Who is speaking?
Geshe Michael Roach is a fully ordained Buddhist monk, businessman and philanthropist. After twenty-two years of study at Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery he earned the degree of geshe (Master of Buddhism). In this 59-second clip he explains the real meaning of karma in the Tibetan lineage.
The core idea
Karma is described as a “seed in the mind.” When that seed ripens, it opens and releases a tiny mental image. Your mind observes this image and instantly projects it onto the external world.
Why desire alone is not enough
Simply wanting something does not make it appear. If wishful thinking were sufficient, nobody would remain poor. Results arise only when the right karmic seed is already present and ready to open.
Why perceptions differ
A single object can appear in completely different ways because every being carries its own seeds. A human mind holding a “pen seed” sees a pen; a dog’s mind holding a “chew-toy seed” sees a toy. The object itself is neutral—the seed determines the experience.
Practical implication
Everything you encounter—people, problems, opportunities—comes from your own karmic seeds, not from external circumstances alone. To change what you experience, you must first plant and nurture different seeds in your mind.
