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30
Hermann Kuhn
Yet by action the Tattvarthasutra does not only mean the movement of living beings or matter, but also some kind of 'interactive field' that all action creates inside and around living beings. This 'interactive field' is shaped by our intentions, motives, desires and the emotional content and 'drive' with which we conduct our individual actions.
The Tattvarthasutra unites all mechanisms that influence this interactive field under the heading 'karma'.
Now, in the last twenty years the word 'Karma' acquired a somewhat dubious meaning in the Western hemisphere. It is usually attributed with a nebulous feeling of revenge of past actions, or guilt stored for future incarnations and often serves as a convenient justification of bad luck or inadequate planning.
Nevertheless - the fact that this word has been misunderstood and misused in the West has nothing to do with the validity, clarity and impact of the original concept of karma as the ancient Indian scripture of the Tattvarthasutra describes it.
This ancient Indian concept has no intention whatsoever to chain us to events of former incarnations as the vague Western understanding falsely assumes. And - in refreshing contrast to many esoteric assumptions - the karmic mechanisms neither contain any mystery or secrets, nor need they be a negative load on our life.
The striving for fulfillment (manifestation, realization) of values and ideas originating deep within us, is one of the fundamental characteristics of our existence. We want our actions to bear fruits, we want to experience these fruits and we usually have quite real ideas, what these fruits should look like. When we e.g. strive to acquire a special, uncommon ability, we generally have a clear picture of the rewards we intend to reap - more social recognition, more con
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