Your innate motivation to think, speak, do, act, choose etc.

Try this simple experiment. Stop some random stranger in the street and punch him in the face. And wait.

Both your action, and the reaction is karma. But that’s not all. Now two people in this complex system known as humanity are seething! You go home, yell at your wife for something silly, she yells at the kids, who go out and find someone smaller than themselves to bully. The bullied kid goes home, has a meltdown. That affects the parents who rush him to hospital to see a shrink. Police are called….

You see the drift? Karma is the ripples left behind in this complex system with multiple agents, who’s response is unpredictable. Science calls it Chaos Theory. And Karma is the “butterfly effect” in Chaos theory, a most significant observation of which is that a butterfly flapping its wings in China results in a hurricane in the Atlantic.

Cause and effect.

And the effect can be disproportionate to the initial cause.

This answer is narration of a composite karma effect of

1. A Lie and

2. A Greed

Saturday, June 3, 2017,

I had at least 12+ pairs of clothes to wash and I am very bad at washing and decided that I will not be wasting my weekend washing clothes. I had an option to get them washed at any laundry station but my Greed of saving money turned my dirty mind On!

I have 1 of my very good friends who owns a washing machine at his luxurious flat. Its been really long since I spoke to him since last time and I was hesitant enough to call him and ask him if I can walk up to his flat and get my laundry done. (Somebody rightly said “Make Friends before you need them”)

So I decided that I will take few Mangoes (Parceled from my Farms) and lied him that I have bought these Mangoes only for him paying 400/dozen (Loud Voice) so that he would feel my Fake Gratitude towards him and allow me to use his Washing Machine

Long story Short

Karma Slap 1: His apartment had water crisis and I had to wait untill next morning to get water and ended up wasting weekend

Karma Slap 2: I was unaware of the fact that My friend does not like Mangoes. My Plan to impress him by buying fake Mangoes failed

Karma Slap 3: I somehow convinced my friend to have one of the last 2 mangoes left. My Greed provoked me pick the bigger 1 of 2 mangoes. He silently took the remaining 1. When I cut the mango I picked, it was spolied inside and tasting bad and the 1 he picked was Perfect.

Karma Slap 4: I got my clothes washed the next morning n returned to my flat n noticed that my favorite colored T-Shirt was damaged/tored

Lesson:

1. Never think that you are the 1 who is very smart
2. Never Lie at least to your best friends
3. Never be Greedy
4. Never ever comfort your friends with a Fake Love. They can sense things too

And the last 1

5. Continue to write the answers even if nobody upvotes

Remember

What Goes Around, Comes back Around

May the Supreme be with You!!

Thanks!!

This is what it means to not be free from karma.

Lord Krishna said: It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma. SB 10.24.13

Being free from karma means being liberated from the binding effects of karma which cause repeated birth and death in the material world and all the happiness and distress in between. It might seem boring with no happiness and distress, no growth or change, but it’s not because the living entity within the body is naturally peaceful and full of joy. It’s the impositions of karma affecting our bodies and minds which interfere with our natural condition. When one transcends the effects of karma he realizes his spiritual identity and, coming to the Brahma bhuta platform, he realizes the Supreme Brahman. This is described in Bhagavad Gita and is the prelude to devotional service.

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. Bg 18.54

Attaining pure devotional service to Krishna is the perfection of life. From here on there are only ever-increasing, ever-new experiences ahead for the devotee.

Always engaging in the activities of devotional service, devotees feel ever-increasingly fresh and new in all their activities. The all-knower, the Supersoul within the heart of the devotee, makes everything increasingly fresh. This is known as the Brahman position by the advocates of the Absolute Truth. In such a liberated stage [brahma-bhüta], one is never bewildered. Nor does one lament or become unnecessarily jubilant. This is due to the brahma-bhuta situation. SB 4.30.20

Karma is the most basic doctrine of Sanatana Dharma and a thorough understanding of the dynamics of Karma is essential for any degree of Spiritual advancement. Sanatana Dharma takes for granted that there is order pervading the universe. Karma is the doctrine of the economy of action. The word Karma means ‘action’ and refers to the entire cycle of action and its consequences. Every action in addition to its material goal, produces a moral consequence which manifests as either joy or sorrow. Whatever we put out into the universe we get back in equal measure. All positive actions produce happiness and all negative actions result in suffering. This law operates whether we are aware of it or not. It is the process by which we shape our own destinies and build up our own reality. Through ignorance we bind ourselves by selfish actions, feelings or thoughts. As long as our actions are directed towards self gratification alone, there is not the slightest possibility of working towards liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. Even the smallest thought or act has consequences which are not settled with death.

