________________
PRACTICE OF KARMA YOGA
Every act produces in the performer a double effect, one in the inner nature in the form of a tendency, good or bad, and the other in the form of fruit, reward or punishment. The past Karma influences the present life in two ways, first in the form of character or tendency internally and as fate externally. If you do an action, it creates a Samskara or subtle impression in the subconscious mind or Chitta. The Samskara causes a tendency. Tendency develops into a habit by repetition of the actions. The habit manifests as character. Character develops into destiny. This is the order: Samskara, tendency, habit, character, and destiny.
The faculty of choosing is termed will. This will is free by its own nature. Man has a free will by his birthright. It asserts itself at every moment of our lives Bear in mind that every small act that you perform is the resultant of triple cojoint forces, viz., freewill, character and fate. The sphere of activity varies according to the nature of your Karma and the character formed by it If you have done virtuous actions in your previous birth and if you have developed an examplary character, your will will have a wider field of activity and vice versa.
Determinism is the doctrine that all things, including the will, are determined (limited) by causes. This is the converse of free will. It is otherwise known as necessitarianism. Man has power to choose between the alternatives which fate brings before
188
