The Law of Karma - cause and effect

Karma is the great law of "cause and effect", of "action and reaction", which controls the destiny of all living entities.

This great law functions on the principle, that any action performed produces an equal and opposite reaction, which directly influences our very existence.

Karma, like time and gravity, is a universal principle and every one is effected by its influence. While the law of physics applies to the interaction of material objects only, the law of karma however, applies to any action performed by living entities and governs the interrelations of all living beings. The state laws for example, are grossly observed; but the law of material nature [karma] being subtle to our gross understanding, cannot be experienced grossly or understood by mental speculation.

The law of karma states, that every action performed in life creates another reaction which in turn produces a new counter action. Thus an endless chain of actions and reactions is produced which binds the living entity to his good and bad deeds. This is the way how karma works. It creates an action and another reaction simultaneously and this increases the chain of material activities, keeping the performer in material bondage.

Action has three components: the senses, the work and the doer and three motivating factors: knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower.

The soul within the body is acting to bring about the results of activity and is therefore known as the doer. Its instruments of action are the senses, and for each and every action there is a different endeavour.

From one life to the next, and from one cosmic creation to the next, the living entity makes a determination to act in a certain way, and then he is entangled in the reactions to his work. After giving up one body, he enters another, and usually he forgets everything about his previous life [see: re-incarnation]. The Supersoul in everyone's heart witnesses one's past desires and gives one facilities and directions how to fulfill them. In this way, the soul reaps the results of his actions.

Karma - and the Bible

The universal law of karma is also explained in the holy Bible which we know by the statement: "as ye sow, so also shall ye reap".

It says, that whatever you sow, so also shall you reap [the fruits of action]. It also says that you only reap as a result of having sown in previous periods. That what you are reaping today in your life, is a result of what you have sown in the past. And what you reap in the future is a result of what you sow now. This is generally known as the law of sowing and reaping or the law of "return", which returns to us in an similar way that what we do unto others.

Therefore Lord Jesus Christ says: "Do unto others as you would them have done unto you."

The principle of Karma is that for the good actions one performs one receives good reactions, and if one inflicts pain or violence on others, one will suffer equal violence either in this life or the next.

This is also confirmed in the Bible by the statement: "An eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for a life". For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Or in other words, if a human being for example, unnecessary takes the life of an innocent animal he must suffer the result at some point in the future; namely he must give his own life for taking a life.

The law of karma states that everything which happens in our lives is nothing but the reaction of our past activities. Everything that we are today is the sum total result of all our activities performed up to this moment. If we wish our lives to be different in the future we have to change our activities in the present; and by doing so we change the direction of our lives.

Activities are, therefore, always the primary causes of the conditions or effects, experienced in our lives.

There is, in fact, no such thing as an accident. Everything that happens to us happens by the cause and effect and not by chance. For every effect in our lives there is a specific cause and if we do not like the effects that we are enjoying or suffering, then we have to analyse the causes and change our activities accordingly.

please also see:
three types of karma
freedom from karmic reactions