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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: F.A.Q. 2
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Karma and Reincarnation QUESTION: Is the belief in Karma and Reincarnation an essential aspect of Yogic Teaching?ANSWER: Yes. However, it must be stated from the beginning that this is not a mere belief but a science based on facts of experience. As we shall presently demonstrate, Karma and Reincarnation represent two aspects of the same reality which is verifiable by both scientific research and rational analysis. Those who are incognizant of Yogic principles, often are under the erroneous impression that Yoga is somehow less coherent and systematic an enterprise than official science. On closer examination however, Yoga proves to be perfectly logical and practical and thus scientific. As a scientific system, Yoga bases its teachings on three universally accepted criteria of knowledge, which are recognised by the vast majority of Mankind. These criteria are, in order of importance:
The first and most important of these is Personal Experience, that is, knowledge acquired directly, either (a) through the senses (Pratyaksha, lit., what is perceived with one's own eyes) or (b) by the extrasensory means, commonly referred to as Intuition, Spiritual Intelligence or Insight (Pratibha). The second is the sphere of knowledge acquired by oneself through Reason or Logical Inference. The third is that form of knowledge which is acquired neither directly nor internally but indirectly and extraneously - from sources other than oneself. To this we may count traditional customs and lore in general but, more specifically, scriptural authority and the teachings of one's Spiritual mentor, that is, Reliable Testimony.
The Yogic Perspective Although Karma and Reincarnation are commonly held to lie outside the sphere of experience of ordinary people, they nonetheless constitute facts of personal experience in the case of genuine Yogis or advanced practisers of Yoga who as a rule have the capacity to recollect at least fragments of previous lives. (The term previous life must be understood to include here all forms of existence whether terrestrial or extraterrestrial, embodied or disembodied, that predate what is commonly considered as a living entity's current conception or manifestation.) The fact that many people appear not to be in possession of this capacity does in no way diminish or invalidate the experience of those who are. The Yogis' experience by itself suffices to fulfil the first and most important criterion of knowledge (Personal Experience) as defined above, in the same way as scientific research suffices to demonstrate scientific facts to the scientific community.
A Scientific View Yoga is a Science in its own right. Indeed, it is superior to Conventional Science in many respects. Yoga, therefore, is in no need of concording with Conventional Science. However, explaining Yogic teachings in scientific terms has the advantage of making these teachings more accessible to those who are scientifically minded. We shall therefore briefly approach the subject from the second level (Reason or Rational Analysis), in terms that are acceptable to most branches of Western Science. Thus we may observe that the literal meaning of the word Karma is action. However, given that every action or activity is known to produce a particular reaction, result, or effect, Karma has the secondary, implied meaning of effect. Karma, therefore, stands for both the actions performed by a person or Karma proper, and their effect, technically known as Karma-phala. Everything we do whether mentally (thoughts, feelings), verbally (words spoken) or physically (physical actions) has an effect on, and elicits a response from, the object of our actions. For instance, if we sufficiently pollute the environment as to create major disturbances in the Planet's ecological system, we ourselves will eventually suffer the effects of our own actions; if we produce and consume food that is poor in essential nutrients or is physically or chemically contaminated, our health will sooner or later be affected; if we entertain unnatural or negative thoughts and feelings, this will similarly affect our mental balance and well-being, and so on. Negative Karma is the result of negative actions and Positive Karma is the result of positive actions. This, in short, constitutes the so-called Law of Cause and Effect which, far from being mere belief is an undeniable fact of experience. The same Law, the validity of which may be scientifically established through systematic observation of facts, requires that a particular action lead to a particular result or effect unless the effect of the said action be modified or even altogether cancelled by an equal or stronger opposite action or force. For example, environmental, physical or mental balance and health may be restored if and when, adequate, powerful and immediately effective measures to that end are taken. Having thus demonstrated the reality of Karma as a determinant factor in everyday life, we shall now see how it might be linked to past lives. If on the scientific principle that energy is never lost but merely assumes a different form, we admit that the human life-force or Soul continues to exist - perhaps in a somewhat modified form - even after death, we must also logically accept that the person (or individual entity) concerned continues to be affected by the results of actions performed by him during his embodied existence, separation from the physical body being insufficient to cancel the natural effect of such actions. Thus the Law of Karma or Cause and Effect may well continue to have a bearing on a future existence, terrestrial or otherwise, allowing for the altered circumstances in each case. Having admitted the logical possibility and even probability of life after death, if from the scientific premise that life is an ongoing process of evolution, of development from simple to complex life-forms, from lower to higher forms of intelligence, we further infer that a disembodied living entity - or Soul - continues to evolve even after death, we must also logically accept the possibility that the above mentioned process of evolution may - at least in some cases - require the return of the Soul to embodied, terrestrial life. If, on the other hand, as a result of Yogic practices a Soul has moved on to higher planes of existence, having reached the final phase of evolution, rebirth or Reincarnation may no longer be necessary except in such cases in which the larger scheme of the Universe would still require it. A fully Enlightened Being, for instance, may willingly take birth on the lower planes in order to assist less evolved Souls in their own Spiritual growth. Be that as it may, the fact remains that in the same way as many scientists believe - if not officially, at least privately - in life after death, a rising number of them are beginning to recognise Reincarnation, if not as a proven fact at least as a logically acceptable possibility.