Cause and Effect

In this life we experience the effect of our past actions, and often feel resentful that we are now suffering for the course of action set into motion by someone else. But when one looks at life from the point of view of immortality, and the Self as an eternal imperishable spiritual atom, then everything falls into a pattern of cause and effect. Karma, as the law of spiritual dynamics, makes us self-reliant beings with the realization that we can never escape responsibility. We can never plead ignorance of the law, nor take the attitude — “this time it won’t matter!” In fact the effect is inherent in the cause and therefore the two are in fact one continuum. In the inviolability of the law lies our potential freedom. It enables us to modify, change and remold our character which is the result of our past lives, and to create our future character in greater perfection — improving on our mistakes from the past, knowing that not one single iota of effort goes to waste. Objections are often raised that the doctrine of Karma is unjust because we are now suffering for actions we have done in the past of which we have no recollection. Recollection of the exact cause is irrelevant, the causes may be manifold, but the effect in ourselves and in others is either joy or sorrow. Every single action that we do potentially has a threefold effect — it either makes someone happy or sad or leaves them feeling indifferent. Actions which cause indifference do not have much of a karmic effect. Actions which cause either sorrow or joy to others will rebound upon the doer.

Predestination & Karma

Karma is often misunderstood as a synonym for destiny or fate. Karma is neither of these — it is a cosmic law which negates any possibility of luck, good fortune, or chance. Behind every fortuitous opportunity or apparent stroke of luck lies the energy which we ourselves have generated. Likewise behind every loss and misfortune lies the negative energy which we ourselves have created. We are powerless to change the circumstances in which we find ourselves, and to alter what actually happens to us, but we have complete freedom to determine how we will deal with each and every situation that arise, and turn it into a means of progression or retrogression. Predestination, fate or destiny implies that there is an external force which is imposing its own agenda onto us. Karma is the law whereby we create and experience our own agendas. We have the power to visualize, plan, work for and achieve our own certain future.

Dynamics of Karma.

The actual working out of the law of Karma is extremely complex, including millions of fine permutations and tunings affecting the lives of all of those around us and everyone that we have ever known. All these dynamics are controlled by the Devas (Cosmic Forces) of Karma — the Nine Planets (Navagraha). But there are certain basic principles which we need to understand. We are all acting on three different realms; physical, emotional and mental, with energies appropriate to each realm. Physical actions determine our physical environment, our emotional life revolves around our family, friends and associates and determines our interaction with them, and our world of thoughts, goals and aspirations determine how we interact with the world around us and ultimately understand ourselves. All these three energies together make up our character.

Karma & Sin

Sin as such is very much a Judeo/Christo/Islamic concept which is basically defined as an offence against God. For Christians all humans are born with original sin which requires rectification and redemption. These concepts are totally alien to Hinduism. Although some Sanskrit words are often translated as “sin” they bear no similarity to the Abrahamic coalition’s concept of sin. The seminal term papa often translated as sin, can be defined as any act that obstructs one’s return to Brahman. It is summed up as follows; —

Those actions which cause hurt and suffering to any other living beings (animals included) are to be considered as papa (sin, demerit, unskillful action); and punya (virtue, me

rit, skilful action) is defined as those actions which bring joy and happiness to others.

Sometimes we hurt others intentionally, but mostly we do it through error or due to lack of attention or consideration. All “sin” is traceable to individual accountability — the “human error factor”. The inclination to cause suffering to others (sin) is not original, or part of our essential nature, but adventitious, or circumstantial. “Sin” in Hinduism is not the central spiritual problem but a symptom of ignorance and it’s resultant misidentification with the body/mind complex — Ignorance (nescience) is the real spiritual problem. The Self is essentially pure and divine and different from the physical body. The accumulated actions of the past birth (Karma) give rise to the individual tendencies (Samskara) in this birth, either to act virtuously or un-virtuously. These tendencies or natural dispositions are seated deep in the subconscious mind.

No action can in fact be said to be neutral; every word, deed or thought has an effect. Our thoughts affect us directly while our speech and physical actions affect our environment.

The entire moral theology of Hinduism rests upon the concept of “benefit of all beings” (loka-sangraha). Motivation or intention is the deciding factor of the moral nature of an action. Motivation which centers on the welfare of others, is of the nature of spirituality, goodness and purity, whereas motivation which centers upon the individual, is negative and leads to suffering, and bondage to the cycle of births and deaths.

The Ten Forms of “Sin”.

“Sin”, remember is an unskilled use of action, a lack of spiritual understanding which causes one to transgress the Cosmic Laws (Rita), and the means of performing unskillful actions are three:— the mind, the speech and actions.

The unskillful use of thought is manifest in (1) thinking harmful thoughts directed towards others, and (2) clinging to irrational and erroneous doctrines.

The unskillful use of speech is (3) lying, (4) slandering, (5) gossiping, and (6) abusing others and (7) giving false advice or teachings.

The unskillful use of action is (8) causing physical injury to other living beings, (9) sexual misconduct and (10) not rendering assistance in time of need.

All well-directed virtuous actions leads to spiritual development and happiness, all unskillful actions retard spiritual growth and produce unhappiness and delay the unfolding of our Brahma-nature.

Three types of Karma

There are three types of Karma including both negative and positive;

§ 1. Sanchita Karma; — the accumulated results of acts which have been committed in the past lives and are waiting to come to fruition in the future.

§ 2. Prarabdha Karma; — acts done in the past which have resulted in the circumstances of the present incarnation and are causing all the joys and sorrows which we are now experiencing.

