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'''Karma''' ([[Sanskrit]]: कर्म from the root kri, "to do", meaning ''deed'') or '''Kamma''' ([[Pali]]: meaning ''action, effect, destiny'') is a term in several [[eastern]] religions that comprises the entire cycle of [[cause and effect]]. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life. In religions that incorporate [[reincarnation]], karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
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'''Karma''' ([[Sanskrit]]: कर्म from the root kri, "to do") is a term used in several eastern religions referring to the entire cycle of [[cause and effect]] which governs human life. The "Law of Karma" is central to the indigenous religions of [[India]], ([[Hinduism]], [[Sikhism]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Jainism]]) and plays a seminal role in the thought of [[Indian philosophy]]. 
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''Karma'' literally means "deed" or "act" and is associated with earthly existence. The concept of karma in Indian philosophy and religion is inextricably associated with the doctrine of rebirth, or [[reincarnation]]. According to the law of karma, a person’s individual and collective actions determine the nature of his or her future existence in the present life or in a future life. Karma is not [[punishment]] or [[retribution]], but simply an extended expression of natural acts. The doctrine of karma and ''samsara'' (the realm of rebirth and karmic retribution) provides causal explanations for the phenomena of life, serves as a foundation for [[ethics|ethical]] and religious understanding, and rationalizes the commitment to seek liberation from a painful and unsatisfactory worldly existence. The Hindu concepts of karma differ in important ways from the corresponding ideas found in Buddhism and Jainism. Most schools of Hinduism place [[God]] in the position of administrator, supervisor, and even mitigator of karma. Jainism and Buddhism regard karma as an impersonal force or law operating independently of God.
  
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The 'Law of Karma' is central in [[Hinduism]], [[Sikhism]], [[Buddhism]], & [[Jainism]]. (These religions were formed in [[India]]). All living creatures are responsible for their karma and for their salvation (or release from [[samsara]]). As a term, it can be traced back to the early [[Upanishads]].
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==Origins and development==
  
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The 'Law of Karma' is taught among western [[esoteric]] movements, like the [[Rosicrucians]], as the 'Law of Cause and Consequence/Effect' {{ref|Rebirth_and_Law}} and, in [[Esoteric Christianity]], as the Law being mentioned by [[Paul of Tarsus]] in the [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]] (15:55,56).
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The concept of karma in Indian philosophy and religion is inextricably associated with the doctrine of rebirth, or [[reincarnation]].  The historical origins of the doctrine of karma and rebirth cannot be clearly determined. The term “karma” (action) can be traced back to the early [[Upanishads]]. Early Hindu texts, the ''[[Vedas]],'' the ''[[Brahmanas]],'' and the ''Upanishads'' prior to 500 B.C.E., contain some suggestions of the doctrine, but do not indicate a clear and definitive understanding of it. [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] teachings appear to have contributed a strong sense of moral responsibility and its consequences. [[Jainism]] attempted a detailed explanation of the process of karma and even gave karma the status of a material substance. Beginning around 400 B.C.E., Hindu texts such as the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' illustrate a fully developed and generalized understanding of the doctrine of karma and rebirth. It was adopted and interpreted in various ways by most schools of Indian philosophical and religious thought. The law of karma also became the basis of theories of law, medicine, embryology, and astrology, and the theme of popular narratives and mythologies in all the Asian countries influenced by [[Hinduism]] and Buddhism.<ref>Wilhelm Halbfass, "Indian Conceptions of Karma and Rebirth" in ''Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (London: Routledge, 1998).</ref>
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The concept of karma in Indian thought has several different interpretations according to context, time period, and philosophical school. The doctrine of karma and ''samsara'' (the realm of rebirth and karmic retribution) has several functions in Indian thought. It provides causal explanations for the phenomena of life, serves as a foundation for ethical and religious understanding, and rationalizes the commitment to seek liberation from a painful and unsatisfactory worldly existence. Various schools of thought disagreed over the nature of the karmic agent, the process of rebirth, the significance of human acts and decisions, the relationship between knowledge and action, and the possibility and method of achieving liberation or transcending the cycle of rebirth.<ref>Ibid.</ref> The Hindu concepts of karma differ in important ways from the corresponding ideas found in Buddhism and Jainism. Most schools of Hinduism place God in the position of administrator, supervisor, and even mitigator of karma. Jainism and Buddhism regard karma as an impersonal force or law operating independently of God.
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===Karma and free will===
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Karma is associated with earthly existence. The doctrine of karma implies that every soul embodied in a human being has the will to make decisions and choose what actions to take. Those decisions and actions generate karma, which determines the future circumstances of that soul’s earthly existence(s). Animals, plants, and inanimate objects (which some schools of thought consider to be sentient) do not have the freedom to act consciously. Karma may determine the circumstances into which a person is born, the various experiences to which he or she is subjected, and the person’s natural predispositions, but it does not determine how the person will act in those circumstances. Human beings can choose to act in ways that will diminish negative karma, such as the practice of [[asceticism]], which denies the physical body and lessens its attachment to the material world; and in ways that will generate positive karma, such as devotion to God, the performance of religious rites, and the fulfillment of filial duties.
  