Why Can't We Remember Past Lives? It hardly needs saying that, in the absence of any evidence to disprove Reincarnation, to deny its existence - or even possibility - would be illogical and unscientific. However, there still remains the doubt as to why no past lives are remembered by people in general. As it is a legitimate doubt, we shall now address it in some detail. Strictly speaking, the only relevant statement the opponents of Reincarnation can make is, "I do not remember existing before". But as this statement does: (a) not of itself constitute proof, it is incapable of establishing their position and as it: (b) amounts to an admission of ignorance, it destroys the whole basis of their argument. It is a fact of common-sense experience that absence of memory in respect of an object or event does not constitute proof of the latter's non-existence or non-occurrence. A person may not remember being born, yet he does not advance this as proof that he was not born. Moreover, the fact that we do not remember something now, does by no means imply that we will never remember it in the future. Indeed, every act of remembrance is preceded by a state of forgetfulness or non-remembrance which is expressed by a thought, or articulated statement, to the effect that, "I do not remember this or that". Yet remembrance of the object or event in question is invariably seen to arise at a subsequent point, it being only a matter of time before this occurs. In consequence, such a statement cannot be said to constitute decisive or final conclusion or proof. For there is no guarantee that remembrance will not arise in the future. Furthermore, as the statement "I do not remember" implies ignorance in respect of the object or event under discussion, it cannot form the basis of any meaningful enquiry into facts. The non-believer must, therefore, concede that his position is untenable and admit defeat. If he continues to hold on to his beliefs, he does so for no rational reason but only out of a sense of stubbornness. However, the aim of Yoga is not to demonstrate that non-Yogis are wrong. What Yoga wants to do is open people's eyes to a wider perspective of life. For this reason, the Yoga Masters offer a more positive interpretation of the "non-remembrance factor". Given that, as already observed, the statement, "I do not remember existing before" renders impossible any constructive discussion, it is suggested by the Yoga Masters - in their capacity of Masters of Spiritual Knowledge - that it be read as "I remember not existing before". This is a grammatically and logically legitimate reading that apart from expressing essentially the same idea, has the advantage of revealing the true meaning of what the non-believer in Reincarnation is saying. Above all, it will clearly constitute an admission of previous life, the words, "I remember", presupposing the speaker's existence at the time in question. Having obtained this admission, all we need to establish now is precisely who remembers what. The fact is that Spiritually untutored people ordinarily identify themselves with the physical body. In consequence, when speaking of themselves as "I", they mean above all the body as evidenced by numerous common expressions such as: "I am standing", "I have washed myself", "I am taller/thinner than you", etc. The statement, "I did not exist previously", is thus correct in so far as "I" refers to the current physical body which clearly did not exist before its present conception. As for the mind, it is an established fact that it often cannot even recall more recent events such as occurred in early childhood or for that matter the events in last night's dream, let alone what happened in a past life. It follows from the above, that only when we identify with the conscious Soul, are we in a position to make a valid statement on the subject of previous life. Indeed, the Soul, the higher intelligence in us which is aware of both body and mind, never says, "I did not exist" or "I cannot remember". This is why it is impossible for us to imagine that there was a time in the past at which we didn't exist or that such a time will come in the future. For this reason, most people believe in a life after the death of the physical body. However, if we accept the notion of an afterlife, there is no logical reason why we should reject the thought of a previous life. What is important to understand is that it is only the mind or thinking faculty who rejects previous life on the ground that it cannot remember. Yet since the Spiritually untrained mind can remember neither existing previously nor even coming into existence at a later stage, its capacity of recalling past events being either selective or altogether defective, it can hardly make a reliable witness. The situation does, of course, change dramatically when through the practice of Yoga we learn to identify with, and perceive reality from the perspective of, the higher intelligence of the conscious Soul. Thus the argument advanced by the opponents of Reincarnation is not only insufficient for the purposes of establishing their own position but, when correctly understood, does actually support ours. This illustrates how even a controversial subject like Reincarnation becomes crystal clear when illumined by the self-luminous light of Yogic Knowledge. The final answer as to why there usually is no remembrance of past existence is twofold. Firstly, because the active recollection of many lives would create confusion in the mind of an ordinary person who often finds even the events of a single life confusing enough and, secondly, because it would be unnecessary. The evolution process generally requires that a particular episode in one's existence be left behind as soon as it has discharged its function of advancing the individual's growth and development, in much the same way as food is eliminated from the physical body once its essential nutrients have been extracted by the digestive system. Even so, those who are sufficiently curious, can by means of certain Yogic techniques extend their capacity of remembrance beyond the current existence. However, we would like to warn all such persons that revived memories of past lives are not in all cases pleasant, harmless or even helpful to those concerned in the way they might expect them to be. We have now finally arrived at the third, and final criterion or level of knowledge: Testimony or Tradition. Recent scientific research has established that a number of people, in particular young children, can often remember aspects of previous lives which are verifiable on further investigation. (A fascinating, scholarly study of reported past-life memories may be found in a work by Ian Stevenson, M.D., entitled Where Reincarnation and Biology intersect - 1997.) Also, most religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, the Pagan Traditions of Ancient Europe, Africa and America, Judaism, original Christianity and some branches of Islam admit various forms of Reincarnation. The Yogic teaching of Reincarnation, therefore, must be admitted to fulfil all generally accepted criteria of knowledge, no further argumentation or proof being required.
Where do Souls come from? Western Religions, that is, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, maintain that God created the World some 6,000 (or 5,700) years ago. First, He created Earth along with plants and animals, after which He created the first man and woman. The human race descended from that original couple. This sounds straightforward enough. However, a little reflection will bring up a number of questions. The first human couple was animated by God breathing life into it. But how about the rest of humanity? Where did they get their Souls from? Does God breathe life into every newborn child? Are present-day Souls simply offshoots of the original couple? Or, is there a stock of Souls in heaven waiting to be born into this World? Western Scriptures are silent on this very important issue. The matter is complicated even further by biblical statements to the effect that the Sons of God mated with the daughters of Earth, giving birth to a race of Giants who, in ancient times, were great men of renown. Thus, before we have even begun to solve our first problem, the next question, or series of questions, immediately arises, namely, who were the "Sons of God" and the "Giants" and how are present-day humans related to them? By contrast, Eastern Faiths in particular Yoga, are very clear on this. It is admitted that there, indeed, was an original couple, usually known as Manu and his consort Manavi. However, Souls are, by definition, Spirit. Spirit is infinite and can produce any number of Souls. Indeed, as the Holy Scriptures of India declare, Creation is not a one-off event but an ongoing process. Says Scripture: "As from a well-blazing fire, sparks by the thousand issue forth, so from the Ever-Living One beings manifold are born and to Him, verily, they do return" (Mundaka Upanishad II 1:1). In consequence, the human Souls living on Earth may belong to one of four basic categories: (1) existing Souls who have previously lived on Earth in human form; (2) Souls who have previously lived on Earth in plant or animal form and have evolved into human beings; (3) Souls who have descended from higher, non-physical planes (to whom may belong the biblical "Sons of God"); these are of two kinds: Souls who have descended to Earth due to Spiritual regression, and highly evolved Souls who come down to Earth in order to carry out certain tasks in obedience to Divine Command; and (4) Souls who have recently been created.
