Karma

(“action”) The notion of karma and its
connection with reincarnation (samsara) are perhaps the most fundamental
concepts in Indian thought and are
ideas shared by all Indian religions:
Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh.
Although the literal meaning of karma is
“action,” it is believed to encompass
words and thoughts as well as deeds.
The basic assumption behind the
notion of karma is that of a dynamic
universe, in which any action that one
takes will have consequences that will
eventually affect oneself. In the simplest
explanation, good actions will have
good consequences, and evil actions
will have evil consequences, in an
extended chain of cause and effect.
Since thoughts are considered actions,
this determination of “good” and “evil”
actions also takes into account one’s
motives—a laudable action performed
for an ignoble motive is still a laudable
action, but will not generate as much
merit as the same action performed for
a pure motive.
Karma is seen as a purely physical
process, much like the law of gravity. It
does not require a divine overseer,
although in devotional Hinduism, God
is generally seen as having the power to
nullify one’s past karma. The effects of
one’s actions may come either in this life
or in future lives. The former case is easy
to believe, since most people accept that
their actions have consequences, but
the latter case is much more difficult to
support with concrete evidence. Since
the general tone of one’s life is seen as
more important than a few isolated acts,
one might compare the idea of karma
with the notion of a person’s “character.”
Both are determined by one’s habitual
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Karma
ways of thinking and acting, and entail
an overall assessment of a person. For
further information see Wendy Doniger
O’Flaherty (ed.), Karma and Rebirth in
Classical Indian Traditions, 1980; and
K. S. Mathur, “Hindu Values of Life:
Karma and Dharma,” in T. N. Madan
(ed.), Religion in India, 1991.