TresSugar

Sharon Stone Apologizes for "Karma" Remark. But What Is It?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:18 -0700

Sharon Stone has become a bit of a Karma Chameleon, and apologized for her statement that the earthquake was China's Karma coming back to haunt them.

She said, "Due to my inappropriate words and acts during the interview, I feel deeply sorry and sad about hurting Chinese people." She's been removed from Dior ads in China following the incident.

Karma is an important concept for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs - but what is it exactly? The word translated simply means "action". The doctrine of karma developed and taugh by the Buddha, a spiritual teacher thought to have lived about 2,500 years ago. It simply means, whatever comes into existence does so in response to the conditions at the time, and in turn affects what comes after it. How was Sharon Stone wrong? To find out, read more.

One teacher at the London Buddhist Centre, says that Stone's take on karma is misguidedly common. Her statement was incorrect, pegging an outcome the result of something done in the past, or a past life. The law of karma says the motive behind one's actions actually affects the outcome of that particular act. According to the teacher:

So an intentionally ethical action - for example to promote kindness, generosity, contentment - is more likely to have positive, beneficial consequences. An intentionally unethical one - to promote self-aggrandizement or greed - will be more likely to have unhelpful, even harmful consequences. Unhelpful, that is, for the positive well-being of either the doer or the recipient or both.

Stone might have been ignoring the other factors that Buddhists believe cause events - biological factors like viruses, psychological factors like stress, and environmental factors like the weather.

The Buddhist teacher concludes, "The earthquake in China or the cyclone in Burma have much to do with environmental factors," says Dhammadassin. "To invoke karma is more to do with our desire to nail things down and find someone to blame. But that's not ours to do."

Was her apology enough? Do people in the spotlight have a greater responsibility to understand concepts they speak about publicly?

Source

She Said It, We Didn't

GiggleSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:17:37 -0700

"They're not being nice to the Dalai Lama, who is a good friend of mine. And then the earthquake and all this stuff happened, and I thought, is that karma?" - Sharon "Heart and Brain of" Stone on why an earthquake in China, which has already killed over 67,000 people, happened. Yes, Sharon, that's why it happened. Because karma gets pissed when anything bad happens to a good friend of yours (the major distinguishing characteristic of the Dalai Lama, of course).

Sharon Stone Says Earthquake Was "Karma." Outrageous?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:56 -0700

Over the weekend at the Cannes Film Festival, Sharon Stone had the opportunity to tell the world exactly how she felt about the earthquake in China (the death toll from which has just topped 65,000). Here's what Ms. Stone had to say:

"Well, you know, it was very interesting . . . I am unhappy about the way Chinese are treating the Tibetans . . . Then all this earthquake, all this stuff happened, I thought, is that karma? When you are not nice, the bad things happen to you."

While she did reference the Dalai Lama, and seemed like she was trying to make a point, the flippant delivery or the way she sort of smiled while she was saying it begs the question - is it even possible a natural disaster that killed 65,000 people is the result of bad karma? Then highlighting that she'd put her head down and helped out, even though the Chinese aren't "nice to you," makes one wonder - does Sharon Stone have a point or is she creating a little karma of her own?

Giggle Links

GiggleSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:11:29 -0800

What if Sharon Stone designed an outfit for Project Runway Ack! - Gallery of the Absurd
Ten Creepiest Craigslist Casual Encounters Ads - Cracked
Sony camera ad features Nikon photo. Whoops! - Ad Freak
"Dudes" . . . I give you the worst roommate ever. - College Humor
The purrrrfect link. - YTMND
Meet the Douches, the creepiest Mother/Daughter evs. -Best Week Ever
The fly way to play fetch. - Top 10 Virals
Pretending to be cool has its downfalls, even when you're in a boy band. - eBaum's World