Do you believe that karma is real?

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

Yes but not in the way described here ...
more along the lines of reaping what you sow

 

[Desert Snake]

So you are not aware of it?

Karma is just a name for the nature and consequences of good and evil.

It is its self-destructive nature that defines evil.

Likewise, it is their affinity for nurture and healing that characterizes good acts and intents.

Attempting to project mysterious, conscious "higher powers" into such simple concepts is simply not a good idea.

The OP doesn't mention higher powers.

 

[Maponos]

Fate is a mix of probability and chance (Heisenberg).

Is that how it is in Hindu?

In my faith (going by ancient understandings of fate), fate is pre-determined (as far as we know) and inescapable. Basically we all have a part to play in this world.

 

[LuisDantas]

The OP doesn't mention higher powers.

It does, because it excludes mundane things and also because it declares that people reincarnate.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is that how it is in Hindu? In my faith (going by ancient understandings of fate), fate is pre-determined (as far as we know) and inescapable. Basically we all have a part to play in this world.

No, it is not main-line Hindu (notice, I am an atheist Hindu). Study of science modified my Hinduism. You can take probability as predetermination, as an after thought the inevitability.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

What do you think Karma is, then?

Namaste,

Well from what i understand, Karam is "to act", "to action", "to do" or "to Cause", which includes Physical and mental actions/thoughts ect, and KaramPHall - the "Fruit" is the "result", "Consequence", or "Effect" of any Karam, both these (loosely action and result) are popularly known as Karma in context to us humans. This does not require belief, but experience (as in if you do something you get a result) to realize, after a amount of time we see a pattern to our Karm and can assume a desired result after a certain Karm. Now Karma works with the other Hindu ideas as Atman, Samsara, Purna Janma and Dharmah, these are all interwoven and not separate ideas, they are all related to each other. Karma is not "Good", nor "Bad", on its own, we attach these ideas to the "PHall" that we experience after the Karam we do. And weather it is Good or Bad is culturally/mentally/personally relative and contextual. As per Gita our right is to the Karam only and not to the Phall.

That is my understanding.

Dhanyavad.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Why would you state that the definition I gave is wrong, then not supply the ''right'' one

Namaste,

Because i did not consider you definition as "Wrong", and my one as "Right", but different to how I see it. Sorry i should have been clear in my previous reply, my apologies.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram luis ji

Karma is just a name for the nature and consequences of good and evil.

in luis's world may be , ........but Karma , ...means ACTION , Karmapala, means FRUIT OF ACTION , ...or in buddhist terminology REACTION , .....

there is no good and evil , ...only Dharma and Adharma , .....in accordance with , and not in acordance with , in other words that which is harmonious and that which is inharmonious , ....

It is its self-destructive nature that defines evil.

it is not so much evil as ignorant , ....to behave in a non harmonious manner is an atribute of ignorance , ....

Likewise, it is their affinity for nurture and healing that characterizes good acts and intents.

then there is Dharma , ...as in 'duty' , .....to up hold 'law' , ....this brings about harmony , nurture and healing may (and should) come within this mode of Dharmic behavior .

Attempting to project mysterious, conscious "higher powers" into such simple concepts is simply not a good idea.

not good for luis in the way he understands it , may be ? ..... but to many Buddhist and Hindu there is a higer self or higer being which resides in all , which governs our behavior through the revalation of wisdom or knowing , ....

appreciating this we uphold that divine law , ...except no it is not mysterious , ...it can be known , and such knowledge is a great source of comfort and good .

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

"What goes around comes around" is more about the eventual consequences of actions, rather than actual Karma.
nearly everything we do causes a further action or reaction. Neither good nor evil come into the equation.

 

[LuisDantas]

namaskaram luis ji



in luis's world may be , ........but Karma , ...means ACTION , Karmapala, means FRUIT OF ACTION , ...or in buddhist terminology REACTION , .....

there is no good and evil , ...only Dharma and Adharma , .....in accordance with , and not in acordance with , in other words that which is harmonious and that which is inharmonious , ....



it is not so much evil as ignorant , ....to behave in a non harmonious manner is an atribute of ignorance , ....



then there is Dharma , ...as in 'duty' , .....to up hold 'law' , ....this brings about harmony , nurture and healing may (and should) come within this mode of Dharmic behavior .



not good for luis in the way he understands it , may be ? ..... but to many Buddhist and Hindu there is a higer self or higer being which resides in all , which governs our behavior through the revalation of wisdom or knowing , ....

appreciating this we uphold that divine law , ...except no it is not mysterious , ...it can be known , and such knowledge is a great source of comfort and good .

Ratikala, I should probably warn you that I gave up attempting to follow your thoughts on these matters a while ago, about the same time when I noticed that you don't attempt to understand what I write.

Whatever you mean to say, I very much doubt it applies to me, and I just can't find it on me to much care about the dharma of someone who consistently reads what I write and accuses me of saying something quite different and far less wise.

 

[metis]

I tend to think karma is real, but only in a roundabout way, namely that we all too often create our own hells, but fortunately we often create our own heavens as well. Or, to put it another way, we often reap what we sow.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram

Dear luis , ....

I understand you very esily despite your attempts at enigmatism , ......

the differnce between us is not a matter of missunderstanding , simply a difference of oppinion , ....

 

[Nakosis]

People trying to explain why bad things or good things happen to some and not others.
I think it is difficult for people to escape who they are. Same attachment same desires lead them into getting into the same situations.

I suspect karma is just a side-effect of being controlled by our attachments. You have to change your choices by letting go of your attachments.

 

[Gambit]

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap." - Galatians 6:7

The following is Wikipedia's definition of "karma."

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म; IPA: [ˈkərmə] ( listen); Pali: kamma) means action, work or deed;[1] it also refers to the principle of causality where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual.[2] Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.[3][4]
(source: Wikipedia: Karma)

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Ariyamagga Sutta: The Noble Path

 

[Gambit]

"What goes around comes around" is more about the eventual consequences of actions, rather than actual Karma.
nearly everything we do causes a further action or reaction. Neither good nor evil come into the equation.

That's karma.

 

[Unification]

Karma here is defined by say, someone has a bad occurrence, etc., is that karma from a past life. This is not relating to mundane things, like being mean to someone, so their mean to you, etc.

As some have said already... To act. Cause and effect. Reap what is sown. In this life, past lives, next lives.

As in science, for every action there is a reaction. To act (energy).

 

[Unification]

It does, because it excludes mundane things and also because it declares that people reincarnate.

Have you ever died?

 

[LuisDantas]

Have you ever died?

It really depends on what exactly you mean by death.

 

[LuisDantas]

namaskaram

Dear luis , ....

I understand you very esily despite your attempts at enigmatism , ......

the differnce between us is not a matter of missunderstanding , simply a difference of oppinion , ....

I emphatically disagree. You have as much as told me that you fail completely to understand my anti-theism, and it shows.

As does your odd claim of "enigmatism" from me. If anything, I am a bit too blunt.