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== Karma in the [[Dharma]]-based religions ==
 
 
===Hinduism===
 
===Hinduism===
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{{Hinduism portal}}
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Karma is considered an impersonal law that cannot be abrogated by any person but may be mitigated by God. Karma is not punishment or retribution, but simply an extended expression of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fateful. The effects of karma may be experienced immediately or at some later time in the life of an individual, or may accumulate and manifest themselves in some future rebirth.
  
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Karma in Hinduism differs from karma in Buddhism and Jainism, and involves the role of [[God]]. Within Hinduism, Karma appears to function primarily as a means to explain the [[Problem of evil]]. The concept of Karma is an integral part of [[Hindu idealism]].  
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Hinduism postulates three types of karma:
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# ''[[sanchita karma]],'' the sum total of karma stored as a result of past acts, which has yet to begin manifesting itself, like a seed that has not begun to germinate. 
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# ''[[prarabdha karma]],'' that portion of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in this life.
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# ''[[kriyamana karma]],'' the karma that humans are currently creating, which will bear fruit in the future.
  
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One of the first and most dramatic illustrations of Karma can be found in the great Hindu [[Epic poetry|epic]], the [[Mahabharata]]. The original Hindu concept of karma was later enhanced by several other movements within the religion, most notably [[Vedanta]], and [[Tantra]].
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According to the law of karma, meritorious acts may create rebirth into a higher level, as a superior human being or a godlike being, while evil acts result in rebirth as a human living in less desirable circumstances, or as a lower animal.
  
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Karma literally means "deed" or "act" and more broadly names the universal principle of [[cause]] and [[effect]], action and reaction which governs all life. Karma is not fate, for man acts with free will creating his own destiny. According to the Vedas, if we sow [[Goodness and value theory|goodness]], we will reap goodness; if we sow [[evil]], we will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which determines our future. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Not all karmas rebound immediately. Some accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other births.  
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Many schools of Hinduism contend that God is all-merciful and His grace can overcome or mitigate the karma of man in many cases. Of his own free will, humanity must seek God. [[Bhakti]] (devotion) or disinterested service to God, which can only be performed by someone who understands the truth, is a form of karma.  
  
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It is considered an entirely impersonal and spiritually originated law that cannot be abrogated by any person but may be mitigated by God. Karma is not punishment or retribution, but simply an extended expression of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fateful.  
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<blockquote>Even if a very ill-conducted man worships me, not worshiping anyone else, he must certainly be deemed to be good, for he has well resolved. He soon becomes devout of heart and obtains lasting tranquility. O Arjuna, know firmly that My devotee is never ruined. He who does My work, who yields himself unto Me, who is devoted to Me, void of attachment, without hatred to anyone, O Arjuna, comes to me (Krishna speaking to Arjuna, ''Bhagavad Gita'', IX. 30, 31, 34).</blockquote>
  
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Quoting [[Sai Baba]] {{ref|KarmicLaw}} concerning the removal of problems, disasters, calamities, etc. in reference to karma:
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In the [[Bhagavata Purana]], there is a story of Ajamila, who had done many bad deeds during his life such as stealing, abandoning his wife and children, and marrying a prostitute. His youngest son was named Narayana, an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu which is also commonly used as an Indian first name. At the moment of death, Ajamila involuntarily chanted the name of [[Narayana]], and received [[moksha]] or union with God and was saved from the messengers of [[Yama]]. Ajamila, at the moment of his death, was actually thinking the name of his youngest son. But the name of God has powerful effects, and he was forgiven for his great sins, and attained salvation, despite his bad karma.<ref>Chennai Online, [http://www.chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/religion/religion33.asp Ajamila, The Vile Sinner.] Retrieved November 2, 2007.</ref>
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:Any instant solution would go against the fundamental quality of nature itself as well as the Karmic law of cause and effect. Most people live in the material world of their desires and egos which is governed by the law. They reap the fruits of their actions. This brings about their evolution or devolution. If the Avatar intervenes to instantly solve their problems, it would stop all action, development, even evolution. This solution can be ruled out because it totally negates the natural laws.
 