How many Souls are there? One objection that occasionally arises in the mind of Spiritually untutored persons is: as the human population on Earth is ever growing, should this not have exhausted the total number of Souls? The answer is, by no means. The fact is that Planet Earth constitutes only a small fragment of the Physical Universe which in turn is a fraction of the Spiritual World. Man cannot even measure the Physical Universe, let alone the Non-Physical World. How then is he to know the total number of living Souls? We have shown above that there are various types of Souls, from Souls who have existed from the Creation of the World (which occurred millions of years ago) to Souls who have recently been created. Thus the notion of the World running out of Souls becomes patently redundant and is not even considered by those who are better acquainted with Spiritual facts. Even assuming, purely for the sake of argument, that the number of Souls were limited or fixed and that ordinary men knew what that number was, it would be absolutely essential to take into account the interval between a person's departure from, and return to, Earth. While highly advanced Souls may take centuries to return to Earth, ordinary people may be reborn after just a few months or years. When the World goes through a phase of Spiritual decline, this span may become even shorter. In such a case, it is quite possible, mathematically speaking, for even a fixed number of Souls to be reborn on Earth in seemingly rising numbers. However, as already stated, the number of Souls is not fixed. The problem of the World running out of Souls, therefore, does not arise except in the mind of the Spiritually ignorant.
Reincarnation vs. Resurrection It is customary among the adherents of Western religions to declare that a deceased person "has gone to heaven" or "is in heaven". This is evidently an emotional, instinctive statement. The problem with this is not so much that it is just a guess - as the speaker has no means of knowing - but that it actually contradicts official Church teachings. The official position of Western Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) is that when a person dies, he remains in his grave, in a state of sleep-like existence, till the End of the World. That Day is also known as Last Day or Day of Judgement. On that Last Day, God will physically resurrect, that is, bring back to life all the people who have died from the beginning of Creation, along with their original physical bodies. Says the Bible:"When man's breath departs, he returns to Earth" (Psalms 146:4). And the Quran: "On that Day, when men will hear the fateful cry, they will rise up from their graves" (50:41). They will then be judged by God and sent either to Heaven or to Hell where they will stay for ever. Some Christian denominations believe that certain Souls will go through a temporary state of suffering (Purgatory) in order to become fit for admission to Heaven. In general, however, the official Western view is that a large portion of Mankind will go straight to Hell with no hope of reprieve. Says the Quran: "They shall sigh with remorse, but shall never emerge from the Fire" (2:167). There is an obvious problem with this. Even in human society, imperfect though it may be, reformed criminals are sometimes pardoned. If we are expected to believe that the Western God is less compassionate and merciful than even human beings, the answer must be that we cannot believe in such a God. In Yoga, God is called Shiva precisely because He is the Supreme Principle of Goodness and the Embodiment of everything that is Good (Shivam). Apart from the obvious injustice of the above mentioned Church-promoted scenario, there are a number of other important problems that need urgent resolving. In defence of Resurrection, it is said in the Quran that God brings the dead back to life in the same way as He gives life to dead land through rain. However, rain can only give life to a place where it is already present in dormant form such as seeds, roots and the like. Rain certainly doesn't resurrect dead leaves and rotten trunks. Dead bones cannot be brought back to life just as rain alone won't bring a barren stone to life even in a million years. The same applies to decayed and rotten flesh. If anything, Nature's return to life in spring (or after rain) illustrates Reincarnation and not Resurrection. It is, after all, a recurring event whereas Resurrection only happens once. It would be odd, to say the least, to offer an account of a recurring event as an illustration for something that happens only once and then never again! The truth is that, in the same way as, year after year, a plant sheds its leaves to grow new ones, so also the human Soul sheds his physical body to acquire a new one with each Reincarnation or Rebirth. Says the Shiva Purana: "As a field flooded with water produces new shoots, so in the field of ignorance the seeds of past actions give birth to man: thousands in number are his bodies both future and past" (Vayaviya Samhita I 5, 53-54). This was the True Teaching which was known in the East long before the appearance of Western faiths. If Western faiths said, "God will give you new bodies", it would be a different matter. But if they say, "God will bring back to life your old, decayed and rotten bones", then we must ask: how will God do that when the bodies are no longer there? God has given us reason for us to use it and not to substitute it with irrational beliefs. In Yoga, we have very sharp reasoning faculties which we have developed through millennia of defending Spiritual truths from other people's misunderstandings. It is a well-known fact that, upon death, human bodies do not retain their original state for long. They are consumed by bacteria or disintegrate into their original organic and chemical components. Humans can also drown or their bodies comitted to water after death, in which case they may be eaten by fish which in turn are eaten by humans. Decomposed corpses can be eaten by worms which are eaten by birds which are eaten by humans. Interred bodies also provide nourishment to grass that gets eaten by cows, sheep, goats, rabbits and other plant-eating creatures which again end up being eaten by man. Thus the physical substance that once constituted one man's body, may, in the course of time, become part of another man's physical frame. To restore the original owner's body on the Day of Judgement, God would have to deprive another person or group of persons of some of their bodily constituents. This would be as aesthetically repugnant a vision to contemplate as it would be a blatant breach of Justice! Moreover, what about those that were born with some physical deformity, will they stay stuck with the same deformed bodies for ever? Another rational objection to Resurrection is that it is wholly unnecessary. Souls, after all, are quite capable of being judged even in the absence of their physical bodies. Resurrection is also contradicted by Eastern Scriptures (Hindu, Buddhist, etc.) which unanimously espouse Reincarnation; it is contradicted by the near-death experience of thousands of people who invariably report a state of enhanced awareness and not one of unconsciousness that may be expected from a "sleeping" Soul; and it is contradicted by the experience of Enlightened Beings (such as Lord Buddha) who clearly remembered their past lives. Resurrection must therefore be rejected as false, irrational, unnecessary and Spiritually dangerous as it keeps the believer in a state of confusion and ignorance comparable only to the idea of "eternal sleep" it seeks to promote. This is the reason why we instinctively say, upon somebody's passing away, that he is "in heaven". Because deep down, we subconsciously acknowledge the absurdity of physical Resurrection and its antecedent state of "sleep".
