A number of doctrines of ‘karma’ have been provided by different scholars. Some of the significant doctrines are discussed below:
1. Doctrine of Manu:
In India, ‘Manusmriti’ was printed for the first time in 1913 A.D. in Calcutta. Manu holds the view that all types of action (karma) are the results of mind, body and speech. Good actions produce good effects and bad actions produce evil effects. According to Manu, to think or desire bad of others, the feeling to have things of others and the feeling to disbelief towards the next world or the world to come are connected with mind. Therefore, such types of action are called sinful actions (papakarma).
To obtain wealth of others through unfair means and to have illicit relationship with other women are connected with body. Such types of actions are, therefore called physical sinful actions. Thus Manu says, all types of actions ensue from mind, body and speech. According to Manu as a result of bad actions or sinful actions ensuring from speech in the earlier life, man is born as a bird or animal. Similarly he is born as Sudra (chandal) as a result of bad actions of mind.
Manu has also mentioned the types of action. According to him there are three types of action.
(1) Sattvic actions refer to the study of Vedas, acquiring knowledge, control over senses, religious activities etc.
(2) The Rajasic actions are characterised by impatience, sensuality etc. and
(3) Greed and cruelty are the Tamasic actions.
2 Doctrine of Yajnavalkya:
The name of Yajnavalkya is prominent among the thinkers who believe that man’s attainment of ‘Dharma’ or ‘Adharma’ is due to the accumulation of actions. The positions or conditions which arises out of the consequences of accumulation of actions have been divided into three categories such as:
(i) Birth in high and low caste,
(ii) Attainment of long or short life and
(iii) Getting of happiness or misery.
Good actions enable man to take birth in high family and live happily for a long period of time. On the contrary, he is born in a low family and gets misery and short life as a result of bad actions. Therefore, man should accumulate such actions which will qualify him to take birth in high and noble family, long life and happiness. According to Yajnavalkya, Dharma is nothing but the performance of good actions.
3. Doctrine of Shukranitisar:
Shukranitisar maintains that man’s present life is the result of the actions performed by him in his earlier life. Thus, the present human life conditions of individuals are based on fate and human actions. Human actions may be classified into two categories, such as, the actions which have been performed in the present life and the actions which have been performed in earlier life or birth. These two types of actions determine the present conditions of the man’s life. This doctrine holds the view that man should endeavour in the best possible manner to perform noble actions to achieve progress in life and to change his circumstances.
4. Doctrine of Patanjali-Yoga Sutra:
Patanjali believes that illiteracy is the root cause of all miseries. Illiteracy does not mean lack of knowledge but it means untruthfulness and false knowledge. Patanjali has mentioned four kinds of illiteracy, such as ‘Asmati’, ‘Raga’, ‘Dvesha’ and ‘Abhinivesha’. Due to ‘Asmati’ one gives too much significance to one’s own self. ‘Raga’ produces inclination towards the enjoyment of wordly things. ‘Abhinivesha’ causes fear of death in man and love of life. Bad actions may be interpreted as the results of these four categories of illiteracies Therefore, man must dispal these illiteracies so as to keep himself aloof from various miseries of life.
Therefore, Patanjali holds that the only way to make man free from the cycle of death and birth is to acquire knowledge. Therefore, according to Patanjali, when man performs action keeping in view to gain its result, he cannot make himself free from the cycle of birth and death. Only those persons who perform actions without desiring to achieve its result and renounce their right over it, enable themselves for the attainment of salvation.
It is believed in Jainism that soul can attain liberation through the strict observance of the precepts of the Jains. The precepts act as the medium, through which the soul can be relieved from the bondage of karma. The Jainism believes that the innate tendency of man determines his bodily structure.
The actions and sanskaras of the previous life determine man’s present existence. This philosophy also recognises the soul (Jiva) and non-soul (Ajiva). When the soul is associated with ‘karma’, it becomes active. It becomes free from ‘karmas’ only if it reaches the stage of perfection. Every person should be conscious of the nature of actions he is performing or likely to perform. He should not commit any violence which hinders his Nirvana or salvation.
According to Buddhism, the present life is due to the result of action of the previous life. All sufferings in the present life may be attributed to the greedy desires of man. As long as desire haunts man, he is compelled to perform ‘karma’. All sorts of ‘karma’, whether good or bad, causes continued existence. The good action causes re-birth in a world of peace and happiness. On the contrary the bad actions give rebirth in the world of sufferings.
Therefore, man who is indulging himself will not be able to get rid of the cycle of birth and rebirth. Hence, in order to bring his existence to an end, he should get rid of all kinds of ‘karmas’, good or bad. This is possible through complete destruction of the pre- dispositions. Buddhism holds “By ‘karma’ the world exists, by ‘karma’, mankind exists. Beings are bound by ‘karma’ as the linchpin of a chariot which keeps the chariot on.”
7. Doctrine of Vedanta Philosophy:
According to this philosophy, ‘karma’ occupies the prominent and central position in human life. Man’s acquisition of body is attributed only to the actions or ‘karma’.
According to this doctrine, ‘karma’ can be divided into three categories:
1. Accumulated action (Sanchit Karma)
2. Destined action (Prarabdha Karma) and
3. Accumulating action (Sanchaiman Karma)
Accumulated ‘Karmas’, are the actions accumulated in previous life. Destined ‘Karma’, means the actions which a man committed in the past and whose result he is facing in the present life. Accumulating karma means those new actions which are accumulating in the present life and the result of which will be due in the next life to come.
According to this doctrine the soul has to face compulsory results of distinct actions. A stage of bondage ensues from the action which is performed on the other hand when he performs actions disinterestedly and acquires knowledge he enables himself to attain salvation.
8. Doctrine of Karmayoga:
The highest esoteric explanation of karma is found in Gita. Gita laid down two principal ways of realizing God such as:
(i) Sankhyayoga and
In Sankhyayoga, the man regards all objects unreal and establishes identity with all prevailing God On the contrary, in ‘karmayoga’, the individual makes no difference between success and failure. He also renounces attachment with the desire for fruits. According to Gita “man does not attain freedom from action without entering upon action, nor does he reaches perfection merely by renunciation of action.”
In real terms, no one can remain inactive even for a moment. This is because maintenance of one’s body depends upon action. Thus in reality the doctrine of ‘karmayoga’ does not persuade individuals for renunciation of actions. It only tells us that action must be performed in all circumstances without having attachment and fruit. Since it is impossible to abandon all actions completely, it is preached that he who casts aside the desire of the fruit of action, has truly renounced. Hence, Gita preaches that man should perform his action, relinquishing attachment to its fruits.