Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म kárma (help·info), kárman- "act, action, performance"^[1]; Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" or "deed" in Indic religions understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical KARM (897 FM) is a strongly Christian Radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Inspirational format Pali ( ISO 15919 / ALA-LC: Pāḷi is a Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. Indian religions, also called Dharmic religions, are the related religious traditions that originated in the Indian subcontinent, namely Hinduism, Causality (but not causation) denotes a necessary relationship between one event (called cause and another event (called effect) which is the direct consequence e. , the cycle called saṃsāra) described in Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhist philosophies. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices

The philosophical explanation of karma can differ slightly between traditions, but the general concept is basically the same. Through the law of karma, the effects of all deeds actively create past, present, and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to him/her and others. The results or 'fruits' of actions are called karma-phala. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.

Contents 1 Views 2 Law of Karma 3 Exceptions 3.1 Fourth state 4 In the Indian religions 4.1 Hinduism 4.2 Sikhism 4.3 Buddhism 4.3.1 Other Niyama Dharmas 4.4 Jainism 5 Analogs of karma 6 Western interpretation 6.1 Spiritism 6.2 New Age and Theosophy 7 Footnotes 8 See also 9 External links

Views

Throughout this process, some traditions (i. e. , the Vedanta), believe that God plays some kind of role, for example, as the dispenser of the fruits of karma^[2] or as exercising the option to change one's karma in rare instances. Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. In general, followers of Buddhism and many Hindus consider the natural laws of causation sufficient to explain the effects of karma. ^[3][4][5] Another view holds that a Sadguru, acting on God's behalf, can mitigate or work out some of the karma of the disciple. Satguru or Sadguru means true Guru. (सदगुरू The term satguru distinguishes itself from other forms of gurus such as musical instructors ^[6][7][8] Many instances of Karmic retribution and correlation are also evident in the Bible^[9].

Law of Karma

All living creatures are responsible for their karma — their actions and the effects of their actions — and for their release from samsara. The concept can be traced back to the early Upanishads. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings

The Esoteric Christian tradition, Essenian and later Rosicrucian schools teach it as the "Law of Cause and Consequence/Effect". Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a Mystery religion, and profess the existence The Essenes were strictly speaking a Jewish religious group that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD The term Rosicrucian (symbol the Rose Cross) describes a secret society of mystics allegedly formed in late mediaeval Germany, holding a doctrine "built on ^[10] However, this western esoteric tradition adds that the essence of the teachings of Christ is that the law of sin and death may be overcome by the Love of God, which will restore immortality. Western esotericism (also Western mysticism, Western occult tradition, and Western mystery tradition) is a broad spectrum of spiritual Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. ^[11]

Exceptions

Actions do not create karma (good or bad) when performed by an individual in the state of Moksha or liberation. In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Such a person is called "Stithaprajna". The monist, Adi Sankara taught "Akarmaiva Moksha," which means "Moksha can be attained only by doing, not by a process of effort". Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below All actions performed by one in the state of Moksha are called Dharma. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious

Fourth state

Hindus believe that everything in the Universe is in a state of creation, maintenance, or destruction. The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy Similarly, the mind creates a thought, maintains or follows it for some time, and the thought ultimately dies down (perhaps to be replaced by another thought). In addition to the three states of consciousness, Hinduism puts forward a fourth state of being called Turiya or pure consciousness, where the mind is not engaged in thinking but just observes the thoughts. In Hindu Philosophy, turiya (or chaturtha) is a state of pure Consciousness, or the experience of ultimate reality and truth Actions in the Turiya state do not create karma. Meditation is a practice aimed at giving individuals the experience of being in this objective state. An individual who is constantly in the turiya state is said to have attained moksha where their actions happen as a response to events (and not because of thought process); such actions do not result in accumulation of karma as they have no karmic effect.

