Karma Primer for those interested in Moksha.
What is Karma?
We acquire positive (punya) or negative (paap) brownie points for our deeds and actions during every life we have lived. These points keep accumulating in our lives. The objective of human life is to get rid of these brownie points by experience sukh (you are spending positive points when you experience happiness), and dukh (you are spending the negative points when you experience pain/unhappiness).
What is Moksha in Karma Terms?
When we have exhausted all the positive and negative points we have thus far acquired in the all the previous lives, i.e with the Karma Balance is NET 0, at that very instance, we will shed this human body achieve Moksha.
Is Everything God's Will?
One reader by name Basab wrote to me on a forum "The actor acts as per the script and not as per his own wish. So where is this point of free will coming up? There is only God's will as He is the script writer for the movie called 'Life'."
The question really is "Is everything that happens to all of us, God's will? Is there or isnt there free-will and choice?"
My counter question is, if everything is really God's will, then why is the Karma points for our actions assigned to the individual aatma? If everytthing is God's will and happens as per his script, then the Karma points must be assigned to HIM and not to the Jeevatma. The Lord has given intelligence, free-will, and choice to each of us in a limited way so that we can choose what we want to do. We are responsible for our actions. That is why the Karma is assgined to the individual Jeevatma. However, please note that, we are only responsible for our action - the outcome of our action is not in our control - primarily because there are too many variables at play - including natural uncertainties.
Death
After death the Jeevatma goes to different worlds to "experience" sukh/dukh as per its balance of Karma. It takes on a different body in each of those worlds in order to "experience the sukh or dukh". Worlds in which it experiences predominantly pain are called Hells. Example: Rourava is one of the most Bhayanak hells. Worlds in which it predominantly experiences pleasure are called heaven. Example: Indraloka also called as Svarga loka is one of the most pleasurable worlds. Even after experiencing sukh/dukh in other worlds the Jeevatma's balance of karma does not exhaust because it has acquired them over millions or even trillions of past lifes.
Birth
The Balance of the Karma results in "Prakirti Sambandh" - A Jeevatma that has balance of karma is results in it coming in contact with "nature". Nature gives the Jeevatma a body - it could be the body of a plant, animal or human. It is most difficult to get the human body - because it is the predominant type of body in which the Jeevatma can realize it true nature and strive to take the steps towards Moksha. However, per the Lord's wishes He may grant moksha to a Jeevatma in any body. There are stories of Him having granted Moksha to a Clay Pot, trees/plants/shurbs, and animals.
Vasana
Vasanas are pleasurable or painful experiences from previous lifes that hte Jeevatma carries with in the present life., Vasanas from the innumerable life times are carried by each Jeevatma during each subsequent birth. These vasanas form the basis for "attachments" that the Jeevatma clings to in the present life.
Types of Karma
Sanchita Karma is the whole entire baggage of karma. It is like the bank balance.
Prarabdha Karma - is the small part of the baggage that has been withdrawn from the baggage for immediate spending in this life. It is like money in the wallet that has been withdrawn from the bank for some immediate spending.
Kriyamana Karma: This is the new karma we acquire in the present life.
The Objective of each life is to expend Karma and bring the balance lower. However, we end up acquiring Kriyamana Karma every life, fattening our Sanchita Karma instead of reducing it. As long as we do not find the knack of reducing karma in each life, our Moksha is only going to keep getting farther and farther from us.
Every Jeevatma that has taken birth HAS to perform action it its life time. As we perform action, we start acquiring Karmic points. So how do we reduce the Sanchita, instead of fattening it? That's a secret ;)
What is Karma?
We acquire positive (punya) or negative (paap) brownie points for our deeds and actions during every life we have lived. These points keep accumulating in our lives. The objective of human life is to get rid of these brownie points by experience sukh (you are spending positive points when you experience happiness), and dukh (you are spending the negative points when you experience pain/unhappiness).
What is Moksha in Karma Terms?
When we have exhausted all the positive and negative points we have thus far acquired in the all the previous lives, i.e with the Karma Balance is NET 0, at that very instance, we will shed this human body achieve Moksha.
Is Everything God's Will?
One reader by name Basab wrote to me on a forum "The actor acts as per the script and not as per his own wish. So where is this point of free will coming up? There is only God's will as He is the script writer for the movie called 'Life'."
The question really is "Is everything that happens to all of us, God's will? Is there or isnt there free-will and choice?"
My counter question is, if everything is really God's will, then why is the Karma points for our actions assigned to the individual aatma? If everytthing is God's will and happens as per his script, then the Karma points must be assigned to HIM and not to the Jeevatma. The Lord has given intelligence, free-will, and choice to each of us in a limited way so that we can choose what we want to do. We are responsible for our actions. That is why the Karma is assgined to the individual Jeevatma. However, please note that, we are only responsible for our action - the outcome of our action is not in our control - primarily because there are too many variables at play - including natural uncertainties.
Death
After death the Jeevatma goes to different worlds to "experience" sukh/dukh as per its balance of Karma. It takes on a different body in each of those worlds in order to "experience the sukh or dukh". Worlds in which it experiences predominantly pain are called Hells. Example: Rourava is one of the most Bhayanak hells. Worlds in which it predominantly experiences pleasure are called heaven. Example: Indraloka also called as Svarga loka is one of the most pleasurable worlds. Even after experiencing sukh/dukh in other worlds the Jeevatma's balance of karma does not exhaust because it has acquired them over millions or even trillions of past lifes.
Birth
The Balance of the Karma results in "Prakirti Sambandh" - A Jeevatma that has balance of karma is results in it coming in contact with "nature". Nature gives the Jeevatma a body - it could be the body of a plant, animal or human. It is most difficult to get the human body - because it is the predominant type of body in which the Jeevatma can realize it true nature and strive to take the steps towards Moksha. However, per the Lord's wishes He may grant moksha to a Jeevatma in any body. There are stories of Him having granted Moksha to a Clay Pot, trees/plants/shurbs, and animals.
Vasana
Vasanas are pleasurable or painful experiences from previous lifes that hte Jeevatma carries with in the present life., Vasanas from the innumerable life times are carried by each Jeevatma during each subsequent birth. These vasanas form the basis for "attachments" that the Jeevatma clings to in the present life.
Types of Karma
Sanchita Karma is the whole entire baggage of karma. It is like the bank balance.
Prarabdha Karma - is the small part of the baggage that has been withdrawn from the baggage for immediate spending in this life. It is like money in the wallet that has been withdrawn from the bank for some immediate spending.
Kriyamana Karma: This is the new karma we acquire in the present life.
The Objective of each life is to expend Karma and bring the balance lower. However, we end up acquiring Kriyamana Karma every life, fattening our Sanchita Karma instead of reducing it. As long as we do not find the knack of reducing karma in each life, our Moksha is only going to keep getting farther and farther from us.
Every Jeevatma that has taken birth HAS to perform action it its life time. As we perform action, we start acquiring Karmic points. So how do we reduce the Sanchita, instead of fattening it? That's a secret ;)
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