Executive Summary: Abortion Karma
A heartbreaking karmic case study from the Dream in Dream Kindergarten Wisdom School, taught by Ven. Luang Por Dhammajayo. This account exposes the tragic and heavy karmic consequences of abortion. Whether one is the mother, the doctor, the partner who paid for it, or the friend who encouraged it, destroying an unborn child violates the First Precept, leading to chronic illnesses, life obstacles, and vengeful wandering souls.
1. The Severing of a Pure Bloodline
Regardless of the reasons—be it lack of readiness, shame, or family pressure—abortion is the most severe violation of the First Precept (Panatipata – killing a living being). This is because the being killed is human, and intimately connected by blood as one’s own child.
When the physical body of the fetus is destroyed, the attached astral body (soul) is violently thrust into a state of severe confusion, terror, and agonizing pain. The bond that should have been pure love twists into a dark current of vengeance and sorrow. These “wandering child souls” often attach themselves to the parents, radiating waves of distress and obstacles into their lives.
2. The Karmic Backlash for All Involved
Everyone involved in the decision and procedure of an abortion will inevitably face severe karmic retribution:
- Chronic Illnesses and Broken Lives: In their current life, they will often face inexplicable financial ruin and marital strife. Physically, mothers frequently suffer from chronic uterine pain, persistent backaches, tumors, or reproductive cancers (manifestations of the child’s vengeful energy clinging to that specific area).
- The First Major Hell (Sanjiva Naraka): Upon death, the astral body is dragged into the 1st Hell Realm. Demonic wardens use red-hot iron instruments to crush, dismember, and mangle the sinner’s body, mirroring the exact procedure the unborn child endured. They die and revive instantly, suffering this torture for eons.
- Aborted for Hundreds of Lifetimes: When they finally escape hell and are reborn as humans, the residual karma dictates that they will be conceived in the wombs of mothers who do not want them. They will be aborted and killed before ever seeing the light of day, repeatedly, for hundreds of lifetimes to pay off the blood debt.
3. Theravada Canonical Tipitaka References
The Buddha and the monastic code (Vinaya) equate the destruction of a fetus directly with the murder of an adult human being:
Vinaya Pitaka (Parajika Rules)
The Vinaya states explicitly that intentionally destroying human life, even in the form of a fetus (from the moment of conception), is murder. If a monk prescribes medicine or advises a woman on how to procure an abortion, he is guilty of a Parajika offense (immediate and irreversible expulsion from the Sangha), highlighting the extreme gravity of the act.
4. Spiritual Solutions and Mitigation
For those who have made the mistake of involvement in an abortion, Luang Por Dhammajayo advised a compassionate and urgent path for karmic mitigation:
- Forget the Past: Stop dwelling on the guilt. Thinking about it constantly feeds the dark karmic energy. Close the door on that past mistake and vow never to repeat it or encourage others to do it.
- Dedicate Specific Merit: Perform major acts of merit frequently (offering Sanghadana, releasing animals, building Buddha statues). Explicitly dedicate this merit to “the child I aborted.” Send them the light of merit so they can let go of their vengeance and move to a better realm.
- Meditate and Seek Forgiveness: Practice deep meditation to brighten your own mind. Radiate loving-kindness directly to the astral body of the child. Sincerely beg for their forgiveness (Ahosi Kamma) to untie the heavy karmic knot binding you both.