In the Indian religions

Hinduism

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Main article: Karma in Hinduism

One of the first and most dramatic illustrations of karma can be found in the epic Mahabharata. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions An epic is a lengthy Narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation In this poem, Arjuna the protagonist is preparing for battle when he realizes that the enemy consists of members of his own family and decides not to fight. Arjuna or Arjun ( Sanskrit: अर्जुन arjuna) is one of the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, whose name His charioteer, Krishna, explains to Arjuna the concept of "duty" among other things and makes him see that it is his duty to fight. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism The whole of the Bhagavad Gita within the Mahabharata, is a dialogue between these two on aspects of life including morality and a host of other philosophical themes. The original Hindu concept of karma was later enhanced by several other movements within the religion, most notably Vedanta, and Tantra. Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric

Karma means "deed" or "act" and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction that governs all life. Causality (but not causation) denotes a necessary relationship between one event (called cause and another event (called effect) which is the direct consequence Karma is not fate, for humans act with free will creating their own destiny. Free will might be a good model for a longer lead--> Free will in theology is an important part of the debate on Free will in general According to the Vedas, if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. In Religion, Ethics, and Philosophy, the phrase good and evil refers to the location of objects desires and Behaviors on a two-way Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion Karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which determines our future. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate response.

Karma is considered to be a spiritually originated law. Many Hindus see God's direct involvement in this process, while others consider the natural laws of causation sufficient to explain the effects of karma. ^[12][13][14] Karma is not punishment or retribution but simply an extended expression or consequence of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fated. That is to say, a particular action now is not binding to some particular, pre-determined future experience or reaction; it is not a simple, one-to-one correspondence of reward or punishment.

Hindu scriptures divide karma into three kinds: Sanchita (accumulated), Prarabdha (fruit-bearing) and Kriyamana (current) karma. In Hinduism, sanchita karma is one of the three kinds of Karma. "Prarabdha is that portion of the past karma which is responsible for the present body Kriyamana karma, in Hinduism, is the Karma that Human beings are creating in the present the fruits of which will be experienced in the future All kriyamana karmas become sanchita karma upon completion. From this stock of sanchita karma, a handful is taken out to serve one lifetime and this handful of actions, which has begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed and not otherwise, is known as prarabdha karma. In this way, so long as the stock of sanchita karma lasts, a part of it continues to be taken out as prarabdha karma for being enjoyed in one lifetime, leading to the cycle of birth and death. A Jiva cannot attain moksha until the accumulated sanchita karmas are completely exhausted. In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being ^[15]

Sikhism

Within Sikhism, all living beings are described as being under the influence of Maya's three qualities namely Rajas (mode of passion), Tamas (mode of ignorance), and Saatav (mode of goodness). Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings In Samkhya philosophy one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, rajas (Sanskrit rajas, or rajoguna) is the quality ( Guna) of activity In Hindu philosophy, sattva ( Sanskrit sattva "purity" literally "existence reality" adjectival sāttvika "pure" Always present together in varying mix and degrees, these three qualities of Maya bind the Soul to the body and to the earth plane. Above these three qualities is the eternal time. Due to the influence of three modes of Maya's nature, jivas (individual beings) perform activities under the control and purview of the eternal time. In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being These activities are called Karma. The underlying principle is that karma is the law that brings back the results of actions to the person preforming them.

This life is likened to a field (Khet) in which our Karma is the seed. We harvest exactly what we sow. No less, no more. This infallible law of Karma holds everyone responsible for what the person is or going to be. Based on the total sum of past Karma, some feel close to the Pure Being in this life, and others feel separated. This is the Gurbani's (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) law of Karma. Like other Indian as well as oriental school of thoughts, the Gurbani also accepts the doctrines of Karma and reincarnation as the facts of nature. ^[16]

Buddhism

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Main article: Karma in Buddhism