  
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===Buddhism===
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The caste system in India was traditionally interpreted as a manifestation of the law of karma, in which those who had performed good deeds in past lives were born into the spiritual and privileged ''brahmana'' caste.
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In Buddhism, only intentional actions are karmic "acts of [[Will (philosophy)|will]]". The 'Law of Karma' refers to "cause and effect", but Karma literally means "action" - often indicating intent or cause.  Accompanying this usually is a separate tenet called [[Vipaka]], meaning result or effect. The re-action or effect can itself also influence an action, and in this way, the chain of causation continues [[ad infinitum]].
 
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When Buddhists talk about karma, they are normally referring to karma/action that is 'tainted' with ignorance - karma that continues to ensure that the being remains in the everlasting cycle of [[samsara]].
 
  
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===A Saivite interpretation of karma===
  
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There is also a completely different type of karma that is neither good nor bad, but liberating. This karma allows for the individual to break the uncontrolled cycle of rebirth which always leads to suffering, and thereby leave [[samsara]] to permanently enter [[Nirvana]].
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The [[Saivism|Saivite]] interpretation of the law of karma is that it does not operate autonomously, but depends on the will of God, who acts as an agent and administrator of karma. According to the [[Upanishads|Upanishadic]] texts, God and ''jivas'' (souls) are without beginning and exist eternally. However, the ''jivas'' can never enjoy the highest form of liberation without pure knowledge, which can not be attained without going through the experiences of earthly existence. God is the agent who associates souls with earthly bodies, and arranges the circumstances in which each individual ''jiva'' can work out the karma generated by its past actions. Good and bad deeds are qualities of the mind of a person. Each person performs good or bad actions according to his or her inclinations, which were acquired in previous existences, and those deeds determine God’s creation of future circumstances in which the law of karma can be fulfilled. When a person’s deeds are finally exhausted through enjoyment and suffering, self-knowledge arises which leads to the supreme bliss of liberation. <ref>Surendranath Dasgupta, ''A History of Indian Philosophy,'' Volume V, ''The Southern Schools of Saivism'' pp 85-87.</ref>
  
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The Buddhist [[sutra]]s explain that in order to generate liberating karma, we must first develop incredibly powerful concentration, and proper insight into the (un)reality of samsara. This concentration is akin to the states of mind required to be reborn in the Deva realm, and in itself depends upon a very deep training in ethical self-discipline.
 
  
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This differentiation between good karma and liberating karma has been used by some scholars to argue that the development of [[Tantra]] depended upon Buddhist ideas and philosophies.
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===Madhva: A Vaishnavite interpretation of karma===
  
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Karma is related to the notion of [[Rebirth (Buddhist)|Buddhist rebirth]] - sometimes understood to be the same thing as [[reincarnation]] - which has its roots in the principle of Karma.
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[[Ramanuja]] attributes all evil and suffering to the accumulation over time of evil karma associated with the [[jivas]], or human souls, and maintains that God is amala, without any stain of evil.
  
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==Analogs of Karma - God the judge==
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[[Madhva]], the founder of the [[Dvaita]] school, believed that even if karma is accepted as without beginning and as the cause of evil, there must be an initial cause for the variations in karma. The fact that the ''jivas'' have many different kinds of karma, both good and bad, must mean that all must not have started with same type of karma from the beginning of time. Thus, Madhva concludes that the ''jivas'' are not God's [[creation]], but are rather entities co-existent with [[Vishnu]], although under His absolute control. The souls (jivas), are dependent on Him in their pristine nature and in all transformation that they may undergo.
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If we accept that the basic ethical purpose of Karma is to behave responsibly, and that the tenet of Karma may be simply stated 'if you do good things, good things will happen to you - if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you', then it is possible for us to identify analogs with other religions that do not rely on Karma as a metaphysical assertion or doctrine.
 
  
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Karma does not specifically concern itself with salvation - it is just as important within a basic socio-ethical stance. However, as a mechanic, Karma can be identified ''in purpose'' with the concept of God's relation to 'good works' as found within Christianity, as well as any other religions that assert an omnisicent, omnipotent judge, as Hinduism considers with respect to the role of Karma.
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According to Madhva, although God has control, He does not interfere with humanity's free will, and although He is omnipotent, He does not engage in extraordinary feats. Rather, God must enforce a rule of law and give the ''jivas'' (souls) full freedom to follow their own natures and experience the consequences of their own actions. Thus, God is the sanctioner or divine accountant, and the ''jivas'' act freely according to their innate natures and accumulate karma. The ultimate power of existence comes only from God; the ''jivas'' utilize that power for good or evil according to their innate natures.
  
