What is karma...?

Question

What is karma.....? Is there a definition of it ?

Answer 1

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kṛ, "to do", [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.

The "Law of Karma" is central in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, & Jainism. (These religions were formed in India). All living creatures are responsible for their karma - way of life - and for their release from samsara. As a term, it can be traced back to the early Upanishads.

The Law of Karma is taught in the esoteric Christian tradition, Essenian and later Rosicrucian, as the "Law of Cause and Consequence/Effect" [1]. However, this western esoteric tradition adds that the essence o the teachings of Christ is that the law of sin and death may be overcome by Love, which will restore immortality.

The process view of release (moksha) from ego-consciousness (ahamkar) through individual responsibility for the totality of action with its inherent karma can be contrasted with the soteriological view of mainstream denominations of Christianity: grace given by faith in the suffering, death and resurrection of a singular saviour

The Theory of Karma
Karma literally means action. We first take an intent and follow it up with action in the form of thought, speaking to others, planning and execution. According to the Theory of Karma - every action taken to achieve a result or profit (fruit of action) leaves a trace or a karmic residue behind it. It is this residue that keeps accumulating and takes away ones well being and freedom. Only a person who acts to produce results without worrying about profit (Nishkama Karma or Niskarma) does not accumulate such a Karmic residue. Such action normally comes out of love or pure passion.

Quoting from the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: "I shall now describe nishkama karma yoga, the path of selfless action. You have a right to perform your natural prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to any fruits of that action. You should neither act with desire to enjoy the fruits of your work, nor, as a result, should you be attached to neglecting your duties."

So how does Karmic residue work? Well, according to the theory any action whose motive is other than love or passion begins a process of psychological compensation which is difficult to complete. For example, if we helped somebody when we did not want to, then no amount of compensation helps later as we always feel incomplete. Any incomplete action somehow begins to consume a part of our free attention on how to get rewarded. During our journey of life we accumulate considerable Karmic residue and this depletes our free attention significantly. Lack of free attention means lack of intelligence. Many of the bad situations we get into in life are as a result of a lack of intelligence and attention..

Answer 2

According to the buddhism Buddha tought karma is an unstopable cycle of reactions. There is only one way to stop karma & it is meditation of mindfulness or 4-Satipattana; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana.

Answer 3

Karma, ([meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.

Answer 4

The total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny.
Fate; destiny.
Informal. A distinctive aura, atmosphere, or feeling: There's bad karma around the house today.

Answer 5

Karma - cause and effect, what goes around, comes around
"Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kṛ, "to do", [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.

The "Law of Karma" is central in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, & Jainism. (These religions were formed in India). All living creatures are responsible for their karma - way of life - and for their release from samsara. As a term, it can be traced back to the early Upanishads.

The Law of Karma is taught in the esoteric Christian tradition, Essenian and later Rosicrucian, as the "Law of Cause and Consequence/Effect" [1]. However, this western esoteric tradition adds that the essence o the teachings of Christ is that the law of sin and death may be overcome by Love, which will restore immortality.

The process view of release (moksha) from ego-consciousness (ahamkar) through individual responsibility for the totality of action with its inherent karma can be contrasted with the soteriological view of mainstream denominations of Christianity: grace given by faith in the suffering, death and resurrection of a singular saviour.

Answer 6

Karma means action. The law of karma means that there are inescapable results of our actions.

Pls see www.bswa.org

Answer 7

Let me give you an example (true story):
Yesterday, my friend had this weird looking zit on her face. And I joked about it. The exact next day, I wake up, and I notice I have hundreds (I did count them) of zits (sort off).
Apparently after I waxed, I took a shower and there was a reaction. :( haha

Answer 8

You are your words and thoughts, and your words and thoughts are things that have Life in essence of their being; and in all things there is cause and effects, and you are the initiator of all your causes and effects, and ultimately the recipient of them all as well, as it is Made to exist by El’s Divine and Universal Laws.

Answer 9

Karma is not destiny. It basically means just "action". Any kind of action and its inevitable consequences.

All the creature’s actions, even the smallest and the simplest, automatic and unconscious (on the levels “of each chakra”, or, simpler, at the level of the body, emotions, and mind) affect its fate, but do not determine it by themselves, because what happens to the creature is a results of countless activities of other beings and non-beings.

Limited minds are not able to comprehend all these actions and their consequences, so we often “explain” good or bad events with “accident”, fate, or doom.

Karma is not fate, human being acts by his own will, but is still carried by the actions flow of other creatures and of his own unconscious and involuntary deeds.

Answer 10

It's like what go's around comes around, if u do something bad to someone then something bad will happen to u, also the opposite if u do something good, something good will come to u!