§ 3. Kriyamana Karma; — All the actions which are now being performed; the results of which will be experienced at a later date and will condition the circumstances of the next incarnation.

Prarabdha Karma is beyond the control of the individual and the results which have produced our present conditions have to be born with patience. It is like the seed which has been planted in the past and is now flowering. Sanchita Karma is like seed which has been stored and can be remitted through the Grace of the Guru or Isvara. The Kriyamana Karma or the present actions are entirely under the control of the individual, and must be performed with the utmost awareness that each individual is the author of his/her own destiny and each and every action, no matter how trivial will have an effect, unless all actions and their consequences are surrendered unto Isvara. Once surrendered, all actions are purified and everything is done as service to Isvara alone and thus even mundane actions become the vehicle of Liberation.

Therapeutic Suffering

The doctrine of Karma explains the universal experience and problem of suffering and why good people suffer. There are three factors in suffering;— the person who is suffering, an agent which is the cause of suffering such as another sentient being, thing, condition etc., and the degree of suffering. Once we have understood the nature of the Self as it really is and understood the dynamic of actions and their consequences, then the agent of suffering becomes incidental and secondary. This understanding then helps us to turn our suffering into a vehicle for positive spiritual growth and enlightenment. We no longer bear any anger or resentment towards the person or thing that is seen to be causing the suffering because they are merely agents of our own Karma. It is on this basis and this basis alone that we can truly love our “enemy” and return love for hurt, compassion for thoughtlessness. When the experience of suffering is thus understood, it becomes an opportunity for self-development and spiritual transformation and its intensity is greatly diminished. The suffering and happiness of each person is in exact proportion to his/her deeds. And even suffering is meant to correct and rehabilitate one. Suffering is the source of great lessons and the vehicle of greater understanding and insight, if used with awareness and insight into the law of Karma. In everything good there is the seed of evil, in everything evil there is the seed of good.

Yes. It is sure as death. There is only one guarantee in life, that is death. Same goes for Karma, but Karma will never leave you unless the debt incurred is paid back. Let me explain.

Every action results in a reaction, and that action is calledKarma. Karma simply means some action.

Bhagavad Gita teaches us there are not two, but three kinds of karma.

1. Karma
1. This is the normal actions, including good or bad. Good Karma, like building hospitals or helping others results in good reactions. But there is an additional rule that applies. Every Karma done has to be paid back with interest - for example, if you give money to someone today, they owe you four times as much. If you hurt someone today, you owe them four times the same amount of hurt you gave them, in the future, perhaps even in this life - if not, in next life.
2. The pain and pleasure we enjoy today are a result of your past Karma, perhaps from previous life.
2. ViKarma
1. This is the kind of Karma that goes against Dharma. This kind of karma results in suffering in hell and makes one to take birth in lower forms of life, like animals or perhaps trees. Dharma refers to varnashrama dharma - which includes “Sva-Dharma” means ones own dharma. For example, someone goes on a killing spree in the name of religion - that is vikarma. Or someone makes a hate speech, inspiring others to do harm to people - that is ViKarma as well.
3. Akarma : This is the only Karma that does not have any reaction. This is the Karma that is directly or indirectly a service to God. For example, lets say you volunteer to serve in the Kitchen of Krishna Temple. OR lets say you help and drive a highly evolved soul - One whose whole life is dedicated in the Service to God - such service is Akarma and results in no reaction (Means you dont incur any debt and hence no pay backs).

So you see, there is no escape from Karma - as long as we are doing Karma or Vikarma. Only Akarma can save one from Karmic debts.

The concept is explained in the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 4

Chapter Four

hope this helps.

SMD

Karma delivers to us our happiness and distress based on our previous lives’ activities.

If there is no cause behind our happiness and distress then it’s random and we have no control over it, so no point in doing anything we think will bring us happiness and escape distress. Not many people live like that.

If there is a Supreme Controller and no karma then why does the Supreme Controller award some people more happiness and less distress than others - right from birth. It’s a mystery which only the Supreme Controller can answer and apparently no answer is forthcoming so it’s something a person can either believe or not.

If there is a Supreme Controller and we are not our bodies, but eternal spirit souls, then our happiness and distress could be the results of previous activities, it’s a credible explanation. The fact that Sri Krishna states this to be the case makes it entirely credible so yes, I believe it.

For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. Bhagavad Gita 2.20

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. Bhagavad Gita 2.22

Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world. The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species. Bhagavad Gita 13.21–22

Karma, a central concept in various spiritual and philosophical traditions, plays a significant role in shaping the experiences and destiny of an individual. Rooted in the belief that actions have consequences, karma influences not only the external events in a person's life but also their internal state of being. In this exploration, we will delve into the multifaceted ways in which karma affects an individual, examining its impact on personal growth, relationships, and the overall trajectory of life.

