WHY ‘GOOD’ PERSONS ALSO SUFFER:

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

 

WHY `GOOD' PERSONS ALSO SUFFER: Why do bad things happen even to good-

people? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Religions are

hard pressed to find a convincing answer to these questions because

the existence of evil, suffering and pain is incompatible with

omnipotent, omniscient and completely benevolent notion of God. If

the creator of the universe has all positive virtues and no negative

attributes then there cannot be any evil or suffering in the world.

The doctrine of karma offers a satisfactory solution to the riddle of

suffering. The Mundaka Upanishad says: The seeds sown yield

according to their kind. The earth does not in any way interfere in

the process of growth. God also puts human beings in different

positions according to their karmas. God is not responsible for the

evil, suffering and pain. Evil as well as good, are the outcome of

one's own karmas of three types. Sanchita karmas or accumulated

actions from past lives as well as in this life are those whose

fruits have yet to be reaped. Prarabdha karmas are those which have

started yielding results. Agami karmas are the future actions. It is

possible to avoid the consequences of sanchita karmas and abstain

from agami karmas through religious practices and sadhana. But one

cannot possibly abstain from the consequences of prarabdha karmas

which have become operative. We have to live with the negative or

positive outcome of these karmas. We alone and not God are

responsible for the outcome. – Ashok Vohra