Monday, October 05, 2020

Karma is usually held in abeyance

Three situations are operative all the time and it's a little more complicated than a simple 'past, present and future' scenario. There's reaction coming back at you from what you did in the past. There's reactions that haven't yet come back at you that you'll suffer or enjoy at some future time. And there's karma you do now that may be 'instant' but most likely you won't reap until the future. Only very rarely is it immediate - and for good reason! John Lennon popularised the concept of instant karma and as a result created a false impression... more on that later...

Actually there are three or more types – karma, vikarma, and akarma:
» Karma ('good karma') is action commended in accord with one's prescribed duties eg good deeds, helping others, or "doing the right thing", "obeying the law", "following my religion".
» Vikarma ('bad karma') is unauthorised action that is against or avoids the responsibility of carrying out one's duties eg dirty deeds, harming others, or "doing the wrong thing", "breaking the law", "going against your religion".
» Akarma ('cancelling karma') is action that frees oneself from the reaction to past deeds whether they be karmic or vikarmic ie "good or bad". Technically even good deeds cause bondage to the Material World because they come with a reaction such as a reward, a distinction or high place in society. Akarma frees oneself from even good reactions.
» There is another type of akarma known as naiṣkarma. This doesn't really apply to the average person because it only applies to highly realised souls who are either eternally transcendental or have achieved liberation. Naiṣkarma doesn't mean no action, it is spiritual action without any reaction that is performed 100% on the spiritual level – by elevated fully-realised Holy Teachers, Saints and Gurus such as Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Prabhupāda and numerous others. Such souls do not care for rewards, medals or sainthoods and go about their business without attachment or attraction to the fruits of their labour. These wise people are totally are karma-free, actually!

Back to karma and reaction being held in abeyance, and John Lennon's "Instant Karma". In hindsight there is no apparent connection between him being about to enter his apartment after returning from a recording studio and then being shot in the back other than that he was facing the door. Like most of us and our karma, he didn't see it coming.

The reason most karma isn't instant is to create the illusion of freedom from reaction so that the soul seeking happiness independently can do so without a constant reminder. This acknowledged accountability is for the theist ->to the Supreme Being, for the mystic or impersonalist ->to the Supreme Absolute Truth, and for the agnostic ->to the Universe or some other Higher Power. The atheist assumes total unaccountability. It is this very attitude that enables and maintains their illusory concept of life.

More on abeyance:
A thief would never commit a robbery if they knew they were going to be caught immediately. They only do so because they think they're going to get away with it. In this case it is obvious that the reaction to their deeds are held in abeyance unless or until they get caught. Even if they are arrested they may be let out on bail. Only on final sentencing might they actually have to pay for their misdeed. Even then, they could be later freed if there was a mistrial. Oh, how little we understand the workings of karma!

As for karma and vikarma, it is practically impossible to be able to tell if we are presently enjoying a reaction to something from a previous lifetime, something done in the past such as earlier in the day, last week, last year or even our childhood; something done in the present (virtually an immediate reaction, "instant karma"); or whether the effect will be held over – even into a future lifetime.

Often it can be very confusing. For instance, let's say a good Samaritan driving to Church stops to help a motorist who appears to have broken down, only to beaten up and robbed. A lot of people would think it makes no sense, making this world is unfair and meaning that there is no God. Well, these things happen without any apparent 'justice' because we don't understand what karma or vikarma is coming back from abeyance, which is being held over, and which is being created for the future; or which is "instant karma" (in this case none).

We have no idea when the results of all our pious impious activities will end, when 'our luck will run out', indeed how or when we will die - either meeting it accidentally, tragically or peacefully. But one thing is sure. We all have more than enough karma to force us to be reborn over and over again because we never stop accumulating it!

[Definitions of karma are as found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad Gita]