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Similarly, the Egyptian goddess [[Maàt]] (the divine judge) played a similar an impartial role meting out justice in a manner very similar to Karma; Maat could not be appeased by faith or regret - an action done was done, with no space for the more recent theistic concepts of grace, as Hinduism allows for its role of God.
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Madhva’s doctrine that the ''jivas'' (souls) were not all equal at their inception led to a concept of [[eternal]] [[damnation]] which differs significantly from traditional Hindu beliefs. He divided ''jivas'' (souls) into three classes: Mukti-yogyas, which qualify for liberation; Nitya-samsarins, who are subject to eternal rebirth or eternal transmigration due to [[samsara]]; and Tamo-yogyas , who are eventually condemned to eternal [[hell]] (Andhatamas). No other Hindu philosopher or group of Hinduism holds such beliefs; most Hindus believe in [[universal salvation]], the concept that all souls will eventually obtain ''moksha,'' even if it occurs after millions of rebirths.
  
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== Western interpretation ==
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==Buddhism==
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An academic and religious definition was mentioned above. Millions of people believe in it and is a part of many cultures and the psyches of millions of people.  Others without religious backgrounds, especially in western cultures or with Christian upbringings, become convinced of the existence of Karma. For some, karma is a more reasonable concept than eternal damnation for the wicked. [[Spirituality]] or a belief that virtue is rewarded and sin creates suffering eventually leads to a belief in Karma.
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[[Buddhism]] regards karma as a causal principle, which contributes to the continual cycle of rebirth. The term “karma” in Buddhism is usually associated with action that is "tainted" with ignorance; ignorance and karma continue to determine each other and ensure that the agent remains trapped in an everlasting cycle of ''[[samsara]]''. An individual’s present actions are the result of impressions (predispositions) of the karmas of past lives, and they in turn shape predispositions that will affect future lives. Only intentional actions are karmic "acts of [[Will (philosophy)|will]]." An individual can generate liberating karma that will allow him to break the cycle of rebirth which always leads to suffering, leave samsara and permanently enter [[Nirvana]], by developing proper insight into the (un)reality of samsara. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including the practice of ethical self-discipline, [[asceticism]], and various forms of [[meditation]].  
  
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According to Karma, performance of positive action results with the reaction of a good conditioning in one's experience, whereas a negative action results in a reaction of a bad response. This may be an immediate result following the act, or a delayed result occurring either in the present life or the next. Thus, meritorious acts may create rebirth into a higher station, such as a superior human being or a godlike being, while evil acts result in rebirth as a human living in less desirable circumstances, or as a lower animal. Some observers have compared the action of karma to [[Western world|Western]] notions of [[sin]] and judgment by [[God]] or gods, while others understand karma as an inherent principle of the Universe without the intervention of any supernatural Being. In [[Hinduism]], God does play a role and is seen as a dispenser of karma; see [[Karma in Hinduism]] for more details. The latter understanding is accurate with regard to [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]].  
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==Jainism==
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[[Jainism]] explains karma as an invisible, material substance which adheres to the soul ''(jiva)'', weighing it down and determining the conditions of the next reincarnation. Karma is the link which ties the soul to the body, and the cause of bondage and sorrow. Every action that a person performs, good or evil, opens up channels of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell), through which karma filters in and adheres to the ''jiva''. Ignorance of truth and four passions of anger, greed, pride, and delusion attract the flow of karmic matter which obscures the radiance of the soul.
  
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Most teachings say that for common mortals, having an involvement with Karma is an unavoidable part of day-to-day living. However, in light of the Hindu philosophical school of [[Vedanta]], as well as [[Gautama Buddha]]'s teachings, one is advised to either avoid, control or become mindful of the effects of desires and aversions as a way to moderate or change one's karma (or, more accurately, one's karmic results).
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The way to deliverance from this bondage is through the three jewels of right faith (belief in real existence), right knowledge (knowledge of real nature without doubt or error) and right conduct (the practice of the five virtues).<ref>Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore, eds., ''A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy'' (Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press, 1973). ISBN 0691019584</ref>  Through them, the flow of karma into the soul is stopped, and existing karma is discharged. When the last particle of karma has been exhausted, “the partnership between soul and matter is dissolved,” and the soul achieves infinite faith, knowledge, bliss and power. It then transcends the cycle of earthly existence (samsara) and goes to a place or state called [[Siddhashila]], where the ''jiva,'' identical with all other pure ''jivas,'' experiences its own true nature in eternal stillness, isolation, and noninvolvement and dwells in eternal bliss. Jains believe that this highest and most exalted state, the permanent release of the ''jiva'' from all involvement in worldly existence, can only be achieved by individuals through their own efforts without the assistance of any god or spirit.
  
