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(18) The belief in karma is the basis of the karmic system. Those who hold this belief are called reincarnationists. Two schools of thought on the theory of karma:
There are two schools of thought among these karma theorists. One school of thought is that rebirth and the afterlife are inevitable as a result of karma, but for a superior world and a superior birth, karma must also be superior. Their conception of a superior world is limited to heaven. They believe in the three goals of life: dharma, artha, and kama. In their view, moksha has no place as a goal of life. Therefore, they are called tripurushartha-vadis.
The essence of these tripurushartha-vadi thinkers is that the fruit of good deeds is heaven and the fruit of bad deeds is hell, etc. This dharma and adharma are called punya-papa or adrishta, and through them the cycle of birth-rebirth, heaven-hell continues. Its destruction is not possible, but it is possible that if one wants to attain a superior world and superior happiness, then one should perform the dharma purushartha. Adharma-papa is to be avoided and dharma-punya is to be adopted. Their belief in dharma and adharma is that socially acceptable good conduct is dharma and reprehensible conduct is adharma. Therefore, one should behave in a refined manner for the sake of social order. This school of thought became famous by the name of pravartanadharma. Wherever pravartanadharma is mentioned, it is indicative of the views of these tripurushartha-vadi thinkers. They are known as Brahman-marg, Mimamsaka or Karmakandi.
On the contrary, the views of the other supporters of the karma-tattva-vadis are stated...