Would Robin Hood have good or bad karma?

7 replies
I've been thinking a bit about karma recently.

Karma is a subjective term, and my take on it is rather loose. In fact, I subscribed to the following philosophy for a long time before realizing that this philosophy is more or less karma:

Let's assume I do good in life. I create things, I help others, and these things bring me joy. This joy and exuberance will both lead me to others who are in a similar state and will draw others in a similar state to me. Their presence then improves me and my life. Good begets good.

These are, of course, my takes on what is "good," which may also be subjective. I above qualified "good" as creating things, helping others and being joyful. That's what came to me first and what feels like "good" is to me. It may vary, but the end results are usually the same: make good, get good.

I guess my ideas are pretty much karma with some extra joy thrown in.

Oh, then I thought about Robin Hood and I couldn't decide. I think he's, like, the most karmically neutral person ever.
#bad #good #hood #karma #robin
  • Profile picture of the author Acumen
    According to the Dalai Lama: the capacity of a non-virtuous karma to produce its effect will remain unless it is counteracted by the four forces:

    (1) contrition: sincere and complete remorse

    (2) engaging in virtuous acts specifically for the sake of counteracting the non-virtuous act (in Robin Hood's case: stealing)

    (3) Intending not to engage in the non-virtuous act in the future

    (4)Cultivating altruism towards others

    I think enough of 1,2,3 or 4 should admonish you from the non-virtue committed, but stealing from the rich and giving to the poor (as Robin Hood is known for) is not virtuous unless he is returning something that was stolen to the person it was stolen from. So, I think, if he is returning stolen property he has good karma, but stealing from the rich to give to the poor would result in bad karma. Also, if he killed people while doing either I think he is ****ed. PM and i'll send you a great excerpt from an audio book by the dalai lama that deals with karma. Thanks for the post.
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  • Profile picture of the author mjarel
    If something is happening for a good deed, at least in my point of view its not bad,he used to help poor people.
    legally its a crime to rob but helping others is a right thing.
    He had a good karma.
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  • Profile picture of the author JustinDupre
    I would say both good and bad karmas.. his intention were good but what he did was wrong so he still had to pay back for every actions in the past.. an old monk once told me that goods and bads karma doesn't cancel out. All decision and action has consequences
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  • Profile picture of the author jtunkelo
    Karma is Sanskrit for 'action'. As a concept, it simply means there's an action, and there will be an effect similar to its quality. That quality comes from the doer's intent, the nature of the act itself, and how it affects the object. All three, then affect the total effect of the act.

    So, it's a good thing we all have a thing called conscience. Otherwise it gets pretty hairy pretty quickly...
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Newman
    As a child, Robin was one of my heroes... and don't get me wrong, I still like the dude. But, there's something Machiavellian about his actions. The end does not justify the means. The categorizations:Rich/bad...Poor/good is simplistic and does not really capture the reality. You and I know poor people that are evil, and rich folks that are benevolent.

    Our aura is in a constant flux and is affected by the returning reciprocal actions (karma). Thoughts, words, actions and motives are all minutely weighed. No act goes into the universe without consequences, it returns heavily laden with similar kinds. The key issue really is that, how it will affect Robin, depends on his true inner state, when these threads of Karma returns.

    If he has come to a better recognition, for example, that stealing cannot be justified, no matter how lofty the motives. The impact of the Karma could/would differ from if he were still in a self-righteous state.

    Everything returns, but the effects are a function of our current states. Evil/wrongs begets similar Karma. It's wrong to steal. I must add, however, that it's not his thefts that are the only actions he had in his ''account'', right? Everything, the good and the bad counts.

    It's difficult to say
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  • Profile picture of the author beavis83
    If you believe the myth, the legend that is Robin Hood. That he took from the rich, who had more than they could ever need. Then gave what he stole to the poor and starving.

    Perhaps if there was another way to provide the poor with food. Long as stealing was the last resort. And he didn't profit from his acts. I see this act as good karma.

    I guess there are an infinite different possibilities. What if he had to kill someone to get the food to save 10 people. What was the man actually like. What was his real motivation. All we have is history to go on. Which is never 100% unbiased.

    I think karma is a very long term thing. You could be a good person and in the short term a lot of bad stuff could happen to you. But over the course of your life you will get what you deserve whether that's good or bad.
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