Understanding the Law of Karma
The Law of Karma is perhaps the most mysterious law of the universe that has confused Philosophers and Occultists throughout the ages. The basic principle of this law being simple, “Whatever you sow, you reap”, it’s working however is unknown and imperceptible to ordinary human mind. According to the ancient teachings, only a Third degree Initiate, can see the working of Karma and know it’s deeper secrets. Most mortals however, which includes disciples, chelas and aspirants on the spiritual path can only know about Karma by studying the teachings of Initiatic science.
The Law of Karma known in the East by this name is the same law of Cause and Effect in the west. Using logic and reason it is possible to understand what this Law is about. The Law states, for every cause we create in this universe, has it’s corresponding effect. While science has accepted this law physically, it has unfortunately failed to grasp it’s cosmic significance. According to Theosophical teachings, the Law of Karma is immutable.
The word “Karma” literally means “action” and “deed” in the Sanskrit language of India. Today the word karma has even made it’s way into the English dictionary. But, the generally accepted meaning of this term is misleading from occult viewpoint. People today use the word karma whenever they experience a mishap or misfortune or when someone one dislikes gets hurt or goes through an aversity, one immediately jumps to the conclusion “it’s his karma”. From esoteric perspective this is but a distortion of an Immutable universal Law. Karma is not personal, it is universal in nature. Karma doesn’t care if one has an enemy and if the enemy gets hurt. There is no “Personal” Divine providence somewhere in heaven giving reward to those who do good and punishment to those who do evil. The Law of Karma is not the Law of Reward and Punishment but rather the Law of Causation. The Law of Karma is absolutely impersonal and cosmic in nature. We are all under the influence of this Law whether we are aware of it or not. While one may have personal self created karma, it is nothing but the result of this Universal and immutable law affecting and governing one’s personal life.
“We consider Karma as the Ultimate Law of the Universe, the source, origin and fount of all other laws which exist throughout Nature. Karma is the unerring law which adjusts effect to cause, on the physical, mental and spiritual planes of being. As no cause remains without its due effect from greatest to least, from a cosmic disturbance down to the movement of your hand, and as like produces like, Karma is that unseen and unknown law which adjusts wisely, intelligently and equitably each effect to its cause, tracing the latter back to its producer.”
-H.P BLAVATSKY
The Law of Karma is an universal law just like gravity. It does not matter whether one believes in it or not. It is always there just like Gravity. Christian dogma or rather Churchianity and few other philosophies have denied the existence of the Law of Karma and considers it an erroneous belief of Eastern Philosophy. But, we find the best and simplest explanation of Karma in the Bible itself.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7 (NIV)
Ultimately beliefs have no significance where reality and cosmic immutable laws are concerned. There will always be people having legions of beliefs about karma. Different Gurus, Philosophers, Prophets, Yogis and scriptures have interpreted the working of karma in different ways. That has caused great confusion. One must always remember Karma is not a belief and having a belief about Karma negates the real fact about Karma.
People consider only bad or undesirable karma as Karma. That is also not True. The Law of Karma is simply cause and effect. There can be good or desirable causes as well as bad or undesirable causes. There can be good or desirable effects and bad or undesirable effects. So Karma can be both good and Bad Karma. Ultimately although Karma is beyond duality so the good and bad karma we experience is only from our personal limited perspective.
In the Spiritual path a great deal has been told about karma. That a spiritual aspirant should refrain from unwholesome actions and do good karma. This is true. Our destiny depends on what we have done. Our actions, emotions and thoughts shape our future. One who lives a life of disorder, one who does unwholesome actions sooner or later finds himself in the midst of difficulty and crisis. But, this must not be seen as punishment but simple the operation of the law of cause and effect. One who does evil will have to pay one’s debts because the Karma is the Law of perfect equilibrium. There is no escape from the Law of Karma because it’s Immutable.
This has often caused fear in the minds of students of spiritual teachings. And they have gone into great lengths to find consolation or ways to neutralize their negative karma. Some even have started believing that negative karma can be neutralized by good karma. That is not entirely true because if the laws of nature worked that way Yang would have always neutralized the Yin. Yet they exist together.
