Karma

THE DOCTRINE OF KARMA AS DEFINED IN VEDANTA

Connected to Hindu ethics is the Doctrine of Karma or the Doctrine of Cause and Effect. According to this doctrine, good deeds done on earth bring good results and bad deeds bad results. Suffering and enjoyment in this life or hereafter are caused by one’s bad and good deeds, or Karma, done in the past. God is not responsible for one’s suffering or enjoyment.

Simple yet profound. And yet if it is so simple, why doesn't masses of humanity believe in it? Or is it just a sales pitch given by the early scholars to sell religion? There are no answers.

Lord Buddha in his state of meditation went into a deep trance and narrated his various births. These stories are know as the Jatak Tales. In acute agony during his meditation, Lord Buddha groaned...."where is the freedom? Where is the freedom from Karma?". I shudder when ever I think of his statement. If Lord Buddha could not free himself of Karma, what am I? A mere ignorant soul. There is no freedom from Karma!!!

Who decides what is a good or bad Karma? Nobody. It is the conscience (niti) and the consequence that seperates the good from the bad. Arjun on the battle field of Kurukshetra asked Lord Krishna, "All these are my relatives. How can I fight them? How can I kill them?". In answer to his question, Lord Krishna said, "You are a king. A ruler. Your first responsibility is towards your people. Each one of us is born with a niyat (inherent) karma. To kill his prey is the niyat Karma of a Lion. It is not good or bad. It is just his Karma. To protect and nurture a baby is the niyat Karma of a mother. There is nothing good or bad in it. Hence to protect your Kingdom from these people is your duty. It is your Karma".

Arjun followed his Guru, Lord Krishna and did what he was told to do. But what has happened to all of us? Why has the World forgotten this doctrine of Karma? Why are we so insensitive to the consequences of our own actions. The law of Karma says it all comes back to you. The good and the bad.

Hugh Prather has written in his book,'Notes to myself', "People connect my actions with the results. They are unable to judge my actions in isolation of the results. But at this moment I must act, because at this moment I don't know of the results."

Cntrl+alt+del

Often people ask me during a job interview,"what is it that you want to do in life?". As if the person asking the question knows what he/she wants to do in his/her life!. Silly question. Funny part is, if I tell them what is it that I want to do, they will not give me a job! I want to end this pretence of knowledge. Knowing things. Want to get back to a state of child like ignorance. When there were more things that I did not know, rather than many things which I have to pretend I know. People refer to me as the knowledgable, Intelligent types. People also say that knowledge is wealth. So yes, to a certain extent I am wealthy. It is like having loads of dollars in a country where the currency
is a riyad or a yen. Of no use. You are still poor. All my knowledge is bookish or corporate. Unwanted and useless. Burden, just like unwanted wealth. God only knows what all is there in this garbage that I have accumulated over the years. Tons of templates, emails, notes and processes. Just want to shed this unwanted flab of knowledge. Tiers of fat which has got formed around my mind. Making it slow. Like the tiers of fat around the waist. Making a person slow. Don't know of any technique cntrl+alt+del and the mind is clean. Clean and empty to allow some fresh air and light!

Your eyes say so many things....otherwise unsaid

These days there are strange shadows in your eyes. Some memory, a flicker of thought...something from the past. I can read so many things; emptiness, questions to which there are no answers, deep sadness, anger with self/him/world/your parents, helplessness; restlessness and a desire to escape from it all. Escape from the loss, the deep pain. So many things happening inside you. Don't think I can't see it all. It makes me sad too. Very sad. Can't describe it. You are strong. You have resilience. Get over it. Life is all about happiness. Remember, happiness is the magnetic north which attracts us. That is god's design of human form. Praise his design and go with the flow of life. Just like the river in Siddartha. We all loved him just as much.Quoting my favorite lines for you

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the Gates of Gold,
Said he with his dying breath,
"Life is done, but what is death?
"Then, in answer to the king,
Fell a sun beam on his ring,
"Even this shall pass away."