Karma is often spoken about in religious or spiritual contexts, but what does it actually mean? Karma is a Sanskrit word that translates to “action,” “work,” or “deed.” It’s often described as the law of cause and effect, and it’s a central tenet in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and other Indian religions.

Karma essentially states that your actions have consequences. Good deeds will lead to good outcomes, while bad deeds will lead to bad outcomes. This cycle of cause and effect is often described as “samsara,” or the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

The concept of karma has been around for thousands of years, but it’s also gained popularity in Western cultures in recent years. Let’s take a closer look at the history of karma and some of its key principles.

What is the history of karma?

The earliest origins of karma can be traced back to the Vedic period in India (1700-1100 BCE). The Vedas are a collection of ancient Indian texts that contain some of the earliest references to karma. The word “karma” first appears in the Rigveda, the oldest of the four Vedas.

During the Vedic period, karma was primarily viewed as a form of ritual action. Hindus believed that certain actions, such as animal sacrifice, would please the gods and result in positive outcomes.

Over time, the concept of karma evolved and became more nuanced. By the time of the Upanishads (600-300 BCE), karma was no longer just about ritual action – it was also about ethical action. The Upanishads state that it’s not just our deeds that have an impact on our lives, but also our thoughts and intentions.

The idea of karma continued to develop over the centuries. In the Bhagavad Gita (500-200 BCE), a sacred Hindu text, Krishna says that it’s our duty to perform our actions without attachment to the results. In other words, we should do good for the sake of doing good, not because we expect something in return.

The concept of karma reached its peak in the 6th century CE with the rise of Buddhism. At this time, Buddhist scriptures stated that all beings are responsible for their own karma. This meant that humans could not rely on outside forces, such as gods or fate, to determine their destiny – they had to take control of their own lives and create their own karma.

How does karma work?

Now that we’ve looked at the history of karma, let’s explore how it actually works. As we mentioned earlier, karma is often described as the law of cause and effect. This means that our actions have consequences – good actions will lead to good outcomes, while bad actions will lead to bad outcomes.

It’s important to note that karma is not just about our physical actions – it’s also about our thoughts and intentions. The Bhagavad Gita states that it’s our thoughts and intentions that shape our actions. So if we have negative thoughts or evil intentions, this will ultimately lead to negative actions and bad karma.

Another key principle of karma is that it’s not instantaneous – it takes time for the effects of our actions to manifest. This is because karma is cumulative – each action builds upon the previous one. So if we constantly perform good deeds, this will eventually lead to good karma. But if we constantly perform bad deeds, this will eventually lead to bad karma.

It’s also important to note that karma is not always fair or just. Just because we do good deeds doesn’t mean we will always get good outcomes. And just because we do bad deeds doesn’t mean we will always get bad outcomes. Karma is often described as a “blind goddess” because it doesn’t discriminate between good and bad people – it simply follows the law of cause and effect.

What are some examples of karma?

Let’s take a look at some examples of how karma can play out in our lives:

• If we plant seeds of kindness and compassion, this will eventually lead to happiness and love in our lives.
• If we plant seeds of anger and hatred, this will eventually lead to misery and suffering in our lives.
• If we help others without expecting anything in return, this will eventually lead to good things happening in our lives.
• If we hurt others without any remorse, this will eventually lead to bad things happening in our lives.

Karma Quotes

Live a good and honorable life. Then, when you are older, you can look back
and enjoy it a second time. —Dalai Lama

This means that you should live a good and honorable life, so that when you are older, you can look back on your life and enjoy it a second time.

When you truly understand karma, then you realize you are responsible for
everything in your life. —Keanu Reeves

This means that everything that happens to you in life is your own responsibility. You create your own karma through your thoughts, words, and
actions.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. —Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Newton’s Third Law of Motion is often referred to as the law of action and reaction. It states that for every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction. This means that if one object exerts a force on another object, the second object will exert an equal and opposite force on the first.

Karma is like a balloon, eventually it will popped if you keep on blowing it.
―Unknowm

Karma is the notion of cause and effect where good deeds lead to good outcomes and bad deeds lead to bad outcomes. The balloon analogy suggests that eventually, if someone keeps doing bad things, their karma will “pop” or they will experience negative consequences as a result.

There is no escape from karma. No matter how many reincarnations you take,
your actions in this life will influence your future lives… for better or for
worse. ―Daisaku Ikeda

Karma is the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner. Oscar
Wilde

In other words, never do anything that would be considered taboo or inappropriate to discuss in polite company. This could be interpreted more
broadly to mean that one should never do anything that they would not feel comfortable discussing with anyone, regardless of the context.

I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it. Frank A Clark

This means that instead of getting stressed out or angry about a problem, it’s better to laugh and see the funny side of it.

If you want revenge, dig two graves. Chinese Proverb

This proverb suggests that if you are motivated by revenge, you should be prepared to die yourself. The phrase is often used to caution against the dangers of pursuing vengeance.

We first make our habits, then our habits make us. John Dryden

This means that we create our own habits and then those habits shape who we are as a person.

