In the context of larger ethical discussions on moral action and judgment, Buddhism is characterized by the belief that negative (unhappy) consequences of our actions derive not from punishment or correction based on moral judgment, but from the law of karma, which functions like a natural law of cause and effect.
ɪnðə kˈɑːntɛkst ʌv lˈɑːɹdʒɚɹ ˈɛθɪkəl dɪskˈʌʃənz ˌɔn mˈɔːɹəl ˈækʃən ænd dʒˈʌdʒmənt, bˈuːdɪzəm ɪz kˈæɹɪktɚɹˌaɪzd baɪ ðə bᵻlˈiːf ðæt nˈɛɡətˌɪv ʌnhˈæpi kˈɑːnsɪkwənsᵻz ʌv ˌaʊɚɹ ˈækʃənz dᵻɹˈaɪv nˌɑːt fɹʌm pˈʌnɪʃmənt ɔːɹ kɚɹˈɛkʃən bˈeɪst ˌɔn mˈɔːɹəl dʒˈʌdʒmənt, bˌʌt fɹʌmðə lˈɔː ʌv kˈɑːɹmə, wˌɪtʃ fˈʌŋkʃənz lˈaɪk ɐ nˈætʃɚɹəl lˈɔː ʌv kˈɔːz ænd ɪfˈɛkt.