Are Concept of Karma and Concept of Anatta in Buddhism Contradictory

Abstract

It has been noticed by Buddhist scholars (especially those in Western tradition) that it could be possible to view that the teachings of karma and anatta are contradictory. The reason for this is that the teaching of karma suggests that there is a person who has done the good or the bad karma and he or she is the person to receive the result of the action. But the teaching of anatta suggests that there is no person to do the karma and receive its result. The researcher has studied Buddhism, dividing it into two main historical aspects which are Buddhism at the time of the Buddha and Buddhism after the death of the Buddha. It has been found that at the time of the Buddha, these two teachings are not contradictory. The contradiction has been found in Buddhism after the death of the Buddha only. To avoid the contradiction as said, the researcher suggests that we should utilize the concepts of karma and anatta as given by the Buddha at his time.