Cameron Miranda
Karma is a complex and multifaceted concept that originated in India, with roots in ancient Indian texts. It is a central tenet of various Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, as well as Taoism. The word karma is derived from the Sanskrit word karman, which means act. Over time, the concept evolved to encompass ethical and moral dimensions, associating an individual's actions and intentions with consequences in their current and future lives. The 12 laws of karma provide a framework for understanding how karma operates and guides individuals towards positive thinking and actions. While interpretations vary, the core principle of karma revolves around the belief that good deeds, thoughts, and words lead to beneficial outcomes, while bad deeds, thoughts, and words lead to harmful outcomes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | The concept of Karma originated in India. |
| Religion | Karma is associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism. |
| Definition | Karma is a complex concept, but it generally refers to the law of cause and effect, where good or bad actions and intentions lead to consequences in this life or future lives. |
| Types | Sanchita karma, Prārabdha karma, Āgāmi karma, and Kriyamāṇa karma are the four types of karma in Hinduism. |
| Free Will | Karma is often misunderstood as fate or destiny, but it emphasizes individual responsibility and free will, where personal actions and thoughts create consequences. |
| Rebirth | Karma is linked to the idea of rebirth, where actions in past lives impact the present and future lives. |
| Self-Improvement | Karma encourages self-improvement and positive thinking, as individuals strive for good karma and a better future. |
| Natural Law | In Buddhism and Jainism, karma operates as a natural law, independent of divine intervention, where actions have inherent consequences. |
| Interpretation | Interpretations vary, with some focusing on the traditional Eastern religious meaning and others adopting a Western perspective of good and bad. |
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What You'll Learn
The origins of karma in ancient Indian literature
Karma is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effects or consequences. The term 'karma' is derived from the Sanskrit word for 'action'. In Indian religions, the term refers to a principle of cause and effect, often described as the principle of karma, wherein an individual's intent and actions (the cause) influence their future (the effect). Good intentions and good deeds contribute to good karma and happier rebirths, while bad intentions and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and worse rebirths.
The concept of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The theory of karma suggests that the realm, condition, and form of rebirth depend on the quality and quantity of karma. In schools that believe in rebirth, every living being's soul transmigrates (recycles) after death, carrying the seeds of karmic impulses from the life just completed into another lifetime of karmas. This cycle continues indefinitely, except for those who consciously break this cycle by reaching moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
The earliest appearance of the word "karma" is found in the Rigveda, the oldest Hindu text, dating back to before 1500 BCE. In the Rigveda, the term 'karma' has a limited meaning of ritual action, which continues to be the case in early ritual-dominant scriptures. The term also appears in the Veda, where it is stated that "as his creations are born to the world he has made". The Brahmanas declare that "as a man is 'constituted' by his desires, he is born in the other world concerning these".
The earliest evidence of the term's expansion into an ethical domain is provided in the Upanishads, specifically in the Brhadaranyaka, the earliest of the Upanishads. In the Upanishads, the Vedic theologian Yajnavalkya expressed, "A man turns into something good by good action and into something bad by bad action". The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also states, "According as a man acts and according as he believes so will he be; a man of meritorious acts will be meritorious, a man of evil deeds sinful. He becomes pure by pure deeds and evil by evil deeds. And here they say that a person consists of desires. And as is his desire so is his will; and as is his will, so is his deed; and whatever deeds he does that he will reap".
Epics such as the Mahabharata suggest three prevailing theories in ancient India as to why good and evil exist: that everything is ordained by God, karma, and chance events (yadrccha). The Mahabharata includes a theory of suffering as arising from an interplay of chance events, circumstances created by past human actions, and the current desires, volitions, dharma, adharma, and current actions (purusakara) of people. However, while the Mahabharata presents alternative perspectives on the problem of evil and suffering, it offers no conclusive answer.
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The role of intention in the law of karma
The concept of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, as well as Taoism. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life as well as the nature and quality of future lives.
However, other sources suggest that karma depends on action rather than intention. For instance, if one accidentally trips over a dog and hurts it, there is no intention to harm and therefore no negative karma generated. On the other hand, if one intentionally kicks the dog, then negative karma is created. This view emphasizes that unintended consequences of actions do not produce karma. Additionally, some believe that karma is not about assigning responsibility to others but rather taking ownership of one's own actions and understanding that these actions have consequences not only for oneself but also for the world.
Overall, the role of intention in the law of karma is a complex and nuanced subject that is interpreted differently by various schools of thought. While some emphasize the importance of intention, others focus on the actions themselves and their consequences.
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The 12 laws of karma
Karma is a concept that originated in India and is often associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is believed that the actions and thoughts of an individual in their current or previous lifetimes impact their future lives, also known as the principle of cause and effect. The 12 laws of karma are:
- The Great Law or the Law of Cause and Effect: This law states that whatever thoughts, intentions, or actions an individual puts out into the universe will come back to them. It is often referred to as the universal law of karma and is considered the foundation of the other laws.
- The Law of Creation: This law emphasizes that individuals must take action to create the life they want. It is about recognizing that our relationship with karma influences the life we are creating.
