Karma

The term karma literally means "action". Any intentional action, be it mental, verbal, or physical, is regarded as karma. The very essence of karma is contained in an individual's thought, word, or deed. In its most ultimate sense, Karma means all moral and immoral intentional behavior--involuntary, unintentional or unconscious actions do not constitute Karma, because volition, the act of using one's will and the most important factor in determining karma, is absent. 

Briefly, good karma results in better chances of achieving Nirvana, whereas bad karma results in the opposite. This aspect of traditional Indian belief provides an answer to many of life's eternal questions:

• What is the cause of the inequality that exists amongst mankind? 

• Why should one person be born with saintly characteristics and another with criminal tendencies? 

• Why should some be linguistic, artistic, mathematically inclined, or musical from the very cradle?

• Why should some be born blind, deaf, or deformed?

• Why should some be blessed, and others cursed, from their births?

Karma does not necessarily mean past actions. It embraces both past and present deeds. Hence, in a sense, one is the result of what one was; one will be the result of what one currently is. However, because the self is the result of present deeds as well, one is not totally the result of what one was; we will not totally be the result of what currently is. This basically means that, though one is without a doubt a result of the past, one still holds power to gradually alter that result throughout life.