1. Karma as the Law of Cause and Effect:At its core, karma is often understood as the law of cause and effect, asserting that every action, intention, and thought has consequences. Positive actions are believed to generate positive outcomes, while negative actions may lead to adverse results. The concept is rooted in the understanding that the universe operates on a system of balance, responding to the energy one puts into the world.
2. Influence on Present Circumstances:a. Immediate Consequences:The immediate consequences of one's actions are often the most apparent manifestations of karma. Positive actions, such as acts of kindness, honesty, and generosity, are believed to attract positive energy and, in turn, positive outcomes. Conversely, negative actions, such as dishonesty, harm, or greed, are thought to set in motion negative repercussions that may affect a person's immediate circumstances.b. Impact on Daily Life:In the context of daily life, karma influences the quality of experiences a person encounters. Engaging in ethical behavior and making positive choices contributes to a more harmonious and fulfilling life. On the other hand, negative actions may lead to challenges, obstacles, or a sense of discontent. The interplay of karma in daily life serves as a feedback mechanism, urging individuals to align their actions with principles of righteousness and virtue.
3. Karma and Personal Growth:a. Learning from Consequences:Karma is viewed as a dynamic teacher, offering lessons through the consequences of one's actions. Positive experiences resulting from virtuous deeds encourage individuals to continue on a path of personal and spiritual growth. Conversely, facing challenges or setbacks due to negative actions provides opportunities for reflection, learning, and the potential for transformation.b. Cultivation of Virtues:The awareness of karmic consequences encourages the cultivation of virtues such as compassion, forgiveness, and humility. Understanding that actions ripple through the fabric of existence allows individuals to make intentional choices that contribute to their moral and spiritual development. The transformative power of karma lies in its ability to inspire the pursuit of virtues that elevate one's character.
4. Karma in Interpersonal Relationships:a. Reciprocity in Relationships:Karma extends beyond individual actions to the realm of relationships. The law of cause and effect operates in social interactions, emphasizing the reciprocal nature of relationships. Positive actions and intentions towards others are believed to create a cycle of goodwill and reciprocity, fostering harmonious connections. Conversely, negative actions may lead to strained relationships, misunderstandings, or conflicts.b. Impact on Family Dynamics:Within the family unit, karma influences the dynamics between family members. Acts of love, support, and understanding contribute to positive family karma, creating a nurturing environment. Conversely, conflicts, dishonesty, or neglect may generate negative family karma, impacting the emotional well-being of all members.c. Karmic Bonds:Some spiritual traditions posit the existence of karmic bonds between individuals, suggesting that connections are not random but influenced by past actions. These karmic ties can manifest as positive, supportive relationships or challenging, conflicting dynamics. Understanding the karmic nature of relationships encourages individuals to approach interactions with mindfulness and a sense of responsibility.
5. Karma and Emotional Well-being:a. Psychological Impact:Karma is not only an external force shaping circumstances but also an internal factor influencing emotional well-being. Positive actions contribute to a sense of fulfillment, joy, and inner peace. Conversely, negative actions may lead to guilt, regret, or anxiety. The psychological impact of karma underscores the interconnectedness between one's actions and their emotional state.b. Mindfulness and Intention:The awareness of karmic consequences encourages individuals to approach life with mindfulness and intentional living. Considering the potential effects of one's actions fosters a sense of responsibility for the energy one contributes to the world. This mindfulness, rooted in the understanding of karma, becomes a guiding force in shaping thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
6. Karma and Future Destiny:a. Reincarnation and Future Lives:In belief systems that incorporate the notion of reincarnation, karma influences the trajectory of future lives. Positive karma is thought to contribute to a favorable rebirth, potentially leading to improved circumstances and opportunities for spiritual growth. Negative karma, conversely, may result in challenging life situations, serving as a mechanism for addressing unresolved issues.b. Determining Life's Path:Even in belief systems without explicit concepts of reincarnation, karma is seen as influencing the overall path of an individual's life. The accumulated effects of past actions contribute to the current circumstances and opportunities available to a person. The choices made in the present, informed by an understanding of karma, shape the future trajectory of life.
7. Freedom and Personal Agency:a. Karma and Free Will:While karma is often seen as a deterministic force linking actions to consequences, the concept coexists with the idea of free will. Individuals have the agency to make choices, and their actions contribute to the ongoing cycle of karma. The dynamic interplay between free will and karma highlights the importance of conscious decision-making and the ethical responsibility that comes with it.b. Liberation from Karma:In certain spiritual traditions, the ultimate goal is to attain liberation (moksha, nirvana) from the cycle of karma. This liberation is achieved through self-realization, enlightenment, and the transcendence of ego-driven desires. The liberated soul is believed to exist beyond the influence of karma, having attained a state of ultimate purity and unity with the divine.

Conclusion:

The influence of karma on an individual is intricate and far-reaching, shaping not only external circumstances but also internal states of being, relationships, personal growth, and the trajectory of life. Karma serves as a dynamic force that intertwines with individual choices, offering opportunities for learning, transformation, and the cultivation of virtues. Whether viewed through the lens of spiritual traditions, philosophical perspectives, or the fabric of everyday life, the concept of karma underscores the interconnectedness of actions and consequences. In navigating the complexities of existence, understanding and embracing the lessons of karma can be a guiding principle for a purposeful, ethical, and spiritually enriching journey.

