Karma is a Sanskrit term for the law of cause and effect, or “As you sow, so shall you reap” as mentioned in the Bible. For every good or positive action, a good or positive result will occur; for every bad or negative action, a bad or negative result will occur. Right actions are those which create good karma; bad actions create bad karma. It is known in physics as the law of compensation or balance or equilibrium. In jurisprudence it is the law of justice.
All great religions talk about the laws of karma and reincarnation. These laws have been created to protect the order of society and the well-being of all the creatures of the universe. Everything in the Cosmos is subject to the law of cause and effect—every person, animal, fish, insect, plant, mineral, etc. There are no exceptions to this principle. If we respect these cosmic laws, then they will protect us from experiencing lower levels of existence.
Three Kinds of Karma
There are three kinds of karma recognized by the Masters. The first is called prarabdh karma, which means ‘fate karma’. It is that which has been earned in one or more previous lives, and upon which this present life is based. This sort of karma the individual must pay off during this life. (S)he must live it out to the full extent. There is no escape from it, not even if one is initiated by a living Master. Read more