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===New Age and Theosophy=== 
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Jains avoid professions which involve violence to the self or other living beings, such as agriculture or the military, and go to great lengths to avoid harming any living thing, because such an action attracts karma.<ref>Chandrahar Sharma, ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy'' (Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 2003). ISBN 8120803647</ref> 
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The idea of karma was popularized in the [[Western world]] through the work of the [[Theosophical Society]]. [[Spiritism|Kardecist]] and Western [[New Age]] reinterpretations of karma frequently cast it as a sort of luck associated with virtue: if one does good or spiritually valuable acts, one deserves and can expect good luck; conversely, if one does harmful things, one can expect bad luck or unfortunate happenings. In this conception, karma is affiliated with the [[Neopaganism|Neopagan]] ''law of return'' or ''Threefold Law,'' the idea that the beneficial or harmful effects one has on the world will return to oneself.   
 
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There is also the metaphysical idea that, because karma is a force of nature and not a sentient creature capable of making value judgments, karma isn't about good and evil deeds, since applying those labels would require those judgments, but about positive and negative energy, where negative energy can include things not seen as "being bad" like sadness and fear, and positive energy can be caused by being creative and solving problems as well as by exuding love and doing virtuous acts. This conception of karma handles the big problem with the more traditional view, because it explains why bad things happen to people who've done nothing "wrong"; it is due to the sort of energy they have sent into the universe with their thoughts and feelings, which exert as much power as actual actions. This view of karma centers around the idea that all things are made of karmic energy and thus able to affect each other. It is referred to as "omniverse karma" or "omni-karma" because it requires the existence of an [[omniverse]], (a space which contains all the universes) as portrayed by [[superstring theory]], with which it closely agrees, and includes concepts such as [[soul]]s, psychic energy, [[synchronicity]] (a concept originally from [[Carl Jung]], which says that things that happen at the same time are related), and ideas from quantum and theoretical physics (such as that time doesn't exist as we think it does).
 
  
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===Psychology===
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==Notes==
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Psychologist Melvin Lerner showed experimentally that people have a cognitive bias that predisposes them to think that innocent victims deserve their suffering and beneficiaries of good fortune their windfall. This [[just-world phenomenon]] bears striking resemblance to the principle of karma, and is hypothesized to be caused by the need for people to see the world as a just and orderly place in order to avoid [[cognitive dissonance]].
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<references/>
  
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==See also==  
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==References==
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*[[Bible and reincarnation]]
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*Craig, Edward. 1998. "Indian Conceptions of Karma and Rebirth" in ''Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy''. London: Routledge, p. 434 ISBN 0415073103
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*[[Born again]]
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*Dasgupta, Surendranath. 1973. ''A History of Indian Philosophy, Vol. V''. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.  ISBN 8120804120
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*[[Destiny]]
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*Embree, A. T. 1972. ''The Hindu Tradition''. New York: Modern Library. ISBN 0394717023
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*[[Edgar Cayce on Karma]]
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*Hay, Jeff. 2006. ''Hinduism. Religions and Religious Movements''. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press. ISBN 0737725699
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*[[Esoteric Christianity]]
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*Mittal, Sushil and Gene R. Thursby. 2004. ''The Hindu World''. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415215277
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*[[Ethic of reciprocity]]
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*Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli. 1998. ''Indian Philosophy, Volume I''. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195638190
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*[[Karma in Hinduism]]
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*Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli and Charles A. Moore, eds. 1973. ''A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy.'' Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691019584
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*[[My Name Is Earl]]
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*Sharma, Chandrahar. 2003. ''A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy''. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120803647
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*[[Reincarnation]]
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*Smith, Huston. 1994. ''The Illustrated World's Religions: A Guide to our Wisdom Traditions''. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 0060674539
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*[[Sin]]
 
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*[[Spiritism]]
 
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*[[Theosophy]]
 
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*[[Yuanfen]]
 
  
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==References and related external links==
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==External links==  
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===Notes and References===
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All links retrieved October 5, 2022.
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#{{note|Rebirth_and_Law}}[[Max Heindel]], ''[[The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception|The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity]]'' (Part I, Chapter IV: [http://www.rosicrucian.com/rcc/rcceng04.htm Rebirth and the Law of Consequence]), ISBN 0-911274-34-0, 1909
 
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#{{note|KarmicLaw}} Cited from ''My Baba and I'' by Dr. John S. Hislop, page 95.
 