Yes, and always.

The word karma comes from the Prakrit root .kr, which simply means action. But what kind of action?

According to the Abhidharma, there are five different types of cause-and-effect action/reaction. These are:

1. Physical-inorganic
2. Physical-organic
3. Mental non-volitional
4. Mental-volitional or karmic
5. Dharmic.

Let’s say you catch a cold. This could be because:

1. You had been out in the cold and wet and caught a chill
2. You had been afflicted by a germ or a supernatural being
3. You had been overworking and staying up too late
4. You had harmed someone in this or a previous life
5. Meditation and practice had produced changes in your body.

So Karma is volitional action. Its result is karma-vipaka. This volitional action can be of four weights:

1. Heavy
2. Death-proximate
3. Habitual
4. Residual

And these may be:

1. Unwholesome
2. Wholesome

A heavy karma is one that is strong enough that, just by itself, is enough to determine your future rebirth. Examples of unwholesome heavy karmas are killing your father or mother, and wholesome heavy karmas, the experience of the Jhyanas or higher meditative states.

Death-proximate karmas may be either the last thought at death or a particularly strong and powerful thought during life. For example, if you worked slaughtering animals, your last thought might be of animal slaughter. Or, maybe at some point during life you saw a happy, pampered cat and thought “I wish I was a cat!” not realising that this is actually a bad rebirth.

Habitual karmas are actions done repeatedly or an action repeatedly reflected upon. Habits of thought and of mind.

Which is the stronger out of habitual and death-proximate depends on the strength of the karma.

Residual karmas are actions that die out and take no effect at all. That is, most of what we do.

Karmas can take effect in three time periods:

1. Now
2. In this life
3. In the next or subsequent lives

-which one of these it is depends on subtle mental factors.

Karmas need the opportunity to fruit. Otherwise they do not fruit at all. Imagine for example that we harm someone. It so happens that within the next few lives they never take birth nearby us. This karma never gets the opportunity to fruit and thus becomes residual.

In order to fruit, karmas need:

1. The volition to commit an action
2. Committing the action
3. Knowing that the action has been completed.
   
   Mostly, any actions that are strong enough to have a result, will be mental actions that result in physical actions. But sometimes they may be mental actions alone.

The ‘seeds’ of karma’ are stored in a part of vijnana, that is, what takes birth. That part of our consciousness that takes birth.

Karma is not a LAW. It is not JUST. It is in fact an oppressive part of Samsara, this crazy world that we live in, that we want to escape.

Karma, is, in other words, nasty, unjust, cruel, and unkind.

The REASON karma exists is our own dualistic vision. Basically, each of us is living inside a balloon. When we push on one part of the balloon, another part is affected. That’s how it works. No dualistic vision, no karma.

Since Mind is the cause of this universe that we inhabit and experience, karma may be said to be the underpinning of the universe.

This is according to Buddhism. But as the Buddha was the first to explain Karma, I shall stick with what he said.

Two friends were walking back home after work.

They had some plans for the evening.

One of them wanted to go to a prostitute, the other one planned to go to a religious sermon.

The first one went to the prostitute, and while there, he was thinking about his life.

He thought, what am I doing here, I should now think of evolving myself and pull myself out of these limited pleasures.

The second one who went to the religious sermon was thinking that what a fool he was to come to the sermon while his friend was having a good time.

The first one's karma helped him to evolve and the second one got entangled.

So it's not the action in itself but the volition or intent behind the action that determines your karma.

Sadhguru says that karma is not in the content but in the context of your life.

Here's a beautiful article on Karma. You may read if you wish

Footnotes

It means, as I see it, that I am not "done" with someone or something.

It is not good or bad.

It means I have to come back and do something again.

The score between us is not even.

Because of that I "hang" with a part of me (with a part of my energy) " on a person , a thing, a place.

That is why a karmic connection takes power from me. If I loosen it and we are freely connected, I have myself again completely with me.

Karmic connections can be unpaid debts or unsaid important words.

A lot of karma means a long to-do list.

Quite annoying.

That's why it's good to wrap everything up neatly.

Leave a place clean as if you weren't there, that's how the natives kept it when they moved on.

Then your list looks like this:

Then you CAN come back, for pleasure.

But you don't HAVE to.

Karma can’t be fake. Whatever we do forms our karmas. Eating, thinking, talking, walking, walking, cooking every small act is karma. This world is Karmshetra. No one can be free from karma. The beggar, beg for money; begging is their karmas; in future they have to return it back. Some people think that renouncing the world, would make them free from karmas. However, they cannot be free from karmas; they have to collect food, which is also karma.

Mind and intellect are faculty of soul. Thoughts emerge I the mind, intellect then takes decision, and the action taken is known as karma.

There are three types of karmas.

1.

Charitable act-Which is performed for benefit of others like social service, devotion, donation in charitable work, helping the needy. It empowers the doer and makes him feel joy.

2.

Sins-Which is done under influence of 5 vices like Lust, anger, greed, attachment ego. After doing the person feels depressed.

