This essay was written as a World Religions ISU by Elekoth. A reminder to everyone that plagerism is not only wrong, but illegal. Please do enjoy the essay:
Karma and its Ethical and Social Implications
"Elekoth"
May, 2002
The concept of Karma is one of the few accepted by all of the religions with Hindu origins: Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Karma as a concept is more complicated than it at first seems, and each of the religions have slightly different views on it. The reason why it is central to the beliefs of each of these religions is the same; in place of the prescribed moral codes of Western religions, the law of Karma provides the conscience of the Eastern faiths. Throughout this essay, Karma in each of the four aforementioned Eastern religions will be examined and their concepts of Karma will be compared to the moral code of the Western religions. This will provide context for understanding Karma’s ethical and social implications on the lives of the adherents of the Eastern religions.
The Law of Karma, as it is often so called, due to it being considered as much a fact of life as gravity or the sun to its adherents, is associated with many different beliefs and ideas. However, in its most basic form, Karma represents the idea of action and reaction. Whatever one does will have a repercussion of the same sort and magnitude, either in this life or in another. In the Karma belief system, though, action is not meant in only the conventional sense, but also includes thoughts or mental action (Kapleau).
Westerners have often confused Karma with fate. This is because Karma accumulates throughout not only one’s current life, but also throughout all one’s lifetimes (the idea of Karma is inseparable from the idea of rebirth) and affects one’s future lives. Thus, what happens to a person is because of his past actions. This concept is confused with fate since what happens to a person in the present could be because of a past life, and therefore is seemingly predetermined. However, this does not control free will, and the way in which one responds to all events will affect their Karma. Truly, Karma is the opposite of fate; everything that happens to a person is the direct cause of him or herself. (http://www.nonduality.com/karma.htm).
In Hinduism, there are three distinct types of Karma: Kriyamana Karma, Sanchita Karma (also known as Samskaras Karma) and Prarabdha Karma. Kriyamana Karma is actions that are happening at the present; Karma being made. Sanchita Karma is the total of all past Kriyamana Karma, in this life, and in all others. Prarabdha Karma is action that triggers the result of some part of a person’s Sanchita Karma (Hinduism Today Newspaper). This is best explained by this metaphor “Samskaras [Sanchita Karma] are like seeds. Given the proper situation and context, they sprout.” (http://www.nonduality.com/karma.htm).
In Hinduism, Karma is what affects a person’s cycle of rebirths. If one accumulates good Karma in this lifetime, it will lead to a higher status through rebirth into a higher caste. If one accumulates bad Karma, it will lead to a rebirth into a lower caste, or even rebirth into a lower species of animal or insect as punishment (Zaehner). Using this idea, the Brahmin of India can justify the caste system as a way of rewarding good deeds. It also implies that however low a person’s situation or caste is, it is his or her own fault, and it is due to bad actions in past lives. It could be said that in India, the caste system is upheld in part by the Law of Karma.
Karma plays a great role in Hinduism through Karma Yoga, one of the four paths to salvation. The most important goal for a Hindu is to attain Moksha, the release from Samsara (the endless cycle of rebirth) and to reunite with Brahman, the ultimate being that encompasses all. The idea of Karma Yoga originated in the Upanishads, but it was further explained in, and gained popularity because of, the Bhagavad-Gita. Here, Krishna (the eighth and probably the most popular avatar of Vishnu) gives to Arjuna (a legendary hero) an explanation of Karma Yoga in contrast to selfish action which causes bad Karma “The world is imprisoned in it’s own activity, except when actions are performed as worship of God. Therefore, you must perform every action sacramentally, and be free from all attachments to results” (Bhagavad-Gita).
In comparison to Hinduism, in Sikhism, Karma isn’t as important; there is no caste system to climb, and Karma is not a path to salvation. The only way to achieve Mukti, the release from Samsara in the Sikh religion, is by either contemplating the Gurbani, a compilation of hymns from the sacred scripture Guru Granth Sahib, or through meditation about the name of the one God. For Sikhs, Karma, the totality of one’s actions, still determines what happens to a person. Much like in Hinduism, a good deed will bring a person good in the future, while a bad deed will bring bad. Once again, it is important to realize that any Karma currently being caused will manifest itself for a long period of time, spanning many lifetimes (Microsoft Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia).
Unlike the other Eastern religions, the Jains view all Karma as negative. Jains believe that there are four sources for Karma. Firstly, it can be caused by an attachment to worldly things such as food, women, raiment, dwelling place, etc. Secondly, it can be caused by uniting one’s body, soul, mind or speech to worldly things. Also Karma is caused by giving reign to anger, pride deceit or greed and finally by false belief. This Karma flows into the jiva or soul of a person (through a process called asrava) in the form of special atoms of karmic matter called Karman. Karman can defile a person’s jiva to the point where they lose all touch with life. It comes in eight different forms. From in what form of life one will next incarnate, to what a person will eat for supper, each type of Karman determines different aspects of a person’s life, or future lives. Jains believe that the soul must be purged of Karman to reach Nirvana and the escape from the cycle of rebirths. Karman is purged from a soul regularly as it causes its prescribed effect. This is called Nirjara. Nirjana will not completely purge a soul because of the constant influx of new Karma. To stop this influx, one must attain Samvara through right conduct, penance and meditation (Acharaya).