  
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===External links=== 
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*[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/karma.html Karma] by
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* [[Shriram Sharma Acharya| Acharya, Pt. Shriram Sharma]] (2003) [http://www.awgp.org/english/books/lawofkarma.pdf ''The Absolute Law of Karma''].
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Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2000)
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*[http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/dharma.htm Dharma-Karma-Samsara] 
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*[http://members.tripod.com/tathagata2000/enlightenment_what_is_karma.htm What is Karma ?]
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*[http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/lofiversion/index.php/t10692.html Karma In Buddhism] 
 
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*[http://swami-center.org/en/chpt/ecology/page_7.shtml Destiny and Its Correction] 
 
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*[http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/karma Exploring Karma - Tales of a Universal Principle] 
 
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*[http://www.photonics.cusat.edu/article2.html Karma and the laws of Quantam Mechanics]  
 
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*[http://www.ohbliss.org/v1/lpjarun/index.html Law of Karma - Dhamma Practice Book Series, by Luang Poh Jarun of Wat Amphawan, Thailand]<br> 
 
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*[http://www.bswa.org Hundreds of free buddhist talks and huge forum.] 
 
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*[http://www.ohbliss.org/v1/lpjarun/law_of_karma.html Introduction to Karma] 
 
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*[http://www.members.tripod.com/tathagata2000/enlightenment_what_is_karma.htm What is Karma ?]
 
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*[http://divine-love.org/essays/essay2.html Heaven & Hell: Grace and the Law]
 
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*[http://baharna.com/karma/mystknow.htm Karma and Reincarnation - A Philosophical Examination]
 
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*[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17767705-13762,00.html Charred mouse burns house]
 
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Latest revision as of 07:22, 5 October 2022

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kri, "to do") is a term used in several eastern religions referring to the entire cycle of cause and effect which governs human life. The "Law of Karma" is central to the indigenous religions of India, (Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism) and plays a seminal role in the thought of Indian philosophy.

Karma literally means "deed" or "act" and is associated with earthly existence. The concept of karma in Indian philosophy and religion is inextricably associated with the doctrine of rebirth, or reincarnation. According to the law of karma, a person’s individual and collective actions determine the nature of his or her future existence in the present life or in a future life. Karma is not punishment or retribution, but simply an extended expression of natural acts. The doctrine of karma and samsara (the realm of rebirth and karmic retribution) provides causal explanations for the phenomena of life, serves as a foundation for ethical and religious understanding, and rationalizes the commitment to seek liberation from a painful and unsatisfactory worldly existence. The Hindu concepts of karma differ in important ways from the corresponding ideas found in Buddhism and Jainism. Most schools of Hinduism place God in the position of administrator, supervisor, and even mitigator of karma. Jainism and Buddhism regard karma as an impersonal force or law operating independently of God.

Origins and development

The concept of karma in Indian philosophy and religion is inextricably associated with the doctrine of rebirth, or reincarnation. The historical origins of the doctrine of karma and rebirth cannot be clearly determined. The term “karma” (action) can be traced back to the early Upanishads. Early Hindu texts, the Vedas, the Brahmanas, and the Upanishads prior to 500 B.C.E., contain some suggestions of the doctrine, but do not indicate a clear and definitive understanding of it. Buddhist teachings appear to have contributed a strong sense of moral responsibility and its consequences. Jainism attempted a detailed explanation of the process of karma and even gave karma the status of a material substance. Beginning around 400 B.C.E., Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata illustrate a fully developed and generalized understanding of the doctrine of karma and rebirth. It was adopted and interpreted in various ways by most schools of Indian philosophical and religious thought. The law of karma also became the basis of theories of law, medicine, embryology, and astrology, and the theme of popular narratives and mythologies in all the Asian countries influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.[1]

The concept of karma in Indian thought has several different interpretations according to context, time period, and philosophical school. The doctrine of karma and samsara (the realm of rebirth and karmic retribution) has several functions in Indian thought. It provides causal explanations for the phenomena of life, serves as a foundation for ethical and religious understanding, and rationalizes the commitment to seek liberation from a painful and unsatisfactory worldly existence. Various schools of thought disagreed over the nature of the karmic agent, the process of rebirth, the significance of human acts and decisions, the relationship between knowledge and action, and the possibility and method of achieving liberation or transcending the cycle of rebirth.[2] The Hindu concepts of karma differ in important ways from the corresponding ideas found in Buddhism and Jainism. Most schools of Hinduism place God in the position of administrator, supervisor, and even mitigator of karma. Jainism and Buddhism regard karma as an impersonal force or law operating independently of God.

