Ingaōhō (因果応報) means that good or bad deeds in a previous life or in the past are the cause, and good or bad results are brought about in the present as retribution. The word karma is often used in this sense in English, but it comes from India and means deed (業). Another well-known phrase in English is “what goes around comes around.”.
In either case, it is a belief that one will eventually be rewarded with good or bad luck depending on one’s good or bad deeds, and is based on the idea that good deeds will bring good rewards such as wealth and happiness, and bad deeds will bring bad rewards such as poverty and suffering.
During the Manyo period, Okura Yamanoue (山上憶良, c660~c733), who was also once appointed as a Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty, left behind many tanka poems based on social compassion and keen observations of the weak, and was known as an unusual social poet for his time. In fact, Okura wrote many tanka poems dealing with poverty, illness, old age, and death.
Okura Yamanoue was a man of high rank who served the Imperial Court and was also an intellectual of his time, but he wrote an unusual piece in the Manyoshu called “Poverty Dialogue Song (貧窮問答歌),” which is composed of a long poem and a counter-poem to the poem, and describes the suffering of the common people due to poverty.
yononaka wo ushi to yasashi to omoedomo tobitachi kanetsu torinishi araneba
trans.: The world is full of sorrows, and even if someone wants to disappear, they can’t fly away because they’re not birds.
Furthermore, in his Letter of Lament (沈痾自哀文, Chin’a jiai bun) written in his later years at the age of 74, included in the Manyoshu, he describes his own symptoms, such as inability to move his limbs, pain in his joints, and feeling heavy, and it can be inferred that he himself suffered from a serious illness such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Let’s briefly translate the opening part.
—–
trans.: Even those who earn their living by hunting in the mountains and fields in the morning and evening, and even those who fish in the rivers and seas day and night, live happy lives without being blamed for the sin of killing.
From the day I was born until today, I have always had the desire to do good and have never once had the heart to commit a sin. I also respect the Three Treasures, recite sutras without missing a single day, revere God, and have never missed a single night of prayer.
How embarrassing! What sin have I committed to cause this serious illness?
—–
Okura Yamanoue seems to have felt that he was suffering from a painful illness as a result of some kind of karmic retribution. However, even though he admitted that his suffering from illness increased as he grew older, he continued to create energetically even in old age.
A similar story appears in the Book of Job.
The pious and wealthy Job suffers loss of his possessions, his children, and ultimately his own health. Job believes that this is a test given to him, and when his friends come to comfort him, they begin to argue. Job asserts his innocence and the injustice of the test he is undergoing. His friends argue that Job is suffering because of his own sins and that this is what he deserves. Job, who is convinced of his own sincerity and righteousness, is not satisfied with his friends’ explanations.
While it may be possible to achieve some freedom from the rewards and misfortunes that flow from faith or doctrine, Kant (1724~1804) used the terms virtue and happiness to think of them not as qualities in which one contains the other, but as two entirely distinct components of the highest good.
“The realization of the highest good in this world is the necessary object of the will, which can be determined by the moral law. In such a will, the perfect conformity of the will to the moral law is the best condition for the highest good.” – Kant
According to Kant, virtue is a concept belonging to the moral world, while happiness is a concept belonging to the natural world, and since the two are governed by completely different causal factors, virtue and happiness do not necessarily coincide.
In other words, virtue and happiness are governed by completely different laws, so a virtuous person is not necessarily happy, and an immoral person is not necessarily unhappy. Rather, it may be an undeniable fact, or even a real possibility, that a virtuous person suffers because of his or her virtue, or an immoral person enjoys ease without any qualms.
Kant proposed the existence of God as a way to connect the two different causalities, causality due to freedom and causality due to nature. In other words, since the realization of the highest good is the ultimate goal of life and the ultimate ideal of morality, God must exist as a possible constraint. This is because Kant’s morality is not a teaching about “how can we be happy” but rather about “how can we become people who deserve happiness.”
It is certainly true that even if one attains good results through good causes or meets the secular standards of a person, such as being a good person, it does not mean that one can overcome the suffering in life and the fateful suffering in this world. Rather, the impression seems to be that we can lead to a peaceful and harmonious society by refraining from comparative discrimination and blind judgment, and by cultivating human value and meaning grounded in mercy, forgiveness, salvation and tolerance.
Reflection on aging and illness is one of the eternal themes that can be traced back to ancient Greece.
At the beginning of his book “The Republic,” Plato (BC 427~347) asks whether old age is a difficult or enjoyable path, and states that old age frees one from various desires and gives one freedom and peace, and therefore is a blessed time. On the other hand, Aristotle (BC 384~322) described old age as a hopeless and anxious period in life, in which the mind and body deteriorate, people become servile and timid, self-centered and narrow-minded.
The difference between the two is that Plato considered the soul to be fundamental and did not consider superficial distinctions such as the body to be decisive, whereas Aristotle attempted to define the soul in terms of the body, which led to the differentiation that the soul and virtues differ from person to person. Therefore, the difference between the two is not right or wrong, but different perspectives that arise from different starting points, and keeping this in mind may lead to deeper insight into aging.
