Karma and Samsara
The belief in Karma and Samsara form the basis for the Hindu's religious worldview. It has been central to Hinduism for thousands of years, and as a result forms a major part in the philosophical thinking of many Hindu's today. The ideas of Karma and Samsara are evident in almost all of the great Hindu scriptures, being touched on in the Veda's, but first properly introduced in the Upanishads. When the idea of Samsara was first introduced it led to a quest for liberation through the practice of austerity or meditation or both. To be released form this life the Hindu's needed to wipe out the effects of their past actions or Karma. It is this set of beliefs that formed the background of many of Hindu's religious movements and beliefs.Karma is the belief according to which a person's future life is determined by past and present actions. Every action, bodily, intellectual or ethical, good or bad, big or small will have its effect. Nothing other than the effects of earlier actions has determined the present state of affairs and nothing other than the present actions will determine the future circumstances. The law of Karma allows no room for chance or divine intervention as everything is inevitably determined by it. The Brharda
Koller, John M. 1982. The Indian Way. U.S: Macmillan Publishing. Fredrick, Paul. 1975. Karma: Rhythmic return to harmony. U.S: Quest Books. The Bhagavad Gita (probably composed in third or fourth century B.C.E)(Zaehner 1966:78) marks a dramatic turning point in Hinduism. The gita accepts both the Vedic and Upanishad ways and draws some elements from both, but for the first time a totally new element appears in Hindu spirituality, in the love of god for man, and the love of man for God. The Gita personalises Brahman through the god Krishna who is the supreme lord of self, the doer and knower, and stresses the fact that devotion to Krishna is the best way to break the cycle of Samsara and gain Moksha so as to become part of the divine.
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Approximate Word count = 1350
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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