In Buddhism, karma (Pāli kamma) is strictly distinguished from vipāka, meaning "fruit" or "result". Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BCE to the present starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Foundation to the Common Era Some sources give the date of the Buddha's birth as 563 BCE and others as 624 BCE Theravada Buddhist countries tend to use the latter figure Lists and numbering of Buddhist councils vary between and even within schools Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term Background Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term According to the Buddhist tradition all phenomena other than Nirvana, ( sankhara) are marked by three characteristics sometimes referred to as the Dharma seals In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates ( Skandhas Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The four stages of Enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism 's teachings on the paramitas can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms Obtaining exact numbers of practicing Buddhists can be difficult and may be reliant on the definition used Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region There are distinctions between and within the Buddhism practised in various regions including In South Asia Mahayana Buddhism is the State religion of Bhutan, and Buddhists comprise 98% of its population. History See also History of Buddhism in Cambodia Unconfirmed Singhalese sources assert that missionaries of King Asohka introduced Buddhism into Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times Buddhism is a world religion which arose in Bihar, India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha (literally Among the five official religions of Indonesia, according to the state ideology of Pancasila According to Suharto, Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's classical The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods namely the Nara period (up to 784 the Heian period (794–1185 and the post-Heian period Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia after Islam, with 19 Buddhism in Mongolia is essentially Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school History The history of Buddhism in Burmaextends nearly a millennium Buddha was born in Shakya kingdom which lies in Rupandehi district Lumbini zone of Nepal Historically Buddhism was incorporated into Russian lands as early as the late 16th century, when Russian explorers travelled to and settled in As of 2000 425% of the Singaporeans register themselves as Buddhist by religion General Buddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the populationAccording to traditional Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school Nearly 95% of Thailand 's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school though Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Buddhism came to Vietnam in the first century CE By the end of the second century Vietnam developed a major Buddhist centre in the region commonly known as the Luy Lâu Buddhism in the West broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia. The Schools of Buddhism. Buddhism is classified in various ways History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and The Early Buddhist schools are those schools into which according to most scholars the Buddhist monastic Sangha initially split due originally to differences in The term pre-sectarian Buddhism is used by some scholars to refer to the Buddhism that existed before the various subsects of Buddhism came into being Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars Historicity and Background Place in the Canon Various Mahayana Sutras have been included in the Tibetan Canon and the Chinese Canon. The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of Sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include Buddhist Festivals and Observances Vesak The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Aggañña Sutta Ahimsa Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever Karma is categorized within the group or groups of cause (Pāli hetu) in the chain of cause and effect, where it comprises the elements of "volitional activities" (Pali sankhara) and "action" (Pali bhava). The Twelve Nidānas (from Pali nidāna "cause foundation source or origin" are the best-known application of the Buddhist concept of The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten Any action is understood to create "seeds" in the mind that will sprout into the appropriate result (Pāli vipaka) when they meet with the right conditions. Most types of karmas, with good or bad results, will keep one within the wheel of samsāra; others will liberate one to nirvāna. In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण

Buddhism relates karma directly to motives behind an action. Motivation usually makes the difference between "good" and "bad", but included in the motivation is also the aspect of ignorance; so a well-intended action from a deluded mind can easily be "bad" in the sense that it creates unpleasant results for the "actor".

Other Niyama Dharmas

In Buddhism, karma is not the only cause of anything that happens. The following are the five "Niyama Dharma" that cause effects.

• Karma Niyama — Consequences of one's actions
• Dhamma Niyama — Laws of nature
• Irthu Niyama — Seasonal changes and climate
• Biija Niyama — Genetic inheritance
• Chitta Niyama — Will of mind

The last four cover "conditions" or "circumstances" in which karmic potential can ripen as a result.