Karma has no menu; You get served what you deserve – Sanskrit proverb

Karma is often thought of as the consequences that one receives for their actions. This proverb suggests that those consequences are just and fair, based on what someone deserves.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle…But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air but simply To Walk.. Thich Nhat Hanh

In this quote, Thich Nhat Hanh is saying that the true miracle isn’t something like walking on water or thin air, which people might consider to be impossible. Instead, the real miracle is just being able to walk. This may seem like a simple act that doesn’t require any special abilities, but it’s actually quite amazing when you think about it. Walking is something we often take for granted, but it’s a complex process that requires coordination and balance. So next time you’re out for a walk, remember that it’s a miraculous thing!

You will reap what you sow Galatians 6:7-8

This phrase is often used to mean that people will face the consequences of their own actions. If someone does something good, they can expect good things to happen to them. On the other hand, if someone does something bad, they can expect bad things to happen to them.

Treat others as you would like to be treated Matthew 7:12

Treat others how you want to be treated, or in other words, do unto others what you want done to yourself. The golden rule.

Do unto those against whom you have a grievance as you would do unto those who have done grievances against you Luke 6:31

This verse from the Bible is often referred to as the Golden Rule. It means that you should treat other people the way you would want to be treated yourself.

One good deed always begets another- Ovid

The phrase “one good deed always begets another” means that when someone does a good deed, they will likely be the recipient of another good deed in return. This is often seen as a positive feedback loop, where one kind action encourages more acts of kindness.

The more we give away, the more comes back to us.- Native American saying 18 What goes up must come down – Newton’s law of gravity

It means that the more we help others, the more good fortune will come our way. Helping others is its own reward, and doing so will cause good things to happen to us in return.

Do something today that your future self will thank you for –Anonymous

This means that if you do something today to better your future, your future self will be grateful. This could mean studying for a test instead of going out with friends, or exercising instead of watching TV. Basically, anything that you do today to improve your future will be appreciated by your future self.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain – Vivian Greene

This means that you shouldn’t wait for the bad times to end before you start living your life. You should learn to enjoy your life even when things are tough.

Without forgiveness, there’s no future. —Tenzin Gyatso

gyatso means “ocean” in Tibetan.

The only way to achieve true success is to encourage others to reach their own potential. -Mr. Rogers

This means that the only way to be truly successful is by helping others achieve success. You cannot be successful if those around you are not also successful. Mr. Rogers is saying that we all need to help each other in order to create a world where everyone can reach their potential and be happy.

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month. —Theodore Roosevelt

The person responsible for most of your trouble is the one causing the majority of your problems. If you could confront this person and give them a good kick in the pants, it would likely teach them a lesson and help improve your situation. However, you probably wouldn’t be able to sit down for a month afterward from all the pain inflicted by kicking someone in the pants.

Nothing in this world is more powerful than an idea whose time has come -Victor Hugo

This means that an idea whose time has come is more powerful than anything else in the world.

We don’t get what we want, we get what we are. -Tony Robbins

This means that we will never get what we want in life unless we change who we are. Our thoughts, emotions, and actions all need to be in alignment with our goals in order for us to achieve them. This quote is telling us that if we want something different than what we currently have, then we need to become someone different.

I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. —Maya Angelou

This quote means that individuals will eventually forget what another person said or did, but they will always remember how the individual made them feel. A possible interpretation of this is that it is more important to be kind and make others feel good, rather than to focus on saying or doing something specific.

Your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear what you’re saying Phelps

This quote is often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it means that your actions speak louder than your words. In other words, people are more likely to believe what they see you do rather than what you say you’ll do.

You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality Ayn Rand

This means that if you try to avoid or ignore the problems and challenges in your life, you will still have to deal with the negative consequences of those choices.

Reality is nothing but a collective hunch Lily Tomlin

This quote means that what we perceive as reality is nothing more than a shared delusion or belief. This is typical of conspiracy theories which often postulate that the events which we think are real are actually part of a larger plot or scheme.

Karma is like a boomerang, and it always comes back around

This phrase is often used to describe the idea that what goes around, comes around. In other words, if you do something bad, it will eventually come back to haunt you.

What goes around comes around Karma Quotes

The phrase “what goes around comes around” is often used to describe the concept of karma. Karma is the belief that what you put out into the universe will come back to you in some way. If you do good things, you will receive good things in return. If you do bad things, you will receive bad things in return. The phrase “karma quotes” refers to quotes about karma that share this belief.

When karma kicks in, life gives subtle yet clear signs telling us that we need to change our ways and those who hurt us must be stopped from continuing on their path of destruction – even if that means sacrificing ourselves! Dada Bhagwan

This message is saying that when karma comes into play, life will give us signs that we need to change our ways. If we hurt someone, they will be stopped from continuing their path of destruction.

Karma has no deadline -Oprah Winfrey

This means that what you put out into the universe will come back to you, whether it’s good or bad. You will eventually get what you deserve.

Our actions create our destiny; each step brings us closer or further away form our goals. -Ralph Marston

This means that everything we do has an impact on our future and determines how close or far away we are from achieving our goals. Every choice we make takes us either closer to or further away from what we want to achieve, so it’s important to be mindful of the choices we make and their potential consequences.

Be kind whenever possible! It’s always possible -Dalai Lama

This means that we should always strive to be kind, even when it might be difficult. It’s important to remember that it is always possible to act with kindness and compassion, no matter what the situation may be.

Goodness is the only investment worth anything -Henry David Thoreau

This quote means that being a good person is the most important thing you can do in life. It’s more important than money, success, or anything else.