Karma moves in two directions. If we act virtuously, the seed we plant will result in happiness. If we act non-virtuously, suffering results.
–Sakyong Mipham, American-Tibetan monk
Do you believe in karma? I do.
It simply means good or bad luck which results from one’s actions. Our intent and actions influence our future. Good deeds will contribute to good luck and bad deeds will result in bad luck.
My family, especially mum, is a strong believer of karma and my siblings and I were drilled on the importance of karma when we were as young as five or six years old.
Mum’s often quoted maxim was, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. The Christians would attribute this pithy statement to Jesus while the Chinese would swear that it came from ancient philosopher Confucius.
By the way, we are staunch Hindus, but mum would say, “It does not matter from whom the phrase came from, so long as it’s good for mankind to adopt”.
We are from a moderate family. Dad was an engineering assistant (a post higher than senior technician) with P & T (Post and Telegraph) in Sibu, earning perhaps less than RM1,000 back in the sixties. But the small income didn’t stop mum from doing good deeds like helping the poor in the neighbourhood with food, drinks and money.
When someone next door fell ill, she would cook some simple meals to ensure that the person was comfortable. When people needed a few dollars (back then the currency was the British dollar and cent) to buy medicines she would, without giving it much thought, dig into her piggy bank and draw out the 50 cent coins.
All these deeds were carried out with love and without her expecting anything in return. But the little things she did made her an affable person in the government quarters neighbourhood.
I still remember the question which dad asked mum one evening. I think I was in Primary 3 then.
“Why are you so concerned about our neighbours and the others (like the vegetable sellers and roti man)? You are giving away whatever you save to some sick people. They can take care of themselves. You just take care of your family. I don’t see these people returning the favour!”
I will never — ever — forget mum’s reply (in Tamil): “Dear, when we do something good to others we do not expect people to pay back. I don’t need them to return the favour.
“What I do now may benefit our kids, even if it takes 10 or 20 years from now. You do good and someone else will do good to our kids.”
Thinking about all the good deeds mum did for our neighbours makes me teary.
Now, let me relate an incident which I believe is the result of karma, thanks to mum.
One night in 1984, I was driving casually with my girlfriend along Lanang Road in Sibu when we came across a small crowd frantically attempting to wave down passing vehicles but none stopped.
Apparently, it was a hit-and-run case and a man was lying in the middle of the road, seriously injured. My girlfriend insisted that we should stop and see if we could be of help.
We decided to take the seriously injured man to the nearby Law King Howe Hospital and prayed that he would not give up his soul while on the way.
Fortunately, he lived long enough for the medical personnel to get him out of our car and into the emergency ward.
My car was full of blood and we decided to call off our date. Instead, my girlfriend and I ended up cleaning up the bloodied backseat.
It was days later that we found out the victim succumbed to his injuries. A nurse whom I knew said he was 57 years old.
Years later on the afternoon of August 14, 1991 I was riding to my workplace in Bintawa, Kuching when a lorry suddenly overtook a slow pick-up truck and swung directly into my path.
It headed directly for my direction head-on, perhaps less than 30 metres away. I saw death coming.
I was not sure whether to swerve left into the monsoon drain where I could end up seriously injured, or swing to the right lane which would have been the right decision as there were no oncoming vehicles.
But believe it or not, I didn’t swing to the left or right. Instead I felt a cold hand touch my right shoulder and insisted in a weird voice that I should continue straight on! Straight into the path of the oncoming marauding lorry!
I just said to myself, “Mati mati lah!” and I did what the voice told me. Fortunately, the lorry swerved to the right and I was safe.
If I had followed my instinct and chosen to take the right lane, I would not be around today. I believe the dying man I sent to the hospital years ago saved me. Even as I recall the incident, I experience goosebumps. It was karma which saved my life. Mum’s good deeds have been repaid in full.
Thank you, mum. You are an angel.
