Hi All:
I am reading here with absolute delight all the discussions under the topic "The Theory of Karma".
In the past several years I have attended many discourses and discussions on this very topic and when I left each of these discussions I was only more confused than where I began!! To me it is very abstract and not sure if anyone can fully justify its presence or absence. Through these discussions, I have only asked myself more questions, some very simple and some futuristic: If anyone can through some light, I would be very appreciative.
1. Is the Karmic theory solely defined only in Hinduism? Is there a similar belief in Islam, Buddhism, Christianity etc?
2. If it is defined in other religions, what may be the prime differences? Particularly I would very much like to see the similarities/dissimilarities on this theory between Hinduism and Islam, if any.
3. If it is NOT defined in other religions, does it show those religions do not believe in rebirth or karma?
4. If the Karmic theory is reality (assuming it exists!) does "my" karma have any impact on others now in my present life?
5. If it is true that my karma will have an impact on someone else in the future, say my child suffers in this life, does that act of suffering establish a connection between me and my child in this life during the past, or does it signify that my child is repaying his/her own past karma?
Putting all these discussions aside, does anyone see any practical use or value of karmic theory in the present day? I liked Mr. Nara's remark that just being compassionate and kind to each other will return the same values to us!! Is there any more practical use for it?
Thanks
Shri Sevall,
By now you may have come to know that I am an agnostic but I do hold the Karma as something of a necessary hypotheses at least, to explain many things observed in reality. With this short intro I give my views on your queries seriatim.
1. There is a book titled "paralokavuṃ punarjjanmavuṃ" (Other world and rebirth) in Malayalam by Shri ācārya narendra bhūṣaṇ-, who was a great scholar and authority on Hinduism in its various aspects. In that book Shri ācārya narendra bhūṣaṇ- states, incidentally, that he once gave a public lecture , under the aegis of the Marthoma Church and the subject matter was the Biblical sentences in Corinthians 2,5,10 which says—
"Whatever good or evil each man performs when he is inside his body, that he must receive the appropriate wages, and, therefor, all of us must appear before the seat of judgment of Christ." (A loose translation from Malayalam made by me.)
I referred to different versions of Bible but could not find anything of this meaning in Corinthians2,5,10, but since the author is a person of undisputed authority and stature, I feel there may be some typo or such a translation may be only in the Malayalam version followed by the Marthomites.
In any case Xianity does hold that each person is "judged" after death and awarded the appropriate recompense for his sins and good deeds. In this connection there is this also in the Bible:
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23~King James Version)
I am not aware of the Koranic injunctions exactly but Islam also believes in each soul being judged by Allah who metes out the just rewards. Buddhism is rather ambiguous, as far as my limited knowledge about it goes, but it also emphasizes good karma for spiritual evolution and finally attaining Nirvana.
In
Jain philosophy, karma not only encompasses the
causality of transmigration, but is also conceived of as an extremely subtle matter, which infiltrates the
soul—obscuring its natural, transparent and pure qualities. Karma is thought of as a kind of pollution, that taints the soul with various colours (
leśyā). Based on its karma, a soul undergoes transmigration and
reincarnates in various states of existence—like heavens or hells, or as humans or animals. (
Karma in Jainism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
2. You will see that Hinduism and Jainism base their rebirth concept upon Karma while the Abrahamic religions which do not postulate rebirth, try to give a caveat to mortals through judgment by the Supreme Godhead and reward in the form of hell, purgatory and eternal happy life in heaven. Thus, good conduct of human beings is sought to be achieved by the dire threat of very undesirable future; hellish torment till eternity or hellish life in rebirths in this very world.
4.
If the Karmic theory is reality (assuming it exists!) does "my" karma have any impact on others now in my present life?
The story of the hunter-robber Ratnaakaran turning into the sage Valmiki states unambiguously that others do not stand to reap the reward of one's karma, good or bad. Thus karma will appear to be completely one's own business. But there are other references and remarks which tend to show that one person's karma may taint another - wife, children, etc. - if they happen to benefit by or enjoy the results of that person's karma.
5.
If it is true that my karma will have an impact on someone else in the future, say my child suffers in this life, does that act of suffering establish a connection between me and my child in this life during the past, or does it signify that my child is repaying his/her own past karma?
I have not found clear answers to this. Possibly knowledgeable persons like Saidevo will be able to answer more authentically. I believe that the karma works in such a way that it fits exactly like a jigsaw puzzle. Last week a 22-year old young man, son of my wife's paternal cousin, died. He had some incorrigible kidney malformation but when the baby was just 2 years old the Vellore hospital doctors only could find it out when it was on the operation table for a transplant from mother. The transplant was not done and all these twenty years he was undergoing dialysis once in two or three days and living without any liquid intake. According to the astrologers, this was due to the Karma of both the son and the parents and the astrologers hold the view that such abnormal births will happen only if the parents have been destined to suffer the grief arising from such an offspring.
Nearer home, I was told I had an uncle, elder to my mother. A brilliant student, he wrote matriculation exam in Nagercoil and was about to leave home (near Alleppey) for vacation when suddenly he had a fever and succumbed to it in a few days. My grandfather could not even see the body because it took 3 or 4 days to reach Nagercoil from Alleppey by boat and so the cremation was done by the uncle's grandfather. My grandfather did the usual "prasnam" and it seems that his karma did not allow proper funerary rites by the son, nor any help from son and there was putrasoka strongly indicated in his horoscope.
I therefore believe that our Karma works in accordance with some grand design or, some very intricately grand principles and this is the main cause for the many inequalities, suffering and pain in this world. And, according to my belief anything done to alleviate suffering in this world is a good deed or punya and anything which causes or increases such suffering is sin. Ultimately being compassionate is what it is all about but this works as a constant caveat for man not to swerve from the right path and also explains the inequalities.