Jainism

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Main Jain prayer Navakar Mantra

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Jain great vows Ahimsa · Asteya Brahmacharya · Satya Nirvana · Aparigraha Anekantavada

Key concepts Kevala Jñāna · Cosmology Samsara · Karma Dharma · Mokṣa · Reincarnation Swadhyay

Major figures The 24 Tirthankaras Lord Rishabh to Mahavira Acharyas · Ganadhars Siddhasen Divakar · Haribhadra

Practices and attainment Four Stages of Enlightenment Paramis · Meditation

Jainism by region India · Western

Sects of Jainism Svetambara · Digambara Terapanthi · Early schools Sthanakvasi · Bisapantha Deravasi

Texts Kalpasutra Agama (text) · Tattvartha Sutra Sanmatti Prakaran

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Main article: Karma in Jainism

Karma in Jainism conveys a totally different meaning as commonly understood in the Hindu philosophy and western civilization. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Navakar Mantra (णमोकार मंत्र is the fundamental prayer in Jainism and can be recited at any time of the day Timeline of Jainism Prehistory Jainism is one of the oldest religions of India Ahiṃsā ( Sanskrit: अहिंसा Prakrit: अहिंसा means “non-violence” “non-injury” or absence of desire to harm any life forms Achaurya is a Sanskrit word meaning "avoidance of stealing" or "non-stealing" Brahmacharya (brʌmatʃərɪə Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य is the first ashram in Vedic culture in which a person is dedicated to the quest for self realization Satya is a Sanskrit word that loosely translates into English as " Truth " or "correct In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण Anekāntavāda (Devanagari sa [[wiktअनेकान्तवाद अनेकान्तवाद]] is one of the most important and basic doctrines of Jainism. Kevala Jñāna ( Sanskrit: केवलज्ञान)or Kevala Ṇāṇa (Prakrit: केवल णाण in Jainism, (also known as "absolute knowledge" According to Jainism, this loka or universe is an uncreated entity existing since infinity having no beginning or an end Karma in Jainism ( Sanskrit: कर्म kär'mə kär'mən Prakrit: कम्म kä'mmə refers not only to the actions and deeds that are part of the Jain texts assign a wide range of meaning to the word Dharma (धर्म or Dhamma ( Prakrit: धम्म Mokṣa ( Sanskrit: मोक्ष liberation or Mokkha ( Prakrit: मोक्ख) means liberation salvation or emancipation of soul The Swadhyay Parivar is an association of people who study the Bhagavad Gita and carry out various activities of social good ( swadhyaya literally means self-study In Jainism, a Tirthankar (" Fordmaker " (also Tirthankara or Jina) is a Human being who achieves enlightenment (perfect In Jainism, Rishabh Dev (ऋषभदेव or Adinatha (other names used Riṣhabh, Riṣhabhanāth, Rushabh, Rushabhdev Mahavira (महावीर lit Great Hero) (599 – 527 BCE is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamana ( Sanskrit: वर्धमान An acharya ( acariya in Pali) is an important religious teacher ( Guru) who teaches by his own example (from Sanskrit 'achara' behavior In Jainism, a Ganadhara is a primary disciple of a Tirthankara. Siddhasen Diwakar (Fifth century A D (आचार्य सिद्दसैन दिवाकर was a highly intelligent Jain Acharya of his time Haribhadra Suri (c700-c770 or 459-529 traditional was a Svetambara Mendicant Jain leader and author There are 5200000 Jain in the total population of India of 1028 billion Jainism is a religion that has traditionally been confined to the Indian sub-continent and parts of the middle east The Svetambara (श्वेतांबर श्वेतपट also spelled Svetambar, Shvetambara, Shvetabmbar or Swetambar) is one of Digambar (दिगंबर (sky-clad in Sanskrit) (alternate orthographies Digambara) has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian Terapanth (or Tera Panth the name given to two independent Jain sects Digambar Terapanth: A sect of the Digambara tradition that Sthanakvasi (स्थानकवासी is a sect of Jainism originally founded by a merchant named Lavaji about 1653 CE that believes that God is 'nirakar' (without Bisapantha is sub-sect of the Digambar sect of Jainism. The term refers to Digambaras who are not Terapanthis Murtipujaka is also known as Deravasi and is the term for a sect of Jainism which includes most members of the Shvetambar sect Kalpasutra (कल्पसूत्र is a Jain ancient text containing the biographies of the last two Jain Tirthankaras Parshvanath Tattvartha Sutra (also known as Tattvarth-adhigama-sutra or Moksh-Shastra) is a Jaina text written by Acharya Umaswati or Umasvami A Acaranga Sutra Adipurana Agama (text Antakrddaasah Anuttaraupapātikadaśāh Karma in Jainism ( Sanskrit: कर्म kär'mə kär'mən Prakrit: कम्म kä'mmə refers not only to the actions and deeds that are part of the Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical ^[17] In Jainism, karma is referred to as karmic dirt, as it consists of very subtle and microscopic particles i. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. e. pudgala that pervade the entire universe. ^[18] Karmas are attracted to the karmic field of a soul on account of vibrations created by activities of mind, speech, and body as well as on account of various mental dispositions. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Hence the karmas are the subtle matter surrounding the consciousness of a soul. When these two components, i. e. consciousness and karma, interact, we experience the life we know at present.