3.

Neutral Karmas-like eating, bathing, performing our daily duties. It doesn’t have any positive or negative impact on soul.

We have to make ourself free from the bonds of karmas. We have to perform our duties but have too much attachments. If our karmic account has been settled then at the time of gods remembrance, they will not attract our consciousness.

There is Karma until you live on this earth. It ends as soon as you died.

Karma means deed. Your past deeds determine your present and your present deeds determine your future. Some people, particularly Brahmans believe that the reason for some of their sufferings is their sins they have done in the previous life (birth). They call it Karma. This is unacceptable and untrue. Punishments are given to make them realize their mistakes. No one lived a life before they have born. In fact there is no past life (previous birth) and afterlife. Reincarnation is impossible to human beings. How can they repent without knowing what sins they have done in their past life? People suffer only for the sins they have done in their present life. But accidentally if they happen to face any problem without doing sin then there will be compensation in someway. These works are done by the spirits. Spirits determine the destiny of the human beings from their daily activities, talks and thoughts too. All creatures including human beings are ruled by spirits.

God never bothers whether people believe in him or not. God's direct intervention in individuals' affairs is very rare. God doesn't watch each and every human being at the same time and cannot live with each and everyone to guide them. These works are done by the spirits. God had created different kinds of spirits for various purposes. He had made the spirits to watch, guide and determine the destiny of the human beings from their daily activities, talks and thoughts too. Your past determines your present and your present determines your future. God has given freewill to all creatures including human beings. According to this, all human beings have all right to live a life as they wish. But if it happens to be bad and hurts someone, they have to face the consequences. These consequences are created by spirits. It's a natural system. After death no one lives in any form. Heaven and hell are only for spirits, not for human beings. God is a mystery even to the spirits. Spirits are not eternal beings but their lifetime is long. Spirits are separate elements. A human being during his/her lifetime is living with many spirits which have joined one by one since birth. They are knowledge, skills, feelings, emotions, instincts, interests and everything. Further there will be always some spirits with you on behalf of your parents, friends and relatives. Only these spirits make you remember them in a certain situations. All of these spirits are your consciousnesses and memories. Even thoughts are not your own. For example, when you want to take a decision on a subject, one after another the spirits think and you just listen, choose or reject the ideas which they transmit to your mind through your brain in the form of thoughts. A mind is a combination/formation of many spirits which have joined one by one since birth. A mind is just like a computer's mind. After the destruction of a computer completely you will not get its mind. The same is the case with the human beings. A brain is a device used by the spirits to control the body and mind. (A senior spirit or a chief can control other spirits) A human being doesn't have a spiritual body. Soul is nothing but an energy needed for the functionality of a body. It is not a spirit or anything else. A body's functionality is based on the auto mechanism. After death all spirits which accompanied a person quit and go to different places searching new bodies. No one lives after death in any form. All human beings are just robots made of flesh and bones and toys of the spirits for their games.

Karma is any activity done under the influence of the modes of nature which will result in another birth in the material world. Why another birth? Because we have to experience the fruits of our actions when they fall due. We live in a world of cause and effect. One thing leads to another. In the material world everything has a cause.

Karma doesn’t just hit us, sometimes it rewards us handsomely. But either way we experience the effects of what we have caused previously. The laws of nature are very stringent and cannot be by-passed. A good action will not cancel a bad action. The results of both will come to us in due time.

The only loop hole is to act directly under the instructions of the Supreme Lord, received through His genuine representative. Since the Lord is the master of the modes of nature, He can adjust things to relieve us from unpleasant reaction. The condition is that we surrender to Him.

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. Bhagavad gita 18.66

Karma has been described in different manners, all conveying the same meaning – ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’. Jainism has explained, in detail, what exactly Karma is, how does it work and why it never misses an address.

According to Jainism, Karmas are very tiny invisible particles that are floating around the universe. With every action of ours involving kashayas (anger, jealousy, ego, greed, hatred, love, compassion, generosity etc.), these particles get attracted to our soul like a magnet and are attached to it. If there are no kashayas in our actions, no karmas are attracted.

Depending on various factors, karmas remain dormant for some period. When the karmas fructify (in that life or any of the future lives), they start producing their result as per their nature and intensity. After producing their result, these karmic particles get detached from the soul and again start floating in the universe. The whole process is carried out automatically.

Based on its karma, a soul undergoes transmigration and reincarnates in various states of existence. When a soul transmigrates, the karmas attached to the soul accompany it. This process continues life after life until the soul sheds all karmas and attains salvation.

That is why it is said that karmas never miss an address; they follow the doer life after life. There is no escape from the consequences of karma.

Karma is faced in every moment all the time.

But understand, Karma is not a balance sheet of good deeds and bad deeds. That is only the simple way we had to understand it with our previous level of consciousness.

Rather, consider every action we take is who we become. We are, in our very being, a culmination of all the actions we have taken.

If we take actions based on fear, we condition our being into fear.

If we take actions based on love, we condition our being into love.

When looked at from this perspective, one can see that Karma isn’t an account to be balanced, rather it is a becoming and we experience our world through that being.