In fact, since the views of these two great ancient philosophers on old age were perceived to have completely opposite conclusions, gerontology seems to have been a hotly debated topic from around the 4th century BC to around the 2nd century AD.
The ancient Roman philosopher Cicero (106-43 BC) is one of them. His “Cato Maior de Senectute (On Old Age)” is a classic that he wrote around the age of 62, in which he discusses aging and death in life.
It is generally said that when people reach older age or begin to feel old, they tend to associate negative images with it, such as having too much free time, difficulty moving, being prone to illness, being bored, and death being near.
Cicero gives four main reasons why old age is considered to be harsh, dark, and unpleasant, and after considering these he concludes that in the end, old age has its own pleasures that can never be diminished:
1. A decline in work and leisure activities.
2. The weakening of the body.
3. The deprivation of pleasures.
4. The imminence of death.
Moreover, Cicero’s refutation is full of encouraging words that somehow make the elderly happy.
For example, his refutation of physical decline was as follows:
“Proper action means using what you have and doing whatever is in proportion to your strength.”
“All you have to do is use your strength appropriately and do the best you can. Then you won’t be caught up in an excessive desire for strength.”
“The course of life is set, and the path of nature is a straight line with no turning points. At each stage of life, we are given something appropriate for that stage.”
He also said there was no need to fear imminent death, saying: “It is desirable for each human being to leave this world at his or her own given time, for nature has set a limit to life, as to everything else.”
Incidentally, in ancient Rome, there were two theories regarding the relationship between death and the soul: one that states that the soul returns eternally, and another that states that the soul returns to nothingness upon death. Cicero’s words above were spoken under the assumption that even if the soul, as an immortal being, does not return eternally, there is nothing to worry about.
Cicero was an important figure in the final period of the ancient Roman Republic, and from the above references he also gives the impression of being a positive and active person. In fact, after Caesar’s assassination, Cicero spent his later years more actively engaged in political activities to defend the republican system than in writing.
According to Cicero, “The best weapon for dealing with old age is the acquisition and practice of the principles of the virtues,” and “the dignity of the elderly is the final fruit of a life well lived,” and it can be seen that he himself put this into practice.
Simone de Beauvoir (1908~1986), the leading French philosopher, stated, “Old age comes upon all of us as a surprise,” and delved deeply into what aging is and the suffering and challenges it brings.
Incidentally, France is one of the developed countries that entered the ageing society early on.
In La Vieillesse (The Coming of Age, 1970), Beauvoir argued that aging is a cultural issue in the sense that it is caused by a complex interrelationship between biological, socio-economic, and psychological factors, criticized the situation of the elderly, who are alienated in a capitalist society that aims for efficient profit-pursuit, and attempted to develop an ethical and political argument for treating human existence with dignity and respect.
Because aging is not only an inevitable phenomenon, but also how we deal with it has a significant impact on our happiness, Beauvoir analyzed in detail the physical, social, and psychological aspects of aging, providing us with realistic insight into how we should accept aging.
According to Beauvoir, there are four main types of suffering associated with aging:
1. Physiological suffering
This is one of the first sufferings that appears with aging, and is the gradual decline of bodily functions.
For example, declining eyesight, declining hearing, declining physical strength, and deteriorating dental health.
These physiological changes are inevitable, but by taking care and measures early, it is possible to slow down their progression and reduce the inconvenience in daily life.
2. Social suffering
The suffering that occurs as work and social roles change with aging.
For example, declining work performance, facing retirement, changes in how others treat you, loss of social roles, etc.
Social suffering associated with aging arises from multiple factors such as the end of work, loss of social roles, and feelings of isolation. In order to overcome this, it is important to think about life plans after retirement early.
3. Cultural suffering
The mental suffering that occurs as roles in society and the family change with aging.
For example, changes in roles within the family, gaps between generations or with oneself, etc.
Cultural suffering arises from the gap that arises between oneself and the expectations of one’s family and society, so in order to accept aging, it is important to communicate with those around you and understand each other.
4. Psychological suffering
The mental conflict and suffering that arise from not being able to accept aging.
For example, the gap between the mind and body, the feeling of not wanting to acknowledge aging, low self-esteem, etc.
Since psychological suffering develops from the mental conflict that arises in the awareness of aging, Beauvoir states that in order to alleviate this psychological suffering, it is important to ultimately accept aging.
Beauvoir also points out that the problematic behavior that the elderly sometimes exhibit is the result of social oppression, loneliness, and stress, but this problematic behavior is not simply selfishness or rebellion; it is a kind of protest that expresses dissatisfaction and anxiety, and is caused by a feeling that they are being treated unfairly by society, and is also largely influenced by feelings of loneliness and alienation.
Behind these behaviors of the elderly is social neglect, and it is certain that deep feelings of loneliness, powerlessness, and oppression lurk within them, and she states that it is important to create an environment in which the elderly can participate in society with dignity.