Herman Kuhn quoting from Tattvarthasutra describes karmas as – a mechanism that makes us thoroughly experience the themes of our life until we gained optimal knowledge from them and until our emotional attachment to these themes falls off. Tattvartha Sutra (also known as Tattvarth-adhigama-sutra or Moksh-Shastra) is a Jaina text written by Acharya Umaswati or Umasvami ^[19]

According to Padmanabh Jaini "this emphasis on reaping the fruits only of one’s own karma was not restricted to the Jainas; both Hindus and Buddhist writers have produced doctrinal materials stressing the same point. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Each of the latter traditions, however, developed practices in basic contradiction to such belief. In addition to shrardha (the ritual Hindu offerings by the son of deceased), we find among Hindus widespread adherence to the notion of divine intervention in ones fate, while Buddhists eventually came to propound such theories like boon-granting bodhisattvas, transfer of merit and like. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Only Jainas have been absolutely unwilling to allow such ideas to penetrate their community, despite the fact that there must have been tremendous amount of social pressure on them to do so. " ^[20]

The key points where the theory of Karma in Jainism differs from the other religions, can be stated as follows:

1. Karma in Jainism operates as a self-sustaining mechanism as natural universal law, without any need of an external entity to manage them. (absence of the exogenous "Divine Entity" in Jainism)
2. Jainism advocates that a soul's karma changes even with the thoughts, and not just the actions. Thus, to even think evil of someone would endure a "karm-bandh" or an increment in bad karma. It is for this reason, that Jainism gives a very strong emphasis on "samyak dhyan" (Rationality in thoughts) and "samyak darshan" (Rationality in perception) and not just "samyak charitra" (rationality in conduct).
3. Under Jain theology, a soul is released of worldly affairs as soon as it is able to emanicipate from the "karm-bandh". A famous illustration is that of Mata Marudevi, the mother of Shri Rishabh Dev, the first Tirthankar of present time cycle, who reached such emanicipation by elevating sequentially her thought processes, while she was visiting her Tirthankar son. This illustration explains how "Nirvana" and "Moksha" are different in Jainism, from other religions. In the presence of a Tirthankar, another soul achieved Keval Gyan and subsequently Nirvana, without any need of intervention by the Tirthankar.
4. The karmic theory in Jainism operates endogenously. Tirthankars are not attributed "godhood" under Jainism. Thus, even the tirthankars themselves have to go through the stages of emanicipation, for attaining that state. While Buddhism does give a similar and to some extent a matching account for Shri Gautama Buddha, Hinduism maintains a totally different theory where "divine grace" is needed for emanicipation.
5. Jainism treats all souls equally, in as much as it advocates that all souls have the same potential of attaining "nirvana". Only those who make effort, really attain it, but nonetheless, each soul is capable on its own to do so by gradually reducing its karma. ^[21]

Analogs of karma

If we accept that the logical ethical consequence of the law of karma is to behave responsibly, and the tenet of the law of karma is essentially "if you do good things, good things will happen to you — if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you," then it is possible to identify analogs with other religions that do not rely on karma as a metaphysical assertion or doctrine.

