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The word KARMA has two meanings in my mind. One is ACTION, and the other
is the doctrine of Karma - the theory that postulates that we are
accountable for our acts.
I am not clear what you mean when you say 'mans karmas are decided by
his actions'. It seems to me that you are using the word 'karma' here to
mean the circumstances or the situations that a man finds himself under
(the Hindi word is Paristiti). In effect, if I am right, your question,
if rephrased, would be :
Are every one of the situations or circumstances a man finds himself
under predestined.
I don't KNOW how these circumstances are decided, or whether they are
decided at all, but I do know that all prominent Indian schools of
thought (like Advaita, Buddhism etc.) that postulate the Karma theory do
NOT equate man's circumstances with PREDESTINATION. They are unambiguous
on that count. If they did postulate predestination, there would be no
point is their talking of Realisation or Truth (SAT), for only certain
people would then be predestined to attain 'Nirvana' or realisation. All
the prominent schools of Indian thought hold that any man can attain
Nirvana. If anything at all comes close to predestination in Indian
thought, it is the view that ultimately everyone has to realise his true
self (Nirvana).
Karma theory (according to Advaita) is based on two principles :
- identity
- accountablity
If you act on the basis of your notion of limited self, you are
accountable for those actions. In effect, an act has a consequence for
the doer, and he reaps according to what he sows. He is at all times
FREE to choose what he sows. Karma is no longer an operative principle
once you realise your true identity (TAT TVAM ASI, or Thou Art That).
That realization frees you from the consequences of your acts because
you are no longer the limited 'you', but have realized your true nature.
Buddhists call this state Nirvana.
Please note that no dominant Indian thought talks in terms of SIN and
VIRTUE, and especially not in terms of the 'ORIGINAL SIN'. According to
them, you are solely accountable for your deeds. Hence, a man can be
liberated by himself, without the need of an external God or His grace
or kindness or mercy. Man, especially according to Advaita and Buddhism,
is capable of, and solely responsible for, realising the Truth (SAT).
Realisation of his true nature frees man of this bondage of CAUSE AND
EFFECT. In effect, not only is man the sole agent in the Karmic theory,
he is also the entity solely responsible for and capable of transcending
it.
I think this is a very fine theory. Causality seems to be apparent in
our lives. Even a scientist believes that there must be an explanation
for the observed phenomenon, a theory which can account for it and
explain it. The belief in the cause for an observed effect is
practically universal. The beauty of the Karma theory, in my point of
view, lies in the fact that it does not perceive man as a slave or a
weak thing, or , as the other great religions of the world like Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam do, a sinful being needing redemption by the
grace of God. The thoery, by making man accountable, also frees him from
depending on any external entity like God, or his attributes like Grace,
Mercy, Kindness etc. It is a theory, I believe, for the strong-minded.
For those who want to believe that they are sinful, that they can only
be saved by the grace of God etc., I would say choose some doctrine to
guide you through life.
Ref. : Indian Philosophy by S.Radhakrishnan
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