The Purpose of Reincarnation We have demonstrated that all humans possess intuitive knowledge of a posthumous existence on some higher, non-material plane, which is what they mean by "heaven" (that is, "up there", on some higher plane). But, will they automatically qualify for a life in the real Heaven? On closer examination, such a notion turns out to be as fanciful as imagining that everybody will one day be rich. Most people on Earth die in a state that falls short of Perfection in the same way as most people live and die in poverty. The fact is that all religions make it absolutely clear that only Spiritually pure or perfect Souls may enter Heaven. The Bible, for example, says: "Unless a man be born again (that is, born to a life of Spirit), he cannot see the Kingdom of God"; "the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous"; "be you therefore perfect, even as your Father (God) Which is in Heaven is Perfect". Perfection, therefore, must be admitted to be a necessary condition for admission to Heaven. However, if we are honest, how many of us can claim to be "as Perfect as God in Heaven"? Even a superficial observation of facts will establish that most people fail to reach a satisfactory degree of Perfection, or Fitness for Heaven, during their life on Earth! So what happens to those that fail the Divine Test or Judgement? Such a Test or Judgement does indeed take place, but not collectively and not after a period of sleep lasting till the End of the World. The Souls are judged individually, soon after their departure from earthly life. So, do those who fail all go to Hell, as Western religions maintain? If they did, it would be a very brutal, black-and-white situation that is hardly compatible with a Compassionate God! Fortunately, the Western view is just another misunderstanding like Resurrection. The fact is that those who fail to reach the Highest Heaven simply go to lower heavens or even further down, to less luminous, darker places - that may be described as Hell - each according to the degree of Spiritual Fitness attained while on Earth. From there, they may work their way up or down the Spiritual Scale, according to their capacity and inclination. Eventually, however, the Evolutionary Process impels all Souls to strive for, and attain to, Perfection. Thus it is written: "Having enjoyed the fruit of their good works in Heaven, ignorant men re-enter this World, or a lower. But he who knows the Supreme, becomes that very Supreme. He crosses over sorrow and sin and with a heart freed from the fetters of worldly desire, becomes a Liberated One and an Immortal" (Mundaka Upanishad I 2: 10 and III 2: 9).
How are Souls Reborn? What is essential to understand is that what is conventionally called "death" is merely the assumption by the conscious entity known as "Soul" of a different mode of being. Upon separation from the physical body, the disembodied consciousness of the deceased person tends to be attracted to any of the following: 1) the body formerly inhabited by the Soul; 2) the place where death occurred; 3) some other object, person or locality that was of importance to the deceased during his embodied existence. In the case of Spiritually-minded people, the attraction will be felt towards a temple, meditation hall or Spiritual teacher (Guru). In more advanced individuals, to attraction will have little to do with Earth and more with the Higher Planes. The object of this attraction will often determine the place where rebirth takes place. For this reason, many Souls are reborn in the same country, village and even family as in their previous life. Shortly before reincarnation takes place, the Soul will have a vision of the place, family, etc., where he is to be reborn. A glimpse of his future parents to whom he is karmically connected will suffice to awaken in the Soul the karmic latencies (samskaras) linking him with his future life. The vision of the future parents engaged in physical union will causes the Soul to experience an irresitible attraction towards them. If the Soul is to be reborn as a girl, the attraction will be more towards the father; if a boy, the atraction will be towards the mother. He will be moved to draw closer and closer to the parents and, immediately before conception takes place, he will lose consciousness and enter the womb of the future mother where he remains until the actual birth. The period of disembodied existence between death and rebirth may last from a few hours or days to decades and even centuries. In most cases, however, rebirth takes place in a matter of a few years. The reborn person has the capacity to recollect former lives and often begins to communicate such memories as soon as he can speak (about the age of two). In the absence of a positive adult response, these memories either naturally fade away or are consciously suppressed and the reborn person becomes more and more absorbed in the experience of his new life.
