The Law of Karma

[Guest guest]

The Law of Karma (Cause and Effect)

(Note: Reposted to clarify recent questions regarding 'destiny.')

 

The law of karma explains the entire phenomenon of life on the basic principle

of cause and effect. The law of karma goes beyond the law of destiny and it

covers the past, present and future. According to the law of destiny, we are

just the product of the past. The law of karma says that we are not only a

product of the past but we are also the producers of the future. With

reference to our past actions we are a product. However, we are solely

responsible for producing our future. We are product-producer at one and at

the same time. When we pay our attention to our past, we believe that we

became the hero, victim or a slave. But when we shift our attention to the

future we become the architect, the artist and the master.

 

When we look back, we become a pessimist and if we look ahead, we can become

an optimist. As a pessimist we see only the difficulty in every opportunity.

As an optimist we are able to visualize the opportunity in every

difficulty. We can apply the law of Karma to transform our negative

attitude into positive attitude using the correct framework. We may be able

to appreciate that our present difficulties are the creation of our past

unintelligent actions. It is up to us to realize our potentials by seeking

the opportunity to create a better future. The law makes us to be aware

that we are the masters of our own destiny.

 

As it is, we are bound by our own past. At the same time we are free to act as

we will. Freedom and bondage seem to coexist in all of us. We are like the

driver of a train. We can drive the train to wherever we please (free-will)

but our movement is restricted by the tracks (destiny) laid down already.

Both free-will and destiny play an important role in every action. Free-will

is an independent variable and destiny is dependent and it is binding. The

independent element is the purushartha or self-effort. The dependent element

is the prarabdha or destiny. We are free to choose our action but every action

is also subject to the influence of self-effort and destiny. We should

recognize that the consequence of our action depends both on the self-effort

and our destiny. Our present destiny or fate is the result of our past actions

in the past. Our prarabdha is the sum total of our past purusharthas. Our

destiny is the effect caused by our past self-effort. If our self-efforts in

the past have all been positive, our present destiny will be positive. If they

have been negative, our destiny will be negative. Our destiny is proportional

to our self-efforts.

 

Destiny is comparable to the bank balance. Savings in the past will result in

positive balance. Borrowers will have negative bank balance. Still the

earning capacity is independent of the bank balance and we always have the

option of changing the bank balance from negative to positive. This is the

law of economics. The law of karma uses the same common sense principle. If

we use purushartha (self-effort) to our advantage we rise and if we abuse

it, we fall. The law is infallible.

 

It is important to know that our effort creates our destiny. We fail to

understand this rule and attribute our success or failure to God. God is only

the substratum of all activities. God has nothing to do with the mode of

activity. God helps those who help themselves. This is the law of nature.

When we put in effort, when we fully deserve anything, we get it. But without

effort, without deserving we will never get it. There is a saying "First

deserve and then desire." Vedanta says, "Deserve and do not desire." If we

really deserve, objects reach us of their own accord. The law is unfailing. It

never happens that we richly deserve something and we are denied. This is a

misconception. If we fail to achieve our objective remember that we do not

deserve it. It only confirms that something has gone wrong with our effort.

 

References:

1. Essentials of Hinduism, by V. Krishnamurthy,

Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, India

2. Vedanta Treatise, by A. Parthasarathy

Vedanta Life Institute, Bombay, India (1984)

3. Sources of Indian Tradition, Volume I

By A.L. Basham, etc.

Columbia University Press, New York

[Guest guest]

firak or rahasya wrote:

"firak or rahasya" <sonja.kotar

 

Karma

There is no escape from your karma.

Every negative thought, word and action creates bad

karma that is only balanced by your suffering.

If you really understand this you stop hurting any

creature immediately.

Positive thoughts, words and actions only create good

karma, they cannot pay for your negative actions.

Existence is an echo of you.

In that sense there is one world for each person.

Your negative karma is mostly paid before

enlightenment, some remains with you until you leave

the body for the last time.

Many enlightened ones have body problems from

previous karma and pay with their health.

Never be discouraged by suffering, the sooner you go

through it the better. There is an end to it.

And be alert, YOUR NEGATIVITY HURTS YOU MOST.

 

 

Negatively or positively is nothing but a circulating karma!

 

from: the New Dawn

www.ishwara.com

 

In Dhrama - AP

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Karma

There is no escape from your karma.

Every negative thought, word and action creates bad

karma that is only balanced by your suffering.

If you really understand this you stop hurting any

creature immediately.

Positive thoughts, words and actions only create good

karma, they cannot pay for your negative actions.

Existence is an echo of you.

In that sense there is one world for each person.

Your negative karma is mostly paid before

enlightenment, some remains with you until you leave

the body for the last time.

Many enlightened ones have body problems from

previous karma and pay with their health.

Never be discouraged by suffering, the sooner you go

through it the better. There is an end to it.

And be alert, YOUR NEGATIVITY HURTS YOU MOST.

 

from: the New Dawn

www.ishwara.com