So, I'm a Buddhist now.

[Agent]

So you believe that karma will effect a new universe that randomly pops into existence in a few billion kalpas and you're trying to tell me this isn't supernatural?

[Despanan]

As in the previous universe will effect the new universe, probably - why not? If a new universe is born from the death of ours, that means the new universe was effected by the old.

Karma is just the law of cause and effect. It is simply the acknowledgement that actions and events have consequences. X happens so Y happens.

[Agent]

That sounds like you're reducing it to a chaotic butterfly effect. How do you know your actions will have desirable consequences? What if people becoming enlightened in this universe just makes things worse for people in the next?

[Despanan]

[Despanan]

We tend to view actions in a very limited disconnected way. "X action will result in Y and that's all it will result in." but I think this is wrong-view based upon our brain's inability to consider all the angles on a particular thing. That's actually why Karma is an important way to look at what we do, and why we do it. It creates a precedent where the person is constantly reminded to think and do their absolute best in any situation and if you do that you can't help but make the world a better place.

We could of course invent elaborate scenarios where a person acting in accordance with the Lotus Sutra always results in negative outcomes (Not killing Hitler before he's Hitler for instance) but that's kinda like that "Hell" level of Mario, where no matter what Mario does he suddenly hits an invisible block and dies. Hypothetically it's possible, but to entertain it as a serious scenario is just us reveling in our fundamental darkness. It's negativity for the sake of negativity.

In practice, the people who do their best as a matter of policy are a boon to themselves and their community, and when an action stems from the proper motivation and mental state, even if there are errors due to unforseen circumstances, they will be mitigated out in aggregate.

[Agent]

I will always be mystified by your ability to talk down to your audience. Does this smug attitude properly come through when your plays are performed?

[Despanan]

I'm not talking down to you. You're reading that into what I'm saying. I am anything but smug and if you wonder how my attitude comes through in my work you're free to read the reviews.

[Agent]

Oh I forgot, reality is subjective. Because you think you aren't arrogant you aren't no matter how condescending you act. Pretty nifty trick.

[Despanan]

Reality is not subjective - the individual's perception of reality is subjective to that individual and this alters how one interacts with that reality, which in turn alters objective reality as our actions have an effect on our environment.

In any case, I'm not getting pulled into this argument again. I have said my piece and clearly you disagree. There's no reason to fight or make any of this personal.

[Agent]

I'm not making this personal. You're reading that into what I'm saying.