How Many Lives Do We Live? All religions admit the existence of seven heavens or levels of existence. While the Seventh and Highest Heaven is the Abode of the Supreme Being (Shiva Laya or Kingdom of God) proper, the six lower heavens represent the evolutionary stages of life in which life evolves from the lowest to the most advanced life forms. The Holy Scriptures of India are unique in giving a precise number of rebirths a Soul needs to undergo in order to attain the state of Divinity (Shivatva). As a general rule, the total number of lives is 84,000. The lowest forms of life are those in which intelligence is dormant and life is dominated by the primary elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether (or Space). Metals, stones, liquids and gases belong to this stage of inanimate (unconscious) life during which the dormant intelligence undergoes 42,000 transformations or "rebirths". The next stage is that of half-sentient life forms such as plants and trees. Intelligence here enters a dream-like state in which it undergoes 15,000 transformations or rebirths. The third stage is that of insects, worms and other primitive forms of sentient life, amounting to a total of 12,000 rebirths. The fourth stage is that of animals, birds and fishes, during which intelligence undergoes 9,000 rebirths. In the fifth stage, intelligence reaches a turning point where life acquires human form. The living Soul has now attained a sufficient degree of wakefulness to make a conscious effort to attain a better life towards which he strives for 6,000 births. It is also a critical stage where the Soul is in greater need of guidance than ever before. Man is no longer guided by automatic, animal instincts while at the same time he has not yet developed a sensitivity to Divine Guidance. His over-active intelligence can lead him to cause great harm to himself and to others. A Guide or Spiritual Mentor (Guru), therefore, becomes necessary for the Soul to reach his final destination. Here is where the importance of Yoga or Spiritual Practice becomes evident. Under the Guru's guidance, man enters the Path of Yoga, which is the Path to Unity with the Supreme, and the sixth stage of Spiritual Evolution. Having entered the Path of Yoga, man is reborn only three more times, once as a Yogi and twice as a Divine Being. As these three last rebirths take place on the Higher Planes and, moreover, are effectuated with the Yogi's full and uninterrupted consciousness and memory, they are regarded as conscious and deliberate evolutionary steps and are not counted with the ordinary rebirths of unawakened forms of intelligence. Thus in the final stages of limited existence, man becomes more and more divine and finally attains Unity with the Supreme Spirit (Parama Shiva). This is the Ultimate Goal of Yoga and the true meaning of the teaching that "all things come from God and to God they all return". As regards the moral, psychological and Spiritual value of this teaching, it cannot be overestimated as it expands our intelligence, enhances our awareness and deepens our understanding of life. (The mere reading of these lines will have already achieved this, according to each reader's intellectual and Spiritual sensitivity.) In conjunction with the Law of Karma, Reincarnation goes a long way in clarifying certain important issues. It explains, for example, why some people are born in certain circumstances while others are not, especially in those cases for which official science and religion are either unable or unwilling to provide a valid explanation. We may observe in this respect that, whenever an apparently innocent person or group of such persons becomes victim to illness, accidents, natural disasters or acts of terrorism, political and religious leaders conspire in erecting a wall of silence round the question as to why it happened or, to put it in different words, why did God allow it to happen? Entire nations are condemned to a state of ignorance and apathy through this irrational refusal to look for answers to one of life's most perplexing problems. This State-and-Church imposed, politically correct infantilism renders people incapable of standing on their own feet and facing reality like grown men. If people had better knowledge of Spiritual facts, they would be less inclined to allow themselves to be led on by ignorant and self-seeking leaders. This being so, it is the duty of Yoga as the Guardian of True Spiritual Knowledge on Earth, to redress this scandalous situation by providing the correct answers to life's manifold problems, in order that Humanity might see the Light and realise its true Destiny. Knowledge of the Yogic Science of Karma and Reincarnation also serves the important purpose of protecting the Soul against lapsing into lower forms of life. Life can devolve to lower forms just as it can evolve to higher ones. Thus a human Soul may devolve to a Spiritually and psychologically subhuman level while physically still inhabiting a human form. Indeed, it is a universally observable fact that some humans behave in ways that are more characteristic of animals for which reason they can barely be said to be human. Moreover, as Souls generally evolve from lower to higher forms of intelligence, some may, Spiritually and psychologically speaking, still occupy a subhuman position even though biologically speaking they are endowed with a human body. Conversely, others may have devolved to subhuman levels of consciousness and behaviour. This may happen temporarily, as a result of intoxication, for example, or more permanently, as a result of mental illness or Spiritual regression. In consequence, such individuals are instinctively described by their fellow men by a word that is normally reserved for an animal, for example, vulture, snake, dog, pig, ape, and so on. Quite apart from this, human bodies may also be inhabited, and human-like shapes assumed, by other non-human entities such as ghosts, evil spirits, demons, etc. Human appearance, therefore, cannot be said to constitute proof of humanity. This also debunks the politically correct, secular and anti-Spiritual view prevalent in atheist circles that "all people are equal". If they were, then some would not be in prisons or mental institutions, while others walk free, surely. Nor can we reasonably maintain that Great Souls like Lord Krishna, Rama and Buddha were on a par with ordinary men!
Sin and Punishment To eliminate a misunderstanding known occasionally to arise in non-Yogic circles, we must state from the very beginning that being born in less than favourable conditions must not be automatically viewed as a form of "punishment for past sins", the matter being rather more complex than that, although in certain cases this view may be acceptable as the best interpretation. The term "Sin" is capable of the widest spectrum of interpretation, from transgression against Universal Unity to the most minor and seemingly insignificant offence, including actions that constitute transgression according to the Spiritual Laws of the Universe but are not always regarded as such by the agent or by society. Although it cannot always be proved that a person's apparently unaccountable suffering is the result of his own actions, the possibility can neither be disproved nor reasonably excluded. As already indicated, in some cases actions committed by a person or group of people in the past clearly bear a relation to events in their present life. For example, while Western countries invaded other parts of the World in the past, they are now subjected to mass immigration by millions of people from precisely those countries that previously experienced Western immigration.
Collective Karma Karma, therefore, also applies on a wider scale. Thus when an entire family, village or country falls prey to war, famine, natural disasters, pollution or disease, this may be ascribed to the collective effect of the sum total of the individual karmas belonging to the affected population. The individuals who escape the fate of the majority in such cases are clearly those whose karma does not warrant such an end. As for the unfortunate majority, their suffering is either justified by their former actions (mental, verbal or physical) or it may be necessary in order to correct certain defects which are not always apparent to outsiders.
Yoga - the Antidote to Sin Unity is God's Experience of Oneness with Himself and with His Creation. Unity, therefore, constitutes the very essence of life. Without Unity, life would fall apart and sink into chaos, anihilation and death. In consequence, all beings must conduct their life in Unity (Yoga) with God. The opposite to this is Disunity (Viyoga) or Separation from the Divine. The state of Disunity or Separation from the Divine as well as any action that represents an expression thereof, is called Sin. Indeed, the English word Sin (Germanic Sind) is derived from the same root as Sunder, to divide, break away, separate oneself (from God). The very same idea is expressed in the Sanskrit language by the word Pataka (Sin, Transgression, Crime) which denotes "that which causes one to fall (asunder), to sink". The same word is also used to convey the sense of Hell, that is, a place, state or condition into which one has fallen as a result of Disunity with or Separation from, God. The antidote to the condition of Sin, the actions that flow from this condition and their result (Hell), is Yoga, that is, Abidance in Unity with God. This is in full agreement with the original teachings of the Western faiths and is, therefore, an undeniable fact. Thus says the Bible: "Whosoever abides in (Unity with) God, sins not; but whosoever sins has not seen Him, neither known Him (because such an one is separated from God)" (1 John 3: 6).