Karma does not specifically concern itself with salvation as it implies a basic socio-ethical dynamic. The law of karma as a mechanism functions like a judge of one's actions, similar to the concept of God as judge in relation to "good and bad works" in the western religions. The Apostle Paul similarly states: "man reaps what he sows" [2]. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and

Similarly, the Egyptian goddess Ma'at (the divine judge) played a similar and impartial role meting out justice in a manner very similar to karma; Ma'at could not be appeased by faith or regret — an action done was done, with no space for the more recent theistic concept of grace. Maat or Mayet, thought to have been pronounced as *Muʔʕat (Muh-aht was the Ancient Egyptian concept of Truth, balance order— Law In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions

Parallels may also be found in the Greek goddess Ananke (Necessity, Inevitability, or Compulsion), who was the mother of the Moirae (Fates) and dealt out one's "heimarmene" (allotted portion) strictly according to one's actions both in this life and in previous incarnations, and in Germanic Wyrd. In Greek mythology, Ananke ( Ancient Greek:) was the personification of Destiny, necessity and fate, depicted as holding a spindle The Moirae or Moerae (in Greek – the " apportioners " often called the The Fates) in Greek mythology, were the white-robed Wyrd is a concept in Old English and Old Norse culture roughly corresponding to fate or Karma.

Western interpretation

An academic and religious definition was mentioned above. The concept of karma is part of the world view of many millions of people throughout the world. Many in western cultures or with a Christian upbringing have incorporated a notion of karma. For some, karma is a more reasonable concept than eternal damnation for the wicked. Spirituality or a belief that virtue is rewarded and sin creates suffering might lead to a belief in karma. Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality

According to karma, performing positive actions results in a good condition in one's experience, whereas a negative action results in a bad effect. The effects may be seen immediately or delayed. Delay can be until later in the present life or in the next. Thus, meritorious acts may mean rebirth into a higher station, such as a superior human or a godlike being, while evil acts result in rebirth as a human living in less desirable circumstances, or as a lower animal. Some observers have compared the action of karma to Western notions of sin and judgment by God or gods, while others understand karma as an inherent principle of the universe without the intervention of any supernatural Being. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. In Hinduism, God does play a role and is seen as a dispenser of karma; see Karma in Hinduism for more details. Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions The non-interventionist view is that of Buddhism and Jainism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India.

Most teachings say that for common mortals, being involved with karma is an unavoidable part of daily living. However, in light of the Hindu philosophical school of Vedanta, as well as Gautama Buddha's teachings, one is advised to either avoid, control or become mindful of the effects of desires and aversions as a way to moderate or change one's karma (or, more accurately, one's karmic results or destiny). Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder

Spiritism

Main article: Spiritist doctrine

In Spiritism, karma is known as "the law of cause and effect", and plays a central role in determining how one's life should be lived. This article discusses in detail the doctrine of Spiritism as presented in the works of Allan Kardec, especially in The Spirits Book and The Gospel Spiritism is a Christian philosophical Doctrine, established in France in the mid-nineteenth century Spirits are encouraged to choose how (and when) to suffer retribution for the wrong they did in previous lives. Disabilities, physical or mental impairment or even an unlucky life are due to the choices a spirit makes before reincarnating (that is, before being born to a new life).

What sets Spiritism apart from the more traditional religious views is that it understands karma as a condition inherent to the spirit, whether incarnated or not: the consequences of the crimes committed by the spirit last beyond the physical life and cause him (moral) pain in the afterlife. The choice of a life of hardships is, therefore, a way to rid oneself of the pain caused by moral guilt and to perfect qualities that are necessary for the spirit to progress to a higher form.