Karma and free will

Karma is associated with earthly existence. The doctrine of karma implies that every soul embodied in a human being has the will to make decisions and choose what actions to take. Those decisions and actions generate karma, which determines the future circumstances of that soul’s earthly existence(s). Animals, plants, and inanimate objects (which some schools of thought consider to be sentient) do not have the freedom to act consciously. Karma may determine the circumstances into which a person is born, the various experiences to which he or she is subjected, and the person’s natural predispositions, but it does not determine how the person will act in those circumstances. Human beings can choose to act in ways that will diminish negative karma, such as the practice of asceticism, which denies the physical body and lessens its attachment to the material world; and in ways that will generate positive karma, such as devotion to God, the performance of religious rites, and the fulfillment of filial duties.

Hinduism

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Karma is considered an impersonal law that cannot be abrogated by any person but may be mitigated by God. Karma is not punishment or retribution, but simply an extended expression of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fateful. The effects of karma may be experienced immediately or at some later time in the life of an individual, or may accumulate and manifest themselves in some future rebirth.

Hinduism postulates three types of karma:

  1. sanchita karma, the sum total of karma stored as a result of past acts, which has yet to begin manifesting itself, like a seed that has not begun to germinate.
  2. prarabdha karma, that portion of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in this life.
  3. kriyamana karma, the karma that humans are currently creating, which will bear fruit in the future.

According to the law of karma, meritorious acts may create rebirth into a higher level, as a superior human being or a godlike being, while evil acts result in rebirth as a human living in less desirable circumstances, or as a lower animal.

Many schools of Hinduism contend that God is all-merciful and His grace can overcome or mitigate the karma of man in many cases. Of his own free will, humanity must seek God. Bhakti (devotion) or disinterested service to God, which can only be performed by someone who understands the truth, is a form of karma.

Even if a very ill-conducted man worships me, not worshiping anyone else, he must certainly be deemed to be good, for he has well resolved. He soon becomes devout of heart and obtains lasting tranquility. O Arjuna, know firmly that My devotee is never ruined. He who does My work, who yields himself unto Me, who is devoted to Me, void of attachment, without hatred to anyone, O Arjuna, comes to me (Krishna speaking to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita, IX. 30, 31, 34).

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a story of Ajamila, who had done many bad deeds during his life such as stealing, abandoning his wife and children, and marrying a prostitute. His youngest son was named Narayana, an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu which is also commonly used as an Indian first name. At the moment of death, Ajamila involuntarily chanted the name of Narayana, and received moksha or union with God and was saved from the messengers of Yama. Ajamila, at the moment of his death, was actually thinking the name of his youngest son. But the name of God has powerful effects, and he was forgiven for his great sins, and attained salvation, despite his bad karma.[3]

The caste system in India was traditionally interpreted as a manifestation of the law of karma, in which those who had performed good deeds in past lives were born into the spiritual and privileged brahmana caste.

A Saivite interpretation of karma

The Saivite interpretation of the law of karma is that it does not operate autonomously, but depends on the will of God, who acts as an agent and administrator of karma. According to the Upanishadic texts, God and jivas (souls) are without beginning and exist eternally. However, the jivas can never enjoy the highest form of liberation without pure knowledge, which can not be attained without going through the experiences of earthly existence. God is the agent who associates souls with earthly bodies, and arranges the circumstances in which each individual jiva can work out the karma generated by its past actions. Good and bad deeds are qualities of the mind of a person. Each person performs good or bad actions according to his or her inclinations, which were acquired in previous existences, and those deeds determine God’s creation of future circumstances in which the law of karma can be fulfilled. When a person’s deeds are finally exhausted through enjoyment and suffering, self-knowledge arises which leads to the supreme bliss of liberation. [4]


Madhva: A Vaishnavite interpretation of karma

Ramanuja attributes all evil and suffering to the accumulation over time of evil karma associated with the jivas, or human souls, and maintains that God is amala, without any stain of evil.

Madhva, the founder of the Dvaita school, believed that even if karma is accepted as without beginning and as the cause of evil, there must be an initial cause for the variations in karma. The fact that the jivas have many different kinds of karma, both good and bad, must mean that all must not have started with same type of karma from the beginning of time. Thus, Madhva concludes that the jivas are not God's creation, but are rather entities co-existent with Vishnu, although under His absolute control. The souls (jivas), are dependent on Him in their pristine nature and in all transformation that they may undergo.

