could someone please explain karma to me, I've tried reading about it but I want to know about it from someone

Question

from someone who actually understands about 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 past, 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 of 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.

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 one's 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 from 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..

source: wikipedia

Answer 2

Karma is a very often misunderstood concept. People CREATE their own Karma by their actions. It really doesn't matter if the action can be defined as good or evil, a more appropriate definition would be wise and unwise actions. Karma is never a punishment or a reward. It is a natural result of the atmosphere the person has set up for and around themselves. It is the one true thing you can count on.

For example: A man owns his own business and cheats his customers. Then he goes out of business. Reason? He didn't treat the customers fairly and people got wise to him, thus no more customers. A natural progression.

There are those that will point to corporate interests and say, they get away with cheating people and are rich. But remember the story is not over yet, in many cases.

Hope I have been clear.

Answer 3

Well you could go for the long explanation given above which is correct, but might be like trying to read a book about karma, which you;ve done and still needed more insight.
So, let me try explaining in simpler terms. Basically, Karma is like what is preached in the bible, 'as you sow, so shall you reap', however it goes deeper that that.
Karma is based also in reincarnation, for you are not always able to receive all that is due to you in this one life.
For example, a drug dealer lives it up throughout his life, then dies, and may say it was worth it. Later a child is born with defects and lives life at a disadvantage to others. Chances are the drug dealer could have reborn as this defected child to suffer the consequences of what he may have caused others.
Then there are those in more fortunate situations as a result of their good karmas from previous lives. We can either make good use of our fortunes or misuse them, the law of karma is always at work and the cycle continues.

Answer 4

Karma in Buddhist and Hindu teachings is basically what stays with you when you are reincarnated. Karma is action. To get good karma do good things. Karma will determine what you come back as in the next life. Good people in this life come back as people with wealth, wisdom, good things like that. Bad people come back as a mossy covering on a rock. You don't want to gain Karma for the sake of getting a promotion the next time around. Karma is what helps take you to the next level. Hope this was helpful. Peace and love.

Answer 5

I just wrote this a few minutes ago in answer to another question:



All karma is positive. There is no "punishment" quality in karma, really. All karma enlightens us. All karma brings an opportunity to learn something we need to know.

Answer 6

Karma (activities) simply means "as you sow, so you shall reap", just like it says in Christian doctrine, except Karma refers to past lives and future lives, unless it is understood that there is a past life, it becomes very difficult to explain the "reaping" of so many circumstances at the time of birth, because the question must be asked, when did we "sow" those previous activities, because I am "reaping" so much just by being born.

There are three types of activities(karma), good activities which produce a favourable reaction, bad activities that produce a negative reaction, but most importantly those activity's that are performed that produce no material reaction, good or bad, those activities return us back home, to the spiritual world. Those activities which return us back home to the spiritual world are selfless devotional activities that are performed to satisfy God and not ourselves, when these are performed, then the subtle material body dissolves allowing us to experience our original spiritual or eternal identity.

This is spiritual science, to enquire further on this process, follow this link, you will not be disappointed :

Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari ([e-mail])

Answer 7

Basically it means what comes around goes around. Karma could either be good or bad. Its like the cause and effect theory, every action has a reprecussion

Answer 8

Karma is a sanskrit word meaning "the things you do"...it summarizes the saying what goes around comes around...

Karma tells us that what we do today will have an effect on us tommorrow...in this journey of life we will have to face the consequences of our actions.

From my understanding this is the true meaning of karma..hope you got it.

Answer 9

Karma to me is aka a payback. For example, when you do something mean to someone else, in time, that act will come back to you in a bad way, that is Karma. One's destiny.

Answer 10

Karma is related to your past life -what troubles or challenges you had will pass on to you present life. Until you fix any mistakes you will rise above your troubles. Like the saying what goes around comes around in your next life.

Answer 11

Karma is all your past lives in your soul which you carry to the next life.All likes dislikes,some people you are drawn to(or can¸t stand them even though you never met them before) because of some experience you had with them in previous life's,also talents and preferences.