorance, in order to avoid regret and attain opportunities to learn.

1. Kamma-vipaka
In Buddhism, kamma is described as volitional action and vipaka refers to the end
result of any particular volitional actions. For general understanding, kamma
literally means action but in Buddhism, there is a focus on the enthusiastic action
(potent kamma) that would instigate discernible reaction (potent vipaka).
Therefore, it is imperative for one to tell apart the term ‘kamma’ as per Buddhism
and the general definition of it in order to avoid any conflicts of understanding that
may arise later on.
Generally speaking, volition is referred to an act of making a choice or decision. In
other words, it is the act of making a ‘conscious’ choice or decision. Therefore,
we need to investigate into the state of mind while understanding into kamma-
vipaka because mind is the forerunner of all states. Literally, the mind is
comprised with two terms i.e. prevailing consciousness and subtle consciousness.
Both the prevailing and the subtle mind consciousnesses would arise in the
sentient beings but for other things, merely subtle mind consciousness would arise.
The role of prevailing conscious mind is like mind-in-command i.e. the mind that
can lead, take charge, concentrate, make decision and convey action. However,
subtle conscious mind is like a herd of wild horses - roaming in discrete directions
and needed domestication. This means the prevailing mind consciousness would
act as a guarding chain to the wild and monkey-like subtle mind consciousness.
In Buddhism, the focal point of kamma is the volitional thought or action and it
would arise concurrently with the existence of prevailing mind consciousness. This
means in the absence of prevailing mind consciousness, the term ‘volition’ would
cease to exist. As such, the prevailing mind consciousness is a prerequisite for
the process of kamma-vipaka. Any thoughts or actions that require the utilisation
of prevailing mind consciousness would subject to the law of kamma-vipaka as per
Buddhism. This is because volitional human thought or action would generate the
most potent vibration that penetrate all time, space and subsequently attracts
what is desired or wished for. Just like the swelling of big waves with the
enormous waves of energy would require longer time to fritter away and generate a
visible and long-lasting implication to the surroundings. In other words, all sentient
beings are electro-magnetic beings with the prevailing mind consciousness that
generates potent kamma and the subtle mind consciousness that acts as an
antenna or a radar detector constantly attracting and magnetising other similar
vibrational frequencies (discernible vipaka) within the cosmos.
As a conclusion, when we talk about the law of action, we talk about the law of
reaction. This scenario is basically due to the elements of attraction existing in

2. the cosmos and the universal law of attraction states that we attract what we are
sending out i.e. like attracts like, unlike repels unlike. Hence, favourable energies
attract favourable energies and unfavourable energies attract unfavourable
energies. In Buddhism, the initiation of new kamma (volitional thought or action)
arises mostly in the human realm if compared with the other higher or lower realms
of existence. This is because all the realms of existence with the exception of
human realm are merely reaping the end result of the preceding kamma. The main
reason is that humans are just one type of sentient beings with both the prevailing
and the subtle conscious mind stream. This means human realm is a plane of
transition whereby it is a centric plane for the process of kamma-vipaka with the
faculty of choosing or resolving.
As such, one should be grateful for the destiny of being reborn as a human and live
it well with all the meaningful purposes. The ultimate purpose of human beings is
to attain the opportunity to learn to live wholesomely. It is regardless whether one
would live a good life, a luxurious life, a poor life or a pathetic life. By being alive
as humans, we have all the liberties or choices of pathway to begin with.
Therefore, it is crucial for one to live a life wholesomely at all times – at least
there would not be a regret factor arises in one’s life later. Living wholesomely
would mean living a healthy life with exploration and enjoyment to the fullest
extent with wisdom and not with ignorance.