1.
karma; (one's) deeds; inescapable fate
In Buddhism, the accumulated effect of one's past actions that shapes one's destiny. By extension, a deep-rooted nature or burden one cannot escape.
業が深い。
to be deeply sinful; to carry heavy karma
前世の業を背負って生きる。
to live bearing the karma of a past life
人を傷つけずにいられないのは彼の業なのかもしれない。
Not being able to help hurting people may be his karmic burden.
A Buddhist term (Sanskrit "karma"). Read ごう in this sense; the same kanji is read 業 for "work, occupation" and わざ for "deed, feat," which are separate words.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 業が深い: to be deeply sinful or burdened by karma
- 業を背負う: to bear one's karma
- 業を煮やす: to lose patience; to become exasperated
REGISTER:
Literary and somewhat heavy in tone. In everyday conversation it appears mainly in the fixed idiom 業を煮やす.