In Buddhism, as in the three aforementioned faiths, Karma once again is what determines a person’s next incarnation. A concept unique to Buddhism is that there is not only good and bad Karma, but neutral Karma as well. Neutral Karma is accumulated through everyday activities such as making meals, shopping and cleaning. Another Buddhist belief relating to Karma is explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who argues that due to a different interpretation of Karma from other religions, it is the only one that allows free will. She states that “Other Indian schools believed that Karma operated in a straight line, with actions from the past influencing the present, and present actions influencing the future. As a result, they saw little room for free will. Buddhists, however, saw that karma acts in feedback loops, with the present moment being shaped both by past and by present actions... This constant opening for present input into the causal process makes free will possible” (Bhikkhu at: http://www.nonduality.com/karma.htm). In Buddhism, there are ten things that are guaranteed to cause bad Karma. They cue: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, slander, harsh speech, malicious gossip, greed, anger and delusion (Steiner).
The religions of Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism may vary in their views of Karma, but in each the core concept remains the same.. The reason why all believe in Karma is due to their common ancient Vedic roots. In all four faiths, it serves the same purpose, guiding people socially, ethically and morally. In these religions, due to the Law of Karma, punishment is dealt out for bad actions and reward for good (mostly in the form of a better rebirth, or better surroundings in future).
The three major Western religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam all share the common idea of a moral code. That code is defined by the Ten Commandments and the Covenant. A typical example would be “…Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour…” (The King James Bible). The code is strict and does not leave much room for interpretation.
Much like Karma, moral codes are the basis for daily life for the Western religions. Both Karma and the moral codes are daily facts of life. Stephen Arroyo makes a good argument that Karma even exists in Christianity “Karma… refers to the universal law of cause and effect, identical with the biblical idea that Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Arroyo). Another example of Western morality mirroring the concept of Karma is the case of the Golden Rule “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law” (King James Bible). This sort of ‘What goes around comes around’ attitude in the West implies the same principal as Karma does: the law of action and reaction (Connolly).
A large difference between Karma and the Western morality derives from the focus placed in the West on physical actions. While Karma does deal with the physical, it puts greater emphasis on thought, speech and contemplation. This difference shadows the greater cultural (and political) differences between the Western and the Eastern worlds and the relative importance in the West placed on materialistic achievement in contrast to the East’s attention to personal mental achievement.
Both the Western moral codes and the idea of Karma are important to their religions because they provide to each a self-justification. In the West, this can be seen through the covenant and then strengthened through the commandments “Thou shalt have no other God before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them”. In Jainism, this idea is reflected through the idea that false belief is a cause for Karman. In Buddhism, slander and delusion, both caused by not properly understanding and following Buddhist teachings, cause negative Karma. In Hinduism, knowledge of Hindu concepts causes good Karma, as is explained by Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita (although proper knowledge in itself also is a path to salvation). All these ideas reward those who blindly and loyally follow a certain religion, and punish those that don’t. It eliminates the doubters and agnostics from being considered true adherents to the given religion.
Another great similarity exists between the Western moral codes and the Eastern concept of Karma. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all base themselves (and their morals) on the original teachings of the Torah. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism all base themselves on original Vedic beliefs. Why is it that these religions spread and expand while others falter and die? It is because of these moral codes (or Karma) and their necessity to any religion.
To understand why moral codes are important to religions, one must consider the theory of the religious impulse: people need something to believe in just as religions need people believing in them. The prospect of an overpowering bad is not desirable, and thus all popular religions believe in some sort of greater good. Logically, one cannot believe in good and not believe in the importance of doing good. Due to this somewhat abstract train of thought, it can be deduced that all religions need a moral framework. Despite the fact that Karma is not as structured as Western moral codes, it serves that purpose for it’s religions.
Karma is an interesting but complicated concept. Although it is interpreted differently in each religion of which it is an essential part--Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism--it serves the same purpose in them all. Karma also serves the same purpose in those aforementioned Eastern religions as the Western moral codes serve Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This purpose is to guide the religions’ adherents morally and ethically as well as to protect the faiths from the doubtful.
Sources:
Acharaya, Yugavin. Ahimsa and Jainism. Bombay: Shree Valley Suri Smarato Nidhi, 1959;
Arroyo, Stephen. Astrology, Karma and Transformation. CRCS Publications, 1978;
Bhagavad-Gita. New York: The New American Library, 1954;
Connolly, Eileen. Karma Without Stress. United States: Newcastle Publishing, 1989;
Holy Bible: King James Version. Grand Rapids Michigan: Zonderan Publishing inc, 1962;
Kapleau, Philip. The Wheel of Life and Death. New York: Doubleday, 1989;
“Karma”. Dusers Drexel. Accessed 17 March 2002 22:13. Last modified: Unknown;
“Karma: Meaning and Definition”. Hinduism Today Newspaper. 19 June 1994. as found on “SpiritWeb: Karma: Meeaning and Defintion”. SpiritWeb. Accessed: 17 March 2002 22:06. Last modified: 18 March 2002;
“Karma” Microsoft Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia, 1997;
“Karma: Yes? No? Neither? It Depends.” Nonduality Salon. Accessed 10 May 2002 20:10. Last Modified: Unknown;
Reza. “Pilgrimage to China’s Buddhist Caves” National Geographic. 189.4 (1996): 52-63;
Steiner, Rudolf. Karmic Relationships. 1929. London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1977;
“Sikhs” Microsoft Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia, 1997;
Ward, Geoffrey C. “India” National Geographic. 191.5 (1997): 16-57;
Zaehner, R. C. Hinduism. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1962.
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