Karma

According to Panini, karma is the aim of any action, that which the person instigating the action desires as the result of that action (karturipsitatamang karma). Since actions are rarely done for their own sake but for some other result (which is, by definition, a further action) karma will therefore lead to further action and has come to mean the action itself, and also the sum of the effects of past actions. This in turn leads to karma as the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, and to the conditions into which an individual is born for this incarnation. According to the vedas, only by performing actions for their own sake (akarmaka) can the individual free himself (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death; actions done with good intent lead to a propitious rebirth whereas those done with evil intent lead to a rebirth under unfavourable conditions.

Thus karma determines the conditions of existence of an individual, and his or her ultimate progress in terms of the main goal of existence – according to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – freedom from the laws of cause and effect and from the ties of mortal existence. The present is thus reaping the fruits of past actions while sowing the seeds for the future. One is born with one's karma for this life – 'ripe karma' – but as one goes through life one pays off old karma and makes new karma. Buddhism, however, rather than rebirth looks to rebecoming, with no continuous substantiality or ego, although the new entity originates in dependence upon the preceding existence. Through true knowledge, the traces left by activities – samskaras – are eradicated and the karmic cycle suspended. This requires profound inner reorientation, metanoia or spiritual conversion, as exemplified on the noble eightfold way. Theosophy points to the gradual building up of strength of character, directing thought constantly to the positive attributes that are lacking and eventually, over many lifetimes, eradicating the negative attributes caused by that lack.

Some hold the view that, to escape the cycle of birth and death, it is necessary only to do actions which pay off old karma and do no action to create new karma. This is all that is necessary for enlightenment or liberation. There is even a view that, after reaching liberation, a sage remains alive until all old karma is paid off.