The law of karma is a natural law, and just like the law of gravity it works whether you believe in it or not. The idea of karma, as a natural law of action and reaction, originates in the Vedic tradition, the oldest religious tradition on the planet.

The law of karma dictates that people create their own destinies according to their activities - how they treat other living entities. Or, like it says in the Bible - as you sow you shall reap.

Note, how this statement from the Bible does not make sense without reincarnation. We reap right from our very birth. We reap a certain family, destiny, gender, nationality, abilities etc. When would we have sown that if not in earlier lives?

So the law of karma can be understood properly only in connection with reincarnation. When seen in terms of many lives, the question - how do bad things happen to good people? - poses no problem.

If bad things happen to good people in this life, it’s a reaction to bad things they did in a previous life. Similarly, if bad people are seen to enjoy a happy life, they are enjoying the karmic reactions of pious activities performed in a previous life.

Someone might object - do you really mean to say, when a person is born ugly, this is his or her own fault? How is that fair? According to the law of karma, our actions in this life - how we behave and treat other living entities - will determine our next birth.

In contrast to this we have the material conception of things - whether I am born into a nice, caring, wealthy family, with good looks and good education, or I get born to a junkie mother and an abusive father; whether I am born as the king of Arabia or I'm born in Syria to a family on the run from bombings and war - it is all just up to a toss of a coin.

According to the law of karma everyone enjoys or suffers according to the activities the have performed.

--but, but if you believe in karma, if you believe that people create their own destinies, that will make you uncaring and without compassionate. You will be indifferent to the plight of others, because when you see a person suffer, you will know it's his own fault and you will think that he just gets what he deserves.

Lets examine the logic behind this idea for a minute. So you are saying, that if I know the reason behind someone's suffering, if I know that the person created his own suffering by his own actions, that will make me less compassionate towards him? And if I think it's all just random chance, how people suffer or enjoy, that will make me a more compassionate and caring person?

How does that make sense?

Say, a doctor tells Mr. Olsen - don't smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, you will get lung cancer. Then 10 years later Mr. Olsen is diagnosed with cancer. Does, the doctor then tell Mr. Olsen - I told you so, it's your own fault, now, get out of my office. Or will the doctor still feel sorry for the man and try to help him? What do you think?

Or a mother tells her child, don't stick your hand in the fire, you will burn yourself, and then the child goes and does just that - sticks his hand in fire. Then, when the child comes running to his mother, crying - I burned myself, it hurts.

Will the mother be tender-hearted towards her child and try to comfort him/her? Or will she say - I told you so, now stop your whining - SLAP!

It makes absolutely no sense to say that knowing the law of karma, makes a person more uncaring and cold-hearted than if a person believes it's all just random chance. It's like saying that knowledge makes a person less compassionate, and ignorance makes us compassionate.

If you say, that everything is ultimately random chance, what you're really saying is that you don't know the reason behind it. You are professing ignorance and trying to make that into some kind of noble reasoning.

Let me give you a practical example. According to Manu-samhita, someone who kills a cow will have to take birth as a cow and be killed in the same way, as many times as there are hairs on the cow's body.

So I know that all the cows being slaughtered in modern society, used to be people who killed cows. Do I feel less sorry for the cows standing in line in the slaughter house, waiting to be killed? Nope. I still feel sorry for them. I'm still a vegetarian because I don't want to support this senseless mass-murder on animals.

Even though I act as the instrument of another's karma, I still have to suffer or enjoy the karmic reactions. Thus karma is an endless cycle that binds us to the material world, life after life

I know for a fact that even though I know the law of karma and how it works, it doesn't make me feel less sorry for the suffering people of this world. In fact, knowing that ultimately people are the makers of their own destinies puts me in a better position to help them, rather than if I think, - too bad, it's just chance.

How can you guard yourself or others against chance? The answer is, you can't.

Krishna says:

One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me – such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me. —Bg 12.13-14

Well, such a person does not exist, so there is no definition.

Let me explain: Everything we do creates karma. When we eat a sausage, it creates karma, when we kill a mosquito, it creates karma, when we smile at a passerby, it creates karma, when we help a friend, it creates karma, when we shoot another living being, it creates karma etc. etc.

There are two types of karma: dark, negative karma and light, positive karma.

The first type is created when we steal, lie, cheat, are greedy, selfish, inconsiderate, disrespectful, and think nothing of taking the lives of other living beings. When we create this kind of dark karma via our actions, this karma will come back to us in exactly the same shape as we sent it out, and we will be stolen from, lied to, cheated, be victims of the greed and selfishness of others, be treated with inconsideration and disrespect, and our physical lives will be taken away from us by a killer.

Our dark karma shows us how we once treated others, and it is the supreme pedagogic tool of the universe. Without dark karma nobody would improve or change their primitive behavior.

There comes a time when we have outlives most of our dark karma (there will always be a left-over to get us going in our next cycle) and then we will only have good karma to reap.