- The Law of Humility: According to this law, one must accept something in order to change it. It encourages individuals to focus on a higher level of existence rather than dwelling on negative aspects.
- The Law of Responsibility: This law states that individuals must take ownership of what happens in their lives. It removes the preference for blaming others and emphasizes personal responsibility for one's actions and their consequences.
- The Law of Focus: Also known as the Law of Force, it relates to how individuals direct their energy. The more one focuses on something, the more they will receive it. Focusing on positive vibrations like love, peace, and harmony is believed to attract more of the same.
- The Law of Giving and Hospitality: This law emphasizes that individuals will receive what they give. It encourages giving, creating peace, and assisting others to live in a more positive and peaceful world.
- The Law of Here and Now: Dwelling on the past is discouraged in this law. Instead, it encourages individuals to embrace the present moment by focusing on their senses, such as taste, smell, sight, sound, and touch.
- The Law of Change: According to this law, history will repeat itself until an individual chooses to stop the repetition. It requires recognizing negative patterns and taking action to create a better future.
- The Law of Connection: This law highlights the interconnectedness of all things. It suggests that beyond our senses, every thought, action, and event is connected to everything else, emphasizing the impact of our actions on others and the environment.
- The Law of Patience and Reward: Karma, according to this law, can manifest instantly or take time. Steadfast adherence to karmic principles of good intent, thoughts, emotions, and actions is believed to accelerate positive outcomes.
- The Law of Growth: This law encourages individuals to focus on personal growth and self-improvement rather than trying to control others or external factors. It emphasizes accepting the things one cannot control and taking responsibility for one's own actions.
- The Law of Action: This law suggests that individuals must actively create opportunities to bring about the changes they wish to see in their lives and the world. It empowers individuals to take charge and shape their ideal reality.
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Karma in Hinduism
In Hinduism, karma is a principle in which "cause and effect are as inseparably linked in the moral sphere as assumed in the physical sphere by science". In other words, every action has an equal reaction, and this reaction may occur in one's current life or future lives.
The concept of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions, particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, as well as Taoism. In Hinduism, it is traditionally classified into four types:
- Sanchita karma: Accumulated karma from past actions across lifetimes.
- Prarabdha karma: A portion of Sanchita karma that is currently bearing fruit and determines the circumstances of the present life.
- Agami karma or Āgāmi karma: Future karma generated by present actions.
- Kriyamana karma or Kriyamāṇa karma: Immediate karma created by current actions, which may yield results in the present or future.
The earliest appearance of the word "karma" is found in the Rigveda, and the term also appears significantly in the Veda. The earliest evidence of the term’s expansion into an ethical domain is provided in the Upanishads, specifically the Brhadaranyaka, which is the earliest of the Upanishads. Here, the Vedic theologian Yajnavalkya expressed:
> “A man turns into something good by good action and into something bad by bad action.”
The concept of karma in Hinduism is distinct from that of Buddhism and Jainism, which do not require the existence of an external being like God. Sambandar of the Shaiva Siddhanta school (7th century CE) explains that karma, unlike a calf among a large number of cows, cannot locate the appropriate person by itself. Hence, a Supreme Being with perfect wisdom and power, such as Shiva, is necessary to make karma attach to the appropriate individual. In this sense, God is the Divine Accountant.
Hinduism also acknowledges the existence of divine beings that may control the effects of karma or the lack thereof. According to the Markandeya Purana, Shani (Saturn) is described as the son of the Sun god, Surya, and his wife Chhaya (shadow).
The laws of karma are often misunderstood as fate, destiny, or predetermination. However, it is important to understand that karma is not about "reward and punishment" but rather the law that produces consequences. These consequences may be positive or negative, depending on one's actions, thoughts, and intentions.
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Karma in Jainism
Karma is a central principle in Jainism, a psycho-cosmology that dictates the workings of the universe. It is believed that karma operates as a self-sustaining mechanism, a natural universal law, without any need for an external entity to manage it. This absence of a divine or 'exogenous' entity is a key distinction of Jainism.
Jainism teaches that a soul attracts karmic matter through thoughts, words, and actions. Evil thoughts or intentions, even without any physical action, are considered bad karma. This is because the soul is seen as being polluted by karmic matter, which taints it and obscures its natural purity. This karmic matter is often referred to as karma particles, a subtle substance that exists everywhere in the universe, attracted to the soul by the soul's actions. The more intense the action, the more karma is attracted, and the nature of the karma particles determines the happiness or unhappiness of the soul in its present and future lives.
The concept of karma in Jainism is often explained through an analogy with gold ore, which, in its natural state, is always found mixed with impurities. Similarly, the soul is seen as pure, but overlaid with the impurities of karma. Just as gold ore can be refined, so too can the soul be purified through the proper methods. These methods include living according to the Jain vows, which include 'Right Faith', 'Right Knowledge', and 'Right Conduct'.
The Jain concept of karma places responsibility for salvation on the individual, rather than on a divine entity. This belief in a self-regulating moral order in the cosmos is a fundamental aspect of Jainism, emphasising the importance of morality and ethics in one's actions.
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