Karma and Everyday Life It is an indisputable fact that we are not all given the same starting chance in life. We are endowed with different bodies, different parents, different teachers, friends, etc. Even when bodily constitution, parents, environment and upbringing are identical as, for example, in the case of identical twins, the outcome is not always the same. Now if we say that it is a matter of luck, we will have to explain what luck is as well as why some are favoured by luck more than others. To date, no satisfactory scientific explanation has been offered. We cannot say that it is due exclusively to Destiny (or the Will of God) either, for God is, by definition, Good and Just. Why would God, the Supreme Principle of Justice, allow an injustice to take place? There must be another factor, therefore, that accounts for the perceived inequality and injustice of the apparently arbitrary difference in the basic conditions of people's life. If we exclude external factors such as arbitrary Divine Will, as we have shown we have reasons to do, then we must assume that the prompting cause for our state and course of life is internal. In other words, there is something in us that attracts, or prompts the creation of, certain conditions and circumstances in our life. This is the only logical conclusion. Indeed, as indicated earlier, we know from the observation of everyday life that every action gives rise to a corresponding reaction. This much is confirmed by modern physics. But it is not only our physical actions that produce an effect. Our words can also produce pleasure or anger in others and we can, for example, be held responsible for what we say in a court of law. And, of course, our thoughts are likewise capable of producing an effect on ourselves and on our environment. Every state of mind, being a form of energy, necessarily interacts with other energies in and around us. Every constituent part of our body, from vital organs like the heart and brain to the smallest biological cell, vibrates or radiates energy in a certain way at a particular frequency, and so do our thoughts and feelings. The sum total of these energy vibrations forms a general, harmonious pattern the balance or harmony of which can be easily disrupted by disharmonious activities and this disruption can result in imbalance and disease. Indeed, all Spiritual traditions agree upon the view that man's present condition is the fruit of his own actions, whether in thought, word or deed. Thus, the Quran says: "Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is the fruit of your own labours" (42:27). Equally, the Bible declares: "Whatsoever a man sows, that he shall also reap" (Gal. 6). In the Dhammapada (165), Lord Buddha says: "By oneself, indeed, is evil done; by oneself is one injured; to oneself belong both good and bad". The great Sage of Ancient Greece, Heraclitus of Ephesos (6th century BC) likewise taught: "A man's character is his fate". Nor is it difficult to see why this timeless teaching appeals to millions of people all over the World. God being All-Good, He cannot reasonably be supposed to be acting in ways that are unfair, injust, cruel or unwise. This being so, it is only reasonable to conclude that: (a) suffering is the product of the individual person, and (b) suffering serves the purpose of correcting the defects of the Soul such as pride, vanity and selfishness that separate him from God, and bringing him closer to the Creator. Now while we may accept that a grown man's present condition is the fruit of his own actions or inner attitude, a newborn baby cannot be said to have had occasion for much mental or physical activity as to influence his mental or physical condition. Newborns actually exhibit their own, individually distinct personality. And personality presupposes memory. We cannot attribute this to genetic inheritance from the parents as even genetically identical twins can have distinct personalities. We must therefore logically admit that any actions as are capable of producing certain effects in the newborn's mind, body, etc., must have occurred prior to his conception and birth. It is precisely for this reason that the teaching of Reincarnation is introduced to explain the differences in people's bodily constitution, etc., as being the result of energy patterns that were developed in previous lives and carried forward to subsequent rebirths in the form of Karmic Seeds (Samskaras). Thus while some personal characteristics are inherited from the parents, others are entirely the product of individual Karma. The Enlightened Masters of India have made this absolutely clear: "Karma evidently constitutes the seed of existence in all created beings, determining their birth, duration of life, as well as all experiences, both good and bad... The fruits of the land cultivated by a farmer in spring are enjoyed by him in autumn when his body is no longer the same [its cells, molecules, atoms and other constituent parts having in the meantime been replaced by new ones]. Thus even in this World, though actions are performed in one body, their fruit is enjoyed in another. This being so, it is legitimate for us to assume that experiences enjoyed in this lifetime are the result of actions performed in a previous existence." (Abhinava Gupta, 10th century India.)
Stages of Karma Karma has three distinct stages or phases. 1. The sum total of past actions, mental, verbal and physical, whose effect is still to come into actualisation, is called Sanchita Karma. 2. Actions done either in a past life or earlier in the present life, the effect of which is already being experienced by the agent such as bodily constitution, place of birth, parents, professional occupation, etc., are called Prarabdha Karma. 3. Actions performed in this lifetime, the result or effect of which, if nothig is done to counteract it, will be experienced by the agent in the future, are what is termed Agami Karma. While it is clear that a person can do little about some aspects of his actualised Karma (Prarabdha Karma) such as bodily constitution, parentage or place of birth, there is much he can do to avert the negative effects of past actions that are still to come to fruition (Agami Karma), provided he understands and follows the principles of Universal Law (Dharma), or Cause and Effect. Fully-Enlightened Souls are, of course, beyond Karma.
