Karma

Karma,

Sanskrit term (not the **kama** of the kama sutra!), literally meaning action...

I have stolen this from a google search of Karma (which i did proof read, and thought explained quiet well):

//Karma embraces a universal law, and applied individually, is the debt to oneself. This law is locked into the process of Reincarnation. In any life, Karma is derived from inappropriate actions that are out of synchronization with ones' purpose. The Universe demands balance, so if we do not resolve this Karma, various experiences will occur, either in this lifetime or subsequent lifetimes, that eventually forces us to embrace the resulting effect in which we can resolve the debt. -// [|http://home.att.net/~ag2kh/KarmaExp.htm]

Karma is the cause of rebirth and is of the utmost importance to Hindu soteriology:[1]good actions leads to good and bad to bad: In the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad there is a conversation between Yajnavalkya and Artabhaga, who asks his learned friend what happens after death. Yajnavalkya’s reply is of the utmost secrecy, so moving away from others, he says: ‘ “Arhabhaga, my friend, take my hand. We two only will know about this. We must not [speak of] this in public.” So they went away and discussed it. What they said was //karma//. A man becomes good (//punya//) by good //karma//, evil by evil //karma//. Thereupon Artabhaga held his peace.’[2]

[1]Flood, Gavin, //An Introduction to Hinduism//, p 86 [2] BU, 3.2.13, quoted from Zaehner, R.C., //Hinduism,//p 60

The doctrine of transmigration of the soul, or fateful retribution for acts committed, does not appear in the [|Rig Veda].[|[1]] The concept of karma appeared in Hindu thought during the period 800-200 BC and became widespread during the period considered as "Classical Hinduism" 200 BC - 1100 AD.

There are three types of karma in Hinduism:
 * 1) [|sanchita karma], the sum total of past karmas yet to be resolved;
 * 2) [|prarabdha karma], that portion of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in this life; and
 * 3) [|kriyamana karma], the karma that humans are currently creating, which will bear fruit in future.

From our best friend Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Hinduism#_note-1