| What goes around must come around. This is the | | | | about another person has its consequences. |
| basic understanding of the "Law of Karma" in the | | | | The Law is central to Asian religions that were |
| Western world in which it has already become an | | | | mostly created in India such as Hinduism, |
| integral part of the prevailing culture and | | | | Buddhism, and Jainism, although there are stark |
| philosophy. In fact, you can trace similarities | | | | differences between how it is explained. |
| between karmic principles and those from modern | | | | In Hinduism, the "Law of Karma" involves the |
| cultures and religions. It can be related to the | | | | concept of a God and is used primarily to provide |
| concept of doing good deeds in Christianity if | | | | enlightenment on what is evil. It is broadly |
| interpreted as "if you do good things, then it will | | | | explained as the action-reaction relationship that |
| come back to you" or conversely, "if you do bad | | | | universally governs our current and previous lives. |
| things, then bad things will happen to you." The | | | | The concept lies on our passionate or conscious |
| stark difference, however, comes with the | | | | action, and the corresponding dispassionate or |
| Christian belief that everything can be overcome | | | | unconscious reaction. |
| by love and forgiveness. | | | | The Law was first explained and illustrated in the |
| Meanwhile, modern spirituality, which revolves | | | | Hindu epic Mahabharata through a dialogue |
| around the principle that virtue is rewarded and | | | | between the protagonist, Arjuna, and his |
| that sin leads to suffering, draws heavily from the | | | | charioteer, Krishna. The dialogue touched on |
| "Law of Karma." For a lot of people, it is a more | | | | various themes of morality and philosophy; and |
| sensible take on spirituality compared to that of | | | | together with the Vendanta and Tantra, it has |
| eternal damnation for sinners. | | | | served as the cornerstone for the original Hindu |
| Karma literally translates to "deed" or "act." It is | | | | concept of karma. |
| the law of moral causation that specifically includes | | | | In Buddhism, the "Law of Karma" is used more in |
| the whole cause and effect cycle. According to it, | | | | an ethical sense rather than an explanation for |
| nothing happens to a person that he does not | | | | natural phenomenon. While differing in specific |
| deserve. Karma sums up everything that a | | | | details with the way the Hindus see it, karma for |
| person has previously done, is currently doing, and | | | | believers of Buddhism focuses on the belief that |
| will be doing in the future. It is a universal principle, | | | | actions of beings will affect their own future. In |
| which means that no one can change its course | | | | short, everything has its consequence. Those |
| except God or the Higher Universal Force. | | | | consequences may come within one lifetime or in |
| Karma implies that a person is inherently | | | | one's succeeding lives. |
| accountable for everything that is happening to | | | | Note that in Buddhism, karma is focused more on |
| him. This implies that whether he experiences | | | | the effect and not on the cause. The |
| happiness or misery all depends on his actions. | | | | consequences of one's actions are based on |
| Karma encompasses all actions, and not just | | | | certain conditions. Karma entails the notion of |
| those perceived by the public. Even thinking badly | | | | Buddhist rebirth but is not its sole basis. |