According to Madhva, although God has control, He does not interfere with humanity's free will, and although He is omnipotent, He does not engage in extraordinary feats. Rather, God must enforce a rule of law and give the jivas (souls) full freedom to follow their own natures and experience the consequences of their own actions. Thus, God is the sanctioner or divine accountant, and the jivas act freely according to their innate natures and accumulate karma. The ultimate power of existence comes only from God; the jivas utilize that power for good or evil according to their innate natures.

Madhva’s doctrine that the jivas (souls) were not all equal at their inception led to a concept of eternal damnation which differs significantly from traditional Hindu beliefs. He divided jivas (souls) into three classes: Mukti-yogyas, which qualify for liberation; Nitya-samsarins, who are subject to eternal rebirth or eternal transmigration due to samsara; and Tamo-yogyas , who are eventually condemned to eternal hell (Andhatamas). No other Hindu philosopher or group of Hinduism holds such beliefs; most Hindus believe in universal salvation, the concept that all souls will eventually obtain moksha, even if it occurs after millions of rebirths.

Buddhism

Buddhism regards karma as a causal principle, which contributes to the continual cycle of rebirth. The term “karma” in Buddhism is usually associated with action that is "tainted" with ignorance; ignorance and karma continue to determine each other and ensure that the agent remains trapped in an everlasting cycle of samsara. An individual’s present actions are the result of impressions (predispositions) of the karmas of past lives, and they in turn shape predispositions that will affect future lives. Only intentional actions are karmic "acts of will." An individual can generate liberating karma that will allow him to break the cycle of rebirth which always leads to suffering, leave samsara and permanently enter Nirvana, by developing proper insight into the (un)reality of samsara. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including the practice of ethical self-discipline, asceticism, and various forms of meditation.

Jainism

Jainism explains karma as an invisible, material substance which adheres to the soul (jiva), weighing it down and determining the conditions of the next reincarnation. Karma is the link which ties the soul to the body, and the cause of bondage and sorrow. Every action that a person performs, good or evil, opens up channels of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell), through which karma filters in and adheres to the jiva. Ignorance of truth and four passions of anger, greed, pride, and delusion attract the flow of karmic matter which obscures the radiance of the soul.

The way to deliverance from this bondage is through the three jewels of right faith (belief in real existence), right knowledge (knowledge of real nature without doubt or error) and right conduct (the practice of the five virtues).[5] Through them, the flow of karma into the soul is stopped, and existing karma is discharged. When the last particle of karma has been exhausted, “the partnership between soul and matter is dissolved,” and the soul achieves infinite faith, knowledge, bliss and power. It then transcends the cycle of earthly existence (samsara) and goes to a place or state called Siddhashila, where the jiva, identical with all other pure jivas, experiences its own true nature in eternal stillness, isolation, and noninvolvement and dwells in eternal bliss. Jains believe that this highest and most exalted state, the permanent release of the jiva from all involvement in worldly existence, can only be achieved by individuals through their own efforts without the assistance of any god or spirit.

Jains avoid professions which involve violence to the self or other living beings, such as agriculture or the military, and go to great lengths to avoid harming any living thing, because such an action attracts karma.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ Wilhelm Halbfass, "Indian Conceptions of Karma and Rebirth" in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (London: Routledge, 1998).
  2. ↑ Ibid.
  3. ↑ Chennai Online, Ajamila, The Vile Sinner. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
  4. ↑ Surendranath Dasgupta, A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume V, The Southern Schools of Saivism pp 85-87.
  5. ↑ Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore, eds., A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy (Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press, 1973). ISBN 0691019584
  6. ↑ Chandrahar Sharma, A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy (Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 2003). ISBN 8120803647

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Craig, Edward. 1998. "Indian Conceptions of Karma and Rebirth" in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge, p. 434 ISBN 0415073103
  • Dasgupta, Surendranath. 1973. A History of Indian Philosophy, Vol. V. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120804120
  • Embree, A. T. 1972. The Hindu Tradition. New York: Modern Library. ISBN 0394717023
  • Hay, Jeff. 2006. Hinduism. Religions and Religious Movements. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press. ISBN 0737725699
  • Mittal, Sushil and Gene R. Thursby. 2004. The Hindu World. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415215277
  • Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli. 1998. Indian Philosophy, Volume I. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195638190
  • Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli and Charles A. Moore, eds. 1973. A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691019584
  • Sharma, Chandrahar. 2003. A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120803647
  • Smith, Huston. 1994. The Illustrated World's Religions: A Guide to our Wisdom Traditions. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 0060674539

External links

All links retrieved October 5, 2022.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2000)

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