Science of Karma

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Dada Bhagwan Foundation

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The Science of Karma
what is he charging within? The bhaav karma of 'I would not give even a single paisa....., the consequence of this karma he will experience in his next life. In his next life he will not be able to donate even a single paisa! This is the subtle karma, which is the cause for next life effect. The donation made in this life was an effect. Now who can understand something so subtle?
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On the other hand a poor man is asked to make a contribution for the same charity, and his response is that he has only five rupees with him, which they can have. He further tells them that he would donate five lakh rupees without any hesitation if he had that kind of money. He is sincere about this. His donation of five rupees is the discharge of karma created in his past life, but what does he charge subtly? A karma where in his next life he will be able to donate five lakh rupees when this karma comes into fruition.
A person may appear to be a generous donor on the outside, making a lot of donations to religious causes, may appear to be very active in religious activities, while on the inside he may be scheming to take money which does not rightfully belong to him.
This person's visible action is an effect and for it he will receive praise here in this life. He has created a new life of misery for himself for the causes, which exist within him. Donations, charitable deeds etc., are all visible karma, the benefits of which are reaped in this life. People believe that these visible karmas are the charge karma for the next life. In fact, it is the subtle karma, happening within, that are charge karma and these will come into fruition in the next life.
If a person were to steal today, his action of stealing would be the visible karma. The fruit of this karma will be there in this
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lifetime; he will be disgraced and punished. All visible karmas are simply an effect and there is no cause in that which is visible. Only subtle karma, otherwise known as inner intent, is of importance. The whole world however, strives to change the visible karma, by focusing on acts and behavior.
The monks and ascetics, who practice meditation and penance etc, do so because of their effect karma. There is no cause karma in these outer acts of theirs. Their actions today is their karma effect, the fruits of which they will experience in this life when people give them credit for their penance.
Actions Do Not Charge: Intentions Do
When these religious teachers do pratikraman, samayik, or give lectures, their conduct is their effect karma. It is the internal charging that is important. Their conduct today is all a discharge, of charge of past life. Their entire external conduct is in the form of discharge. When people say that they did meditation or gave alms, they will reap the rewards of these actions in their present lifetime, but of what use is this for their next life? One may be doing samayik externally, but only God knows what is going on internally.
A man is doing samayik (introspective meditation) when someone calls for him at the door. The wife answers the door. She is asked where the husband is. The wife tells his visitor, He has gone to the trash dumping ground." The man overhears this conversation and upon introspection he finds that his wife is correct. Internally he was indeed meditating and visiting bad places. This is the causal karma, while on the outside he is doing samayik-an effect karma. It would be acceptable to be doing samayik internally even though externally it would not be evident.