Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Kiersten. Kiersten Wonders, “Is karma real” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Kiersten!
What goes around comes around. You reap what you sow. These common sayings have been around for years, but is there any truth to them?
These sayings are similar to a concept in many Eastern religions. It’s known as karma. In Sanskrit, karma means “action.” Karma is connected to the cycle of rebirth or reincarnation.
Each person builds their karma through intentional actions. This includes physical actions, words, and even thoughts. It does not include accidents. Things that aren’t done on purpose don’t affect karma.
Karma then determines the experiences a person has in life. In other words, actions have consequences. Good actions will lead to good consequences. On the other hand, bad actions will lead to bad consequences.
Different religions look at karma in different ways. For example, people who practice Hinduism believe in a supreme being. This being is the creator of karma. People then determine their own destinies based on the good and bad karma they build.
In Buddhism, though, there’s no supreme being involved. Instead, karma is seen as a law of nature. It’s a property of the universe. There’s no intervention by a supreme being or anyone else.
Do you believe in karma? It’s impossible to prove or disprove. After all, the consequences of our actions don’t always show up in a timely manner. The more time passes, the more difficult it is to connect consequences back to actions.
Still, most people know that treating others well can lead to strong friendships and happiness. On the other hand, mistreating people often leads to hard feelings and unhappiness.
That’s why many people connect karma to the Golden Rule. Do you treat others the way you’d like to be treated? If so, you may also be building good karma!
Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.W.3, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2