Karma and Divine Justice It seems agreeable to universally accepted priciples of Justice for a person to be held accountable for his actions. But how can a person be made to suffer for transgressions he is unaware, or no longer remembers, to have committed? Well, firstly, justice must be done irrespective of when the transgression has been committed. Secondly, even in human law, a criminal will not be exempt from punishment merely because he is unaware of the law or cannot (or will not) remember committing a particular crime. And thirdly, a person who has committed a crime generally still harbours within himself the psychological inclinations or propensities that prompted him to his actions. Now God is, indeed, Compassionate. However, this must not be interpreted to mean that He will extend His Forgiveness unconditionally to all. As the Scriptures (Shiva Purana, etc.) clearly declare, a sinner is forgiven when and to the extent to which he repents and willingly embraces the path of righteousness, and not otherwise. So long as a Soul still harbours tendencies that are capable of prompting him to commit a crime in the future, he may continue to suffer until such time as all the errors and defects have been eradicated from his heart and he is rendered fit for Unity with God. Two things become obvious from this. Firstly, God, being Omniscient, He knows all the actions a person has done in the past as well as all the actions he will commit in the future. On the basis of that knowledge, and always for the ultimate good of man, God arranges suitable bodies and circumstances for man to enjoy or suffer the consequences of his own actions (or Karma). This means that Karma is not independent of God. No Karma can produce any effect without the Will of God. Secondly, God is independent of Karma. He can and sometimes does cause things to happen for reasons unknown (and unknowable) to man. The fact remains, however, that man has a certain freedom of action and is, therefore, capable to contribute to his own destiny through his own actions. In consequence, athough everything ultimately depends on the Will of God, knowledge of the Law of Karma helps us understand why God wills or allows, certain things to happen. This understanding enables us to know how to live life in Unity with God and experience happiness and fulfilment as a result. What we need to remember at this point is the true meaning of suffering. Whatever may be the legal, medical or scientific view, the fact is that Spiritually speaking suffering is a symptom of Disunity. Happiness is the opposite of suffering. It is an experience that arises from a sense of Oneness or Unity with oneself, with a loved one, with Creation or with God. It is an elevating feeling that enables man to rise above ordinary experience. The highest form of happiness is experienced when we are aware of our Unity with God. Any feeling of pain pales into insignificance when compared to the bliss experienced when we are in a state of complete Unity with God. Suffering, on the other hand, is invariably experienced in direct proportion to our distance, separation or isolation from God Who is the Source and Ground of all life. For this reason, so long as absolute Unity with the Supreme is not established on Earth, suffering cannot be entirely avoided except in the case of those who have attained Enlightenment and Unity with God (Shiva Samyoga). However, even in instances where suffering is correctly diagnosed as self-inflicted or as just retribution for past transgressions, the Yogic principles of universal love and compassion demand that it not be used to justify discriminatory attitudes or behaviour towards the persons concerned. For example, the fact that a person is born in an economically difficult situation does not entitle the others to entertain any feelings of hostility or contempt towards him. After all, God Himself, the Father and Creator of Mankind, allows His creatures to suffer not out of vengeance but out of love for them, suffering being a necessary experience in the Spiritual evolution of all living things. As with any other Yogic teaching, people are generally encouraged to understand the Law of Karma in a way that is best suited to aid them and their fellow-humans in their material, mental and Spiritual progress. In other words, a teaching is only a good teaching to the extent that it brings those for whom it is intended closer to Truth, enabling them thereby to improve their situation in life. Similarly, although as an inclusive system Yoga naturally incorporates Reincarnation - which as we have seen is a fact of experience - in its teachings, it is never allowed to develop into an obsession with the past. On the contrary, genuine Yogis always emphasise the importance of the present. While knowledge of the past is indisputably of great value in helping us understand the present, it is the present moment that ultimately provides the true foundation of Spiritual life. Indeed, the true value of Yogic Teaching and Practice lies in its time-honoured capacity to lead to Spiritual Freedom by liberating the Soul from the endless cycle of Karma and Reincarnation.
Karma and Bereavement The teachings of Yoga help us better understand life and enable us to create a better future for ourselves and for others. In particular, they help us understand Death which is an unavoidable fact of life. Suppose somebody among our close family or friends unexpectedly developed cancer and died. After the initial shock that we may experience as a result of this sudden loss, we may start feeling angry at the apparent injustice life has dealt us and the person we loved. You see, humans often feel that they are faultless. Even if we are aware of our faults, we tend to hide them from ourselves and from others in the hope that they will go unnoticed and go away. Very often we need certain faults to be brought to our attention by others in order to consciously register them. The same happens in relation to those we love and feel close to. We tend to idealise them and overlook their faults even when, at the back of our mind, we know full well that they are not perfect. Even more so, when a misfortune befalls them. Hence our sense of injustice. However, a little reflection will make us realise that a person may become ill from a whole string of causes and contributing factors such as, smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, unhealthy food, exposure to pollution, physical and emotional stress, genetic predisposition, and so on. Many or all of these factors could have been eliminated or neutralised by means of a healthier lifestyle, for example. This in itself means that a degree of responsibility may reasonably be apportioned to the deceased. If we now consider the matter from a religious point of view, we have no means of knowing whether the being we loved did not harbour any negative psychological tendencies that would warrant divine retribution or correction. Moreover, if we accept the doctrine of Reincarnation, we must also accept the possibility of certain actions in a person's previous life as a cause of his illness and resultant death. What becomes clear is that it would be unjust for us to blame it all on God. Indeed, God tells us how to live a healthy, pure and harmonious life. He tells us what is right and what is wrong through His Prophets and Messengers although we often get carried away by personal interests and worldly pursuits and forget His Commands. We must understand what our Creator wants from us and implicitly follow His Word before we are in a position to judge Him. Unless and until we do so, we have no choice but to accept responsibility for our own life. If suffering happens to cross our path, we must remember that it has a meaning and purpose which we will, sooner or later, discover in the course of our Spiritual growth. The Holy Scriptures of India (such as Shiva Purana) tell us that there are three kinds of Suffering: Spiritual, Karmic and Divine. Spiritual