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Karma Essay

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Karma Essay
Karma Essay: Sikhism, Hinduism, and Buddhism
Have you ever heard someone say “what goes around comes around?” Many religions believe in Karma. Karma means a deed or an act. The three major religions that believe in Karma are Sikhism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. These three religions share somewhat the same views and beliefs on Karma. These three religions believe that human beings spend their time in a cycle of birth, life, and rebirth. Every mainstream religion teaches us about the consequences of our actions. The explanations may differ, but does it really matter in the end whether the law of karma causes us trouble or God himself in his final judgment?
Sikhs believe that everything happens in Hukam. Hukam is a supreme command. In Sikhism there are two types of Karma, Dukrit Karma, and Sukrit Karma. Dukrit Karma is the thinking against Hukam. On the other hand Sukrit Karma is to walk in Hukam. A person may only think against Hukam, but could not act against it. The actions that are going around the world are all in Hukam, whether they are good or bad. As Guru Nanak Dev Ji has quote “Hukmey andar sab hai. Bahr Hukam na koye” (http://www.srigranth.org). This is the reason why Gurbani says there is no sin, no virtue. Sikhs do not believe in heaven or hell. The quality of each particular life depends on the law of Karma. Karma sets the quality of a life according to how well or badly an individual behaved in their previous life. The only way an individual can get out of this cycle is to achieve a total knowledge of and union with god. In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib states “Karam dharti sarir jug antar jo bovai so khat” (http://www.srigranth.org). This quote means the body is the field of Karma in this age, whatever you plant you shall harvest. The Karma of past actions, the role of this physical body is obtained, by his grace, the gate of liberation is found. Without doing good deeds a mortal will have to suffer and face the consequences of their actions. For every



Bibliography: Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/Hinduism>. "BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network." BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network. Web. 01 June 2012. <http://www.buddhanet.net/>. "Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World 's Religions." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World 's Religions. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.religionfacts.com/>. "View on Buddhism: (Tibetan) Buddhist Practice and Philosophy." View on Buddhism: (Tibetan) Buddhist Practice and Philosophy. Web. 01 June 2012. <http://viewonbuddhism.org/>. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.srigranth.org/>.

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