Finally, Beauvoir emphasized the importance of accepting aging, and in order to do so, it is important to first distinguish between what you cannot control and what you can, because doing so leads to peace of mind, a sense of fulfillment in life, and a sense of happiness.
Incidentally, with the exception of painters and musicians, Beauvoir states that for some professions, such as literary figures, scholars, and politicians, continuing to stay in the profession into old age can eventually become harmful. This is because they lose their creativity, are prevented from accepting different opinions or making new discoveries, and are unable to understand the new times.
Since there will likely be individual differences, it seems difficult to claim that this view on “occupation and aging” can be simply and universally applied, but Plato seems to have considered Socrates to be the ideal image of an elderly person, as he never lost his strong intellectual curiosity even in old age, always loved new learning, and was never satisfied with his own intellectual assets, but instead spent all his time engaging in philosophical debates with others.
Now, with these predecessors’ thoughts in mind, and looking at the current situation as described in Dr. Jack King’s “They Want To Kill Us: Here’s How and why” (2024), one gets the impression that the life that awaits the elderly common people is extremely harsh, like a karmic punishment in which the penalty for continuing to survive becomes heavier with each passing year.
Incidentally, although the book deals with euthanasia, it also helps us understand the social reality behind the theme of ageing and the continuation of life.
The book says ageism is rife, and that despite the fact that older people are vulnerable and in need of care, support, compassion, patience and understanding, elder abuse is now commonplace and older people are bullied, harassed and demonised when they are at their most vulnerable.
There is further explanation of the current situation, so let’s list some of it.
* The elderly and poor are demonized and made to feel guilty if they do not submit to euthanasia.
* Conditioning, propaganda and predictive programming are all being used to promote the idea that older citizens have a duty to die when they reach 70 years of age.
* Young people are encouraged to loathe anyone over 60 and to blame them for everything feel is unsatisfactory in their own lives.
* Nowhere is ageism more obvious than in health care.
* There is plenty of money to pay nursery school fees for rich parents but no money to provide care for the elderly.
* The elderly are not allowed to have cataract operations under the NHS until they are virtually blind.
* No one in authority cares a damn about the quality of life of septuagenarians.
* Very little money is spent on properly diagnosing and preventing dementia although Alzheimer’s is the default diagnosis.
* Tiny pensions, too small to live on, and the increasing cost of heating and basic foodstuffs.
Furthermore, according to the book, in areas where euthanasia is legal, the most common cause of death is loss of independence and dignity, not pain or terminal illness. A study in New Zealand showed that people were worried about future disability, dependency, and being a burden to others, and would rather die now than risk an unpleasant future.
Coincidentally, some news has just been reported which may be relevant to this blog: there appear to be plans to stop or cut old-age pensions in order to ease the burden on future generations.
These current situations are not coincidences occurring only in certain parts of the world, but are global phenomena and trends that are being intentionally created based on the consent of the rulers who have established hierarchical structures of power.
In other words, it can be said that the common people are led to believe that the exploitation by the rulers is their natural duty, are made to feel guilty about reaching old age, and are living under a brainwashing psychological operation in which they are conditioned, propagandized, and predictively programmed to passively accept the penalties for longevity as if it were karma.
Furthermore, it is clear that the rulers are deliberately implementing a depopulation program in addition to using the social security system to mistreat the elderly under the guise of karma.
The other day, I received a postcard from an old friend.
In it, he wrote his farewell message to me, saying that he was suffering from terminal cancer and that there was nothing he could do about it and that he would pass away soon, but that he was grateful for all the years of our friendship.
As an academic, he had worked extremely hard, conducting energy-related research and advising government agencies, but he retired a few years ago and was happy that he could finally take it easy. However, around the same time he retired, his cancer recurred, and his doctor told him he only had a short time left to live, possibly because it was turbo cancer caused by the Covid-19 vaccination. I sincerely pray for the repose of your soul.
In any case, it is likely that there are countless commoners around the world who are experiencing similar situations, and therefore it must be carefully determined whether this is genuine karma or some other malicious agenda based on the consensus of the rulers.
Sincerely grateful for your financial support.
Sources and references:
Days After the International Bird Flu Summit, New Cases of Bird Flu in Humans Reported
vs.
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British Gov’t Declare ‘Turbo Cancer Health Crisis’ As Thousands of Vaxxed Diagnosed Each Day
There is only myocarditis and pericarditis in covid vaccinated children, study finds
The New World Order is real: The battle is for our minds
vs.
Those who push for a transhuman AI future are part of a clinically insane, anti-life demonic cult
Net Zero is a scam, built on the myth of climate change
Was last week’s aurora borealis a natural phenomenon?
Dr. Jack King – “They Want To Kill Us: Here’s How and why” (2024)
Yahoo News report from October 16, 2024: The Kansai Economic Federation said it would be difficult to maintain the current social security system, and explained that suspending or reducing the National Pension (basic old-age pension) would reduce the burden on future generations.
