Karma

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Karma

Karma is an action

Strengths of character is translated into willpower

All through a person's life, karma helps build a person's character

Nature of the character depends on nature of actions

Process of reincarnation is called the Samsara Cycle

Goal of liberation (moksha) is to make Hindus free from this cycle of action and reaction, and from rebirth

At death, the atman is carried by a subtle body into a new physical body which can be human or non-human form

"There are many paths to the truth" - every person has a personal path of karma that they must follow

The effort to achieve Moksha is a personal affair and is different for everyone

Including those who are near and dear to individual have no right to impose any restraint or constraint on that effort

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What is karma?

Sanskrit word meaning "action"

Refers to the law that every action has an equal reaction

Either immediately or in the future

Good and virtuous actions lead to good reactions and responses

Whereas bad actions will lead to bad reactions and responses

Self-determination and accountability of individual soul rests on capacity for free choice (humans only)

Whilst lower species (animals), the atman takes no moral decisions but is instead bound by instinct

Although all species are subject to reactions of past activities, such karma is generated only while in human form

Human life alone is a life of responsibility

"In proportion to the extent of one's religious or irreligious actions in this life, one must enjoy or suffer the corresponding reactions of his karma in the next" - Bhagavad Purana 6.1.45

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Why is Karma important?

Hindu's ultimate goal (artha) is to end suffering and the bondage of karma - no matter how many lives it takes

Successive lives lead accordingly to principles of dharma

Elevating each next life until individual's life is absorbed by realising the self (enlightenment)

Under such conditions, soul breaks free of bondage of life

And is absorbed by the Supreme Soul (Moksha)

Law of karma supports process of transmigration (movement of the atman)

Karmic Consequences

What we are in the present is the result of past actions

What we will be in the future depends on what we do in the present

Samechita Karma - combined consequences of a person's thoughts and actions which are carried over from one lifetime to another

Implications

Results of an action might only be experienced in a new life

Human beings can create good or bad consequences for their actions and might reap rewards of actions in this life or in the next

Or reap the rewards in a heavenly/hell realm in which self is reborn for a period of time

Karma operates across all lifetimes

Nandini the Cow

Story illustrates how doing deeds that oppose expected good dharma will result in punishment

Not just in the present life but in the lives to come also

It will also lead to consequences for community and society

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Bhagavad Gita

Source of wisdom and authority

Teaches importance of reincarnation and karma

Devotion to God with complete surrender and trust

Inspiration for ordinary people and great thinkers

Explains why Brahman came to Earth in form of Krishna

Inspires Hindus to fulfil their dharma

Because it is a means of attaining Moksha

Krishna acts as an example

Teaches that karma arises as a consequence of desires rather than the actions themselves

When we act selfishly we accumulate bad karma

Teaches when we act selfishly we accumulate karma; the path of liberation is to act without selfish desire

"And so, detached, perform increasingly the works that must be done, for the man detached who labours on, to the Highest must win through"

Another way of looking at this is as offering actions in sacrifice to God

"By dedicating the work that is proper to his caste to him who is the source of all beings' activity, by whom this whole universe was spun, a man attains perfection and success" (18:46)

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Strengths

"path of bhakti, karma and love leaves no room for man despising man" - Gandhi

Justice

Acceptance of others' actions as they will be punished

Acceptance of life because of own actions

Encourages active worship

Pilgrimage, temple, worship, ritual, offerings to gods

Enforces dharma (moral order of universe and society)

Enforces social organisation - Varna/Jati

Core concept of Hinduism

Widely supported in scripture

Supports samsara and reincarnation

Governs individual behaviour

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Weaknesses

No proof

How can we define good and bad?

Who/what decides?

"There are many paths to the truth" - who can say that what is considered bad for one person isn't good for another?

Moral Issues

You're suffering in the present for something "someone else" has done

Not fair to suffer for something you have no knowledge of

Or that you have no control of

Can encourage injustice and discrimination of caste

What if intentions are good but there is a bad outcome?