Because Spiritism always accepted the plurality of inhabited worlds, its concept of karma became considerably complex. There are worlds that are "primitive" (in the sense that they are home to spirits newly born and still very low on intellect and morals) and a succession of more and more advanced worlds to where spirits move as they are elevated. A spirit may choose to be born on a world inferior to his own as a penance or as a mission. Penance is repentance of Sins as well as the proper name of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession

New Age and Theosophy

The idea of karma was popularized in the Western world through the work of the Theosophical Society. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. Kardecist and Western New Age reinterpretations of karma frequently cast it as a sort of luck associated with virtue: if one does good or spiritually valuable acts, one deserves and can expect good luck; conversely, if one does harmful things, one can expect bad luck or unfortunate happenings. Spiritism is a Christian philosophical Doctrine, established in France in the mid-nineteenth century New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature In this conception, karma is affiliated with the Neopagan law of return or Threefold Law, the idea that the beneficial or harmful effects one has on the world will return to oneself. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an Umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements particularly those influenced by historical Colloquially this may be summed up as 'what goes around comes around. '

There is also the metaphysical idea that, because karma is a force of nature and not a sentient creature capable of making value judgments, karma isn't about good and evil deeds, because applying those labels would be judgmental, but that it is about positive and negative energy, where negative energy can include things not seen as "being bad" like sadness and fear, and positive energy can be caused by being creative and solving problems as well as by exuding love and doing virtuous acts. It is referred to as "omniverse karma" or "omni-karma" because it requires the existence of an omniverse, that space that contains all possible universes. Omniverse is the superset of all possible Subsets of physical laws and constants that govern them along with the Universe that each subset produces The omniverse idea includes concepts such as souls, psychic energy, synchronicity (a concept originally from psychoanalyst Carl Jung, which says that things that happen at the same time are related), and ideas from quantum or theoretical physics. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Synchronicity is the Experience of two or more events which are causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful manner Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons

Footnotes

See also

• Dharma
• Adrsta
• Samsara
• Karma in Buddhism
• Karma in Hinduism
• Karma in Jainism
• Edgar Cayce on Karma
• Ethic of reciprocity/"The Golden Rule"
• Consequentialism
• Destiny
• Amor fati
• Karma (2008 film)

External links

• Karma as explained in the Buddhist Encyclopedia (buddhism. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Adrsta (अदृष्ट Pronounced adRSTa is a concept in Indian philosophy often confused with Karma. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Karma in Jainism ( Sanskrit: कर्म kär'mə kär'mən Prakrit: कम्म kä'mmə refers not only to the actions and deeds that are part of the According to Edgar Cayce, a 20th century American mystic, Karma is the meeting of oneself in the present through thoughts and deeds from the past The ethic of reciprocity is a fundamental moral Value which " refers to the balance in an interactive system such that each party has both rights and Consequentialism refers to those moral theories which hold that the consequences of a particular action form the basis for any valid moral judgment about that action Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events It may be conceived as a predetermined future whether in general or of an individual Amor Fati is the second full-length release from the Avant-garde metal band Peccatum. Karma - Crime Passion Reincarnation is currently in post-production 2be. net)
• Dharma — Karma — Samsara: The System Of Cosmic Justice (veda. harekrsna. cz)
• The Law of Karma (Heart of Hinduism)
• Death, Karma and Reincarnation(2004)
• Karma and the laws of Quantam Mechanics (photonics. cusat. edu)
• Karma article (2000) (accesstoinsight. org)
• Human Thought, Karma and Human Bondage
• The Absolute Law of Karma pdf download. Shriram Sharma Acharya (2003)
• What is Karma ?

Shriram Sharma ( September 20 1911 – June 2 1990) was an Indian Seer, sage a visionary of the New Golden Era and the

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