Karma: A myth?

If there were to be a round table discussion on the topic "karma", it would be a very long and argumentative one as it is a very broad and deep topic. The ratio of those who do not believe in this ideology is greater than that of those who do,as judged by a recent Twitter poll.

Karma is simply a result of a person's actions in the present life and in the previous state of existence. Many people think karma is just a tool which religion uses to keep humans in check as to how they act towards each other. Others believe it's nonexistent because they've seen people get away with their evil deeds. And there are some who totally believe in it and it guides their decisions and how they relate with people.

Karma has no roots in religion as I learnt from my research that it is a Buddhist and Hindu ideology. Buddhism is a tradition rather than a religion, as Buddhists are atheists; they don't believe in God. They believe that religion is nothing but a distraction for humans seeking enlightenment. Karma is likened to agriculture, you reap what you sow. When you invest into bad deeds,you'd reap bad results and vice versa.

Karma is as a result of past actions. It means the reason one may be suffering in the present life is as a result of how he/she made someone suffer in the past life. How does this even make sense when no one even knows or believes they have a past life? An example of when a Buddha's cousin tried to kill him with a stone and he missed but it hurt his leg was because in the Buddha's past life, he killed his step brother.

If we're to believe this ideology of "our actions determine the future", why then do good people suffer? Why do people who go about their lives with good intentions encounter problems? Can it still be called karma when all they do is good? These are questions that stir different reactions.

This leads us to destiny. If we're to follow the Buddhist on this topic,it means one is predestined to suffer because he/she made others suffer in the past life that they're totally unaware of. 

This is a dicey topic that leaves you lost at some point. One minute,you're trying to understand the idea of karma and the next minute,you're trying to pick your stance on it.

Karma is basically a tool used to keep the world in check,and that's why we have what's called a conscience. Having a conscience is what makes you have belief in karma as you're very conscious of how you treat people;and the only reason we act good towards others is so that we get it back in return,one way or the other. If people are told that they won't reap rewards of their actions,they would go about treating their fellow humans the way they please.

As for those who do not believe in this ideology, they live based on what they feel is right. They don't feel their actions today would guarantee getting kind gestures and fair treatment from life in future. They're the ones who do things because it's right and not because they want the same turnover. They treat you based on their idea of what's right and most especially, what's convenient for them.

Now you're wondering where I stand. I'm with you on that. I don't know where I stand too.

If karma really exists,then why haven't our glaringly evil leaders had a plane crash or fallen off a podium and broken their necks. Why haven't they fallen ill and died or died in their sleep? Why haven't they been involved in accidents that would take their lives?

Those people whom were victims of earthquakes and war,is it as a result of their undoing in the past life too? Did toddlers who are raped by pedophiles also do bad or rape someone in their past life? Why do bad things happen to good people and why do the evil ones go unpunished if there's karma?

These questions have remained without answers for as long as they've existed in our minds,and until we find adequate answers, karma remains a myth.