An Introduction to Karma

The concept of karma is often reduced in popular culture to a simplistic idea of reward and punishment: do good, and good things happen; do bad, and bad things happen. But this view misses the profound depth of what karma truly signifies.

Karma, in its original sense, refers to intentional action—mental, verbal, or physical—and the momentum such actions generate. Every volitional act plants a seed in the continuum of consciousness. Over time, these seeds ripen as experiences, shaping both our character and the conditions of our lives.

Crucially, karma is not a system of cosmic bookkeeping governed by external deities. It operates as a natural law of cause and effect. Actions rooted in greed, hatred, and delusion reinforce suffering; actions grounded in generosity, compassion, and wisdom diminish it. The quality of intention matters as much as, if not more than, the outward form of the act.

Understanding karma invites personal responsibility. We are not victims of fate but participants in an ongoing process of becoming. While we inherit conditions from past actions—both our own and those of others—we also create new tendencies with every choice we make. This dynamic interplay of past and present shapes the unfolding stream of our experience.

Ultimately, deep insight into karma dissolves fatalism and cultivates compassion. We see how suffering arises, not randomly, but through causes that can be understood and transformed. This understanding becomes the foundation for liberation.

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
— The Dhammapada