Karma and Dharma

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Karma and Dharma are often used the same way, but they are not the same thing. Karma is the result of what we have done, what we are doing, and what we will do. Dharma is righteous life, a set of rules for how to live. Dharma can also be translated as religion or a set of beliefs.

What does Dharma mean?

The word Dharma comes from the root word ‘Dhri,’ which means to act. In Buddhism, the word Dharma or Dhamma can also mean “one who holds.” Dharma is both a theory and an ethical or moral way to live. It is thought that if you live your life in line with your Dharma, you will be happy and healthy. Dharma, which can also be translated as “truth,” is the way to freedom. It is the basis for how a good person lives. As a set of rules, it uses both a moral code and mental discipline. Dharma is everything that keeps a religious society together, stops chaos, and keeps people from doing or hanging out with people who are bad for them.

Dharma includes religious practises and responsibilities like being honest, not being violent, and following the four ashramas. People think that following their dharma will bring them closer to God, bring them material wealth, and bring them spiritual happiness. It gives people happiness, peace, power, safety, and a calm mind.

What is Karma?

Karma is the seed of action. It is an idea that both causes action and decides the outcome of the action. There are different kinds of karma based on the time of an action, its morality, and the karma of a person, a group, a family, or a country. Karma can be good or bad depending on what you value. Bad or negative karma is any action that hurts oneself or others, and it is thought that the soul will suffer the same fate. In the same way, helping other people is good karma and brings back the same effects. But it is said that karma has a time limit, even though it may work over many lives. In fact, people who are not yet awakened think that karma is the reason they are born and die.

There are three types of karma based on when the action was done: 

Prarabdha, Sanchita, and Agami. These three types are based on whether the action has been done and is already having an effect, hasn’t been done yet, or is going to be done.

The effects of Prarabdha karma are already happening, and they can’t be stopped.

Sanchita Karma is a thought or feeling that hasn’t yet turned into action or grown up. Sanchita karma can be stopped before it happens through spiritual practises and doing dharma.

Agami karma is the one we still have to do or show.

The Differences Between Dharma and Karma

We usually think of someone who gives justice when we think of God or godliness. So, the most common question is why bad things happen to good people.

“Karma and dharma go hand in hand,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living and a spiritual leader. “Karma is always dynamic, in that there is awareness and there is action. Karma is the action, how it makes people feel, and how it turns out. It has three parts: the action that isn’t happening yet, the action that is happening, and the action’s root, or cause. All three of these things are true. Being aware of dharma helps you understand how karma works in its strange ways.

If you see someone with bad karma or in pain, you must help them. Your duty is to do that. If you don’t do your job, you’ll get bad karma because you didn’t do what you should have. Use your dharma to break free from the bonds of fate and stop getting stuck on things or people.

Karma is also always limited by time, because every action has a limited response. If you do something nice for someone, they will come to you and thank you. They will be thankful as long as they feel the effects of what you did, but not forever. The way we think about pain and what is good and bad is always different. God is not something that relativity can explain. He is the total truth, or Sarva Sakshi, and he is a witness to everything that is.

While karma is a deed that can be good or bad, dharma is a moral path that karma should follow to bring good things to the person who follows it. Dharma says that people should not lie or steal, that they should pray, that they should help others and do good works, and so on. Living by one’s dharma, on the other hand, is thought to create harmony within oneself and in society. Karma, on the other hand, forms bonds that lead to suffering.

Ancient books also talk about nishkama karma and sakam karma, which are types of karma in which dharma is a big part.

Nishkam karma is when we do something without thinking about how it will make us feel or what it will give us. Dharma says that if you want to live a happy life, you need to follow nishkam karma.

Sakam karma is an action that is done with the goal of what it will lead to in mind. From the point of view of dharmic philosophy, this means that Sakam karma is less acceptable than Nishkam karma.

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