03-17-2020, 11:47 PM
From what I have gathered, the 'traditional' view of karma (in buddhism and hinduism which is where the idea comes from, it would have been hinduism before buddhism since it existed first) it is similar to the idea of destiny like Dion Fortune mentions, but it is only 'relevant' in between lives. It was considered basically a 'sum of all your actions' that was 'calculated' in between lives and essentially the choices and actions you make in each life set the tone or theme for the next life. Thus, it wasn't that an action lead to an equivalent karma in some other life, but rather the direction taken by your choices established your future patterns.
Gautama Buddha discovered that this cyclical nature of reincarnation was due to the ways in which choices are made unconsciously, repeating things without any change in choice. Thus, he termed this karmic cycle as Samsara, the illusion. The idea inherent in Buddhism is that this cycle can be broken and the mind freed from its own cyclical repetition of action, entering in to an awareness of the choice and its place in reality.
There is another version of karma in buddhism though which is what most people think of, karma niyama, or the laws of moral causation. This is what people are usually thinking of when they talk about karma. It is more like a natural law.
https://www.learnreligions.com/the-five-niyamas-449741
"Kamma, or karma in Sanskrit, is the law of moral causation. All of our volitional thoughts, words, and deeds create an energy that brings about effects and that process is called karma.
The important point here is that Kamma Niyama is a kind of natural law like gravity that operates without having to be directed by a divine intelligence. In Buddhism, karma is not a cosmic criminal justice system, and no supernatural force or God is directing it to reward the good and punish the wicked.
Karma is, rather, a natural tendency for skillful (kushala) actions to create beneficial effects, and unskillful (akushala) actions to create harmful or painful effects."
Gautama Buddha discovered that this cyclical nature of reincarnation was due to the ways in which choices are made unconsciously, repeating things without any change in choice. Thus, he termed this karmic cycle as Samsara, the illusion. The idea inherent in Buddhism is that this cycle can be broken and the mind freed from its own cyclical repetition of action, entering in to an awareness of the choice and its place in reality.
There is another version of karma in buddhism though which is what most people think of, karma niyama, or the laws of moral causation. This is what people are usually thinking of when they talk about karma. It is more like a natural law.
https://www.learnreligions.com/the-five-niyamas-449741
"Kamma, or karma in Sanskrit, is the law of moral causation. All of our volitional thoughts, words, and deeds create an energy that brings about effects and that process is called karma.
The important point here is that Kamma Niyama is a kind of natural law like gravity that operates without having to be directed by a divine intelligence. In Buddhism, karma is not a cosmic criminal justice system, and no supernatural force or God is directing it to reward the good and punish the wicked.
Karma is, rather, a natural tendency for skillful (kushala) actions to create beneficial effects, and unskillful (akushala) actions to create harmful or painful effects."
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