So, once we have reaped all our dark karma, we have become very evolved and enlightened, and then we can only sow good karma in the shape of help to others, compassion, kindness and universal love. When we can only sow those positive aspects of life, we can only reap those aspects and that means that we can only reap good, positive karma. We then have “karmic tailwind” and we then feel the backing of the universe in everything we do.

As good karma is also karma, nobody can be karma-free.

To give you a better idea, I invite you to read my most recent blog-post: The greatest challenge facing humankind on my website: newspiritualscience dot com under My Blog…. enjoy!

I don’t have any such definition.

However, your definition would entail attraction between polarities and repulsion between similarities. The resultant mix would be a high entropy state. This is one phenomenon that is valid throughout the physical universe.

“Karma” however is not just pervasive in the physical universe, it extends to the realm of the spiritual and that includes, deities, Gods, demons and all inbetween or above. You are using a physical phenomenon to describe and give meaning to Karma which is both physical and spiritual. Karma is grand causality. Any action, thought, emotion or perception creates Karma. Whether these actions, thoughts, emotions or perceptions are good or bad, they will still create Karma. Karma is the interlinking causality of action, consequence and result hence it is potentially never-ending. It is a type of infinite. As long as you have Karma to a certain degree which involves base perceptions, you will be chained to our physical reality. Beyond our physical reality, Karma is also present. It then involves higher perceptions but they are perceptions nonetheless hence in this new reality, Karma will also be a chain that imprisons your soul and so on and so forth.

Classifying Karma into high positive karma is like saying there is a bouncer in the discotheque of the world and he/she/it deals/trades/barters with karma. It means, you give the bouncer his currency of trade, i.e Karma, and in return he will let you party as long as you want with many gorgeous, sexy women as you want, imbibe as much alcohol as you want, go as high as you want on ecstasy or any other drug and you do this as long as you feed the bouncer “high positive karma”.

If the above supposition and comparison is to your liking, well and good. Continue believing in it.

Karma translates as “action” and refers to all mental and physical activity. We change karma by changing our relationship to mental and physical activity. If we currently identify with the activity of the body and mind, then it influences our actions (karma) and, as a result, we generate karma. If we do not identify with the activity of the body and mind, then we do not subject ourselves to the identities which generate as a result of identifying. Instead of attributing this activity to ourselves, or even regarding there being a subject to which this activity can be attributed, we observe all of it as objects. So, not “My body” or “My mind” but, “There are bodily sensations” and “There is mental activity.”

Karma changes the more we don’t attribute activity to ourselves or regard ourselves as the subject of that activity. This idea as the subject of that activity is also part of the activity itself. The sum of this activity or karma are objects of the Self, which we are. When we become non-attached to this activity, then it does not stick to us. The Self cannot act and is free from all action, so it needs the mind and body to carry out those actions necessary to realise it. It observes these as objects and so mistaking this activity for being ourselves or ours does not originate from the place of the Self but from the mind. In the Self, there is no activity or karma. This is why for those who have realised it, they are said to be free - because they have assumed the place of the Self, which is free from and observes activity.

Question

How does Karma affect a person?

Answer

Your physical body manifested from the astral body. There is regular communication between astral body and physical body. Whichever you do from physical body, it goes back to astral body. Karma stored in astral body returns to physical body when time and space permit.

There is a cyclic dependency between Astral and physical body. It also has cascading effects.

When this bond disappears? Once you attain atmagyan or moksha or nirvana or liberated the soul, then karma does not affect, because physical and astral body become same aativahik (super astral) body.

To “bring” Karma to completion?

It is not something you control as to “bring” it anywhere, completion or otherwise.

Probably a Western Indology articulation, since they have not understood the meaning and full import of Karma yet, even though Science appears to have recognized it to an extent as the “butterfly effect” in Chaos Theory.

The very term “chaos” in Complex Systems Theory implies that you have no control on it. In fact, its echo will reverberate in the “corridors of hell” for an eternity, well after our planet and our Sun have ceased to exist.

The best you can do is to “absorb its effects”, without getting pissed off!

Karma will not hit you back. Karma is a mirror, it will give you what you give it. Karma is a law, the law of action and reaction. If you give good, you will get good. If you sin, you cannot win, then it will hit you back. Therefore, karma is the law of cause and effect, a universal law that governs the universe. We should not be afraid of karma. We have to understand karma. We have to realize that karma cannot be escaped. And we have to try to transcend karma. When we transcend karma, then we are liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth. Just as we are liberated from all misery on earth. We have to be free from the ignorance of the body, mind, ego, then there is no karma.

The word karma means action. Therefore, every act of ours, good or bad is recorded and the action will be redeemed with a reaction. Many people don't understand that karma is a deed, not a thought. Many people think that thoughts will determine action or karma. No, thoughts will become feelings, feelings will become actions and when they become action, then only there will be a reaction because karma is the law of action. So it is not thoughts and feelings but action that determines karma. Many people believe in the law of attraction. The law of attraction cannot work without action. Remove action from the word attraction and you will find that it disintegrates, it is meaningless. Everything is action, therefore, there is the law of action — as you sow, so shall you reap; what you do will come back to you. It all depends on your action.