Karma is a Sanskrit word meaning action, not necessarily good or bad results. It’s central to Buddhism and Hinduism and is the basis of a cosmic law of cause and effect. Accumulation of bad karma can lead to a life of misery and sacrifice, while good karma can lead to higher life forms. Karma works in mysterious ways and is not necessarily experienced openly.
The word karma itself comes from the Sanskrit language and is often translated as an act of will, effect, destiny or action. It’s important to understand that it’s the action itself, not necessarily the good or bad results of that action. Some Eastern religions call these inevitable reactions vipaka. Karma and vipaka are considered to be the basis of a cosmic law of cause and effect, although many Westerners use the word alone to suggest causality.
The concept of karma is central to both Buddhism and Hinduism, as both religions believe in reincarnation as a means of spiritual renewal. In the purest sense, karma is any action done voluntarily by a person who understands the goodness or badness of that act. It is essentially the stone that causes future ripples in the life stream of a soul. The fruits of that action can be seen right away, or it can take several cycles of reincarnation to manifest.
The idea that the effects of karma may not be experienced in one’s current life is an incentive for believers to carefully consider each of their actions. The accumulation of bad karma over several lifetimes can cause a person to experience a life of misery and sacrifice. In some Eastern belief structures, it can influence the actual form a reincarnated soul will take. Those with an abundance of good karma can return as higher life forms, while those with bad karma can become creatures of a lower form.
In a Western sense, many people tend to see it as a cosmic version of “what goes around, comes” or “you reap what you sow”. In one sense, karma really addresses the idea of causality, or the principle of action and reaction. If someone chooses to commit a criminal act, for example, they should be aware that there will be a cosmic price to pay for their action. Consequently, if someone chooses to perform an act of charity, the concept of universal karma dictates that their selfless action will ultimately be rewarded.
Karma is not necessarily experienced openly. One cannot simply do a good deed with the express hope of receiving karmic payback instantly. As with the Western belief in God’s benevolence towards mankind, karma also works in mysterious ways. A lifetime of doing good works often results in a sense of contentment in old age, which is essentially the message inherent in this belief.
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