Karma in the Context of Indian Civilization

Abstract

This academic article examines the concept of karma in the context of Indian civilization to examine the differences in the concept of karma from three major Indian religions: Brahmanism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The results of the study found that the Vedic Brahman religion believed that all karma depended on the gods as the inspirer. Karma in this era was therefore linked to worship and strictly following the caste duties specified in the Vedas. Later, in the Upanishad scriptures, the concept of Saṃsāra and the performance of sacrifices that must go hand in hand with good deeds and purification began to appear. Jainism and Buddhism, which are atheistic religions, accept good and bad karma that occurs through the body, speech, and mind. However, Jainism places the greatest importance on physical karma, called Kāyadaṇḍa, while Buddhism sees mental karma, or manokarma, as the most important. Jainism's liberation comes from the practice of asceticism, which consists of six internal and six external austerities. Buddhism emphasizes the practice of the Middle Way, which is the Noble Eightfold Path. However, due to the limitations in the practices and doctrines of the three religions, there are some differences, which have resulted in the spread of religious ideas and principles being different.