While the Law of Karma itself is immutable, it is however possible to modify the causes and effects to a certain degree by setting in motion another cause and thereby another effect. Karma can be modified and it can also be ended by repayment of debts. This is perfectly in line and according to the LAW itself and not anything supernatural in origin. The Law of Karma is not fatalism. It can be changed and modified if we are learning from our mistakes and living a sacrificial service oriented life. But, every student must keep in mind, although one’s personal karma can be modified and changed to a certain degree, it can never be ERASED or NEUTRALIZED without repayment of the debts along with learning the inner moral lessons. Erasure of Karma is escapism when the originator of the negative karma doesn’t take responsibility for one’s actions. Therefore, we must never seek to erase our karma but rather look for ways to pay our debts that we owe to other people who suffered in our hands. And the repayment of debts must be done from the Heart, else it will not work. Because more than “actions”, Karma is our Motive, our intentions. Esoterically Karma is defined as “Intentional actions”. It is our motive in our heart that determines the quality of Karma we create, not the outward action itself. If our motives are impure, no amout of service, show of forgiveness, donation or dana can pay our debts. We will have to learn the lesson from our heart, only then the payment will be complete.
“According to the Ancient Wisdom that which is done cannot be undone. No philosophical system worthy of the name would fall into the fallacy of vicarious atonement. Nature’s book keeping system has in it no place for erasures. The motive behind present good deeds should never be to escape past Karma, but rather to prevent the making of more bad Karma.”
~ Manly P. Hall
A Monthly Letter June 1935
Some people also believe that it is possible to neutralize Karma just by Forgiving. That is also not entirely true. Forgiveness prevents the Karmic complications by releasing the chains between two people. But the repayment of debts must be made and sometimes with interest if one refuses to pay back the debts in time. If because of one’s actions, another loses one’s house, one’s career, one’s income. It is not enough to say SORRY or forgive each other. One must also make amends for the damage one has done to the other person. This is the Law of karma, the Law that compensates and creates perfect equilibrium. Karma is a blessing which has maintained order in this universe. Without it there would be total chaos and no one would spiritually ascend.
“One who has forgiven someone assumes that he has accomplished something out of the ordinary, whereas he has merely preserved his own karma from complications. The forgiven one thinks that all has been ended, but, of course, karma remains ahead of him.
True, the forgiving one did not intervene in the karma of the forgiven one and thus has not made it more burdensome, but the very law of karma remains with both participants.” – Brotherhood; 445 Agni Yoga Teachings
We must all learn this Law of Karma and live a life according to this Law. A life of purity, benevolence and sacrificial service. There are many more deeper secrets of Karma but, we will share them in our future articles and talks. Instead of seeking an enchantment, or a Baba who can absorb one’s karma, or some technique to erase karma, we should focus on living a life of Purity. No genuine Master who wants their disciple to evolve will claim the ability to end karma of their disciples. Karma is there to help us and a true teacher helps the student to understand this Law and live a life according to the Cosmic Moral laws in harmony with the universe and other sentient beings. No genuine teacher would preach the evasion of through enchantments, rituals, magic, Tantra or any other methods.
“No Adept of the Right Path will interfere with the just workings of Karma. Not even the greatest of Yogis can divert the progress of Karma or arrest the natural results of actions for more than a short period, and even in that case, these results will only reassert themselves later with even tenfold force, for such is the occult law of Karma and the Nidânas.” – H.P Blavatsky; Collected Writings vol. XII
Those who want to “end” their negative karma must do so by living a pure life, a life according to the teachings, a life of beauty, righteousness, honest, joy and goodwill. And through their sacrificial service and by paying their debts, they will soon realize their Karma is being ended by repayment of one’s past karmic debts. This must be done spontaneous from one’s heart and not with an intention of erasing negative karma.
“People have the opinion that karma cannot be changed. This is not true. Karma can be changed, although you need to spend more energy than the amount of energy you used to create the karma. For example, a true change in your motives, a true renunciation, a true penance, a real decision to change your conduct, a real and deep dedication to a great humanitarian cause, a heroic and sacrificial act can transform your life, minimize your past karma, or even totally annihilate it.
The Law of Karma corresponds to the laws of physics, chemistry, and space dynamics. It is found non in the domain of hallucination but in the domain of science.
You can overcome your karma by raising the level of your consciousness and working hard to repair the damage you did to others. You can increase your beauty, goodness, light, joy, and freedom and overcome a certain amount of your karma. Striving toward the summits of beauty and freedom breaks heavy layers of your karma.
Spreading the knowledge of karma wherever you can takes away an amount of your karmic taxations. Meditation and prayer help you reduce to a great degree your disciplinary karma. Your karma can be lightened if you never encourage people to increase their karmic debts. Your karma can be reduced to a great extent if you do not join or associate with people who are full of hatred, separatism, selfishness, and greed.”
-Torkom Saraydarian
New Dimensions in Healing
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"Let not the fruit of good Karma be your motive; for your Karma, good or bad, being one and the common property of all mankind, nothing good or bad can happen to you that is not shared by many others. Hence your motive, being selfish, can only generate a double effect, good and bad, and will either nullify your good action, or turn it to another man’s profit."