Suffering is caused by ignorance of Spiritual truths, wrong beliefs, etc., and manifests itself mainly as mental and emotional pain. Karmic Suffering is caused by past actions that were in breach of Universal Law (Dharma) and manifests itself as physical suffering. Divine Suffering is caused by incurring the displeasure of Divine Beings (such as Gods or Angels) and it usually occurs in the form of coming to harm through lightning, floods, earthquakes, war, poison, accidents, etc. It represents a form of suffering that may be accurately described as Divine Retribution proper, although Karmic Suffering also takes place according to Divinely established laws and may equally be termed Divine. In the materialist and largely atheist World of today, it is of particular importance to understand the meaning of Divine Suffering. All religions acknowledge the existence of Divine Beings, whether they be called Gods, Angels, or some other equivalent name. However, while Eastern Faiths honour these beings by means of established rituals and prayers, Western Faiths generally ignore them. Even worse, they often ridicule the Gods honoured in the East. The causes of this deplorable attitude are to be found in the erroneous belief that if you worship the Supreme God, then it becomes unnecessary to pay attention to lesser Divine Beings. What is being ignored is that these beings are actually Manifestations or Powers of the Supreme and are well capable of influencing human life in many ways. The fallacy of this kind of thinking becomes apparent when we consider that even in human society, no matter how much we honour the leader of a country, if we are disrespectful to his appointed ministers, judges, police and armed forces, we can still be charged with contempt of the authorities and get punished accordingly. In the same way as most people have no direct access to a country's leadership, they have no direct line to God. Imagining that they do, can only make matters worse. This becomes evident from the fact that nations who reject the Gods are generally more prone to being afflicted with corruption, poverty, crime, violence, wars, disease and natural disasters than those who accept and honour them. For example, Muslim Pakistan and Bangladesh as opposed to Hindu India, North Korea as opposed to South Korea, Indonesia as opposed to Thailand, China as opposed to Japan. Western faiths have notoriously failed to prove that they can improve their lot by rejecting time-honoured Eastern practices. In addition to the three main forms of suffering we have already discussed, we may mention Dharmic Suffering, that is, suffering for the sake of Dharma. This is either consciously self-inflicted, or imposed upon us by God, purely for the purpose of strengthtening our resolve to adhere to Spiritual life. As such, it is always rewarded by an enhanced awareness of Spiritual truths and an experience of pure, Divine Happiness or Bliss (Ananda). Dharmic Suffering is always attended by a firm conviction that it is for a good purpose. Suffering, therefore, can have a positive function, on account of its being capable of leading to positive experiences. For this reason, Suffering is sometimes interpreted as a "test", not unlike an exam we may have to sit at school. It is ultimately for our own good. Indeed, suffering ultimately has a corrective and educational function in that it corrects harmful tendencies in man and induces the person or persons concerned to adopt forms of behaviour that are more in harmony with Universal Law and thereby avoid future suffering. Suffering may leave us in a state of anguish, confusion and bewilderment. However, by practising Yogic Meditation, consulting a qualified Spiritual Preceptor (Guru) or through certain dreams and omens we may gain insight into the causes of our suffering and its remedy. Thus certain forms of suffering such as Spiritual Suffering, may be avoided or eradicated by means of Yogic Practices (Sadhana) such as Spiritual Studies and Meditation. Karmic Suffering may be removed through the seven remedies of right thinking, right intention, right action, right speech, right livelihood, right food and right medical treatment. Divine Suffering is removed through the eight means of mind-control, atonement, prayer, propitiation (of the God whose displeasure one has incurred), magic incantations (mantras), auspicious observances, charitable gifts and vows. While some remedies are more immediate and short-term in their effect, others are gradual and long-term. For example, while some physical conditions may require immediate medical attention, their recurrence is best prevented through the practice of Yoga. Ultimately, therefore, Yoga is the best remedy for all suffering and the only guarantee for well-being and happiness. Although many forms of suffering may be temporarily cured by means of medical treatment, propitiation of Divine Beings, etc., suffering can only be permanently eradicated through worship of the Supreme Being Himself. Says the Shiva Purana: "The various kinds of afflictions arising from sins shall be destroyed only through the worship of Shiva (the Supreme Lord) and not through any other means" (Rudra Samhita I 4, 46). The highest form of worship is living in Unity with God. And that is Yoga. This brings us to another important Yogic teaching, namely, that we are eternal Souls and that our natural state is one of Peace and Happiness. Were our natural state not such, it would be very difficult, even impossible, for us to experience Peace and Happiness within ourselves. Indeed, from the perspective of the immortal Soul, any episodes of suffering are temporary and incapable of disturbing the deeper layers of our natural happiness and peace, just as waves that are whipped up by a storm cannot reach the bottom of the sea which remains always peaceful and still. To escape suffering, therefore, two things are needed. We must live a life in Harmony with Divine Law, and we must develop an awareness of ourselves as living Souls. This is achieved by means of Yoga, that is, by practising Unity with the Supreme. Some important questions that need to be raised in the face of suffering, are: have I lived a life in complete harmony and Unity with God? Have I cultivated an awareness of myself as a living Soul? The answers we find to these questions will enable us to find the way to a genuine and lasting solution to our problems, if not immediately, at least in the future. In this connection, we may consider the following story which is related in the Scriptures. Once a great King desired to give his daughter in marriage to the most pious man in the land. He therefore let it be known to all, that he who could abide absorbed in contemplation on Lord Shiva, the Lord of Yoga, for a full year, would be entitled to the kingdom and the princess's hand. Hearing this, a bandit who was famed for his misdeeds made up his mind to deceive the King through a cunning trick. Thus thinking, he disguised himself as a Yogi and mingling with the others, sat down at the foot of a tree on the bank of Holy River Ganges. Though at first it was mere pretence, as the months passed by, he began to meditate in earnest and before long entered into the deepest absorption. At the end of the appointed year, the King came to inspect the achievement of every contestant and perceived such great inner peace and happiness radiating from the bandit's person as he could find in no other. The King bowed down before him and with great reverence offered him his realm and his daughter as per the royal promise. But the bandit-become-Yogi opened his eyes and spoke with a gentle smile: "With your gracious permission, O great King! I shall continue to meditate upon the Lord of Yoga by Whose Contemplation a man has all his desires fulfilled". Thus speaking, he fell back into meditation. The power of Yoga is such that even when practised for improper reasons it eventually yields the right results! Thus is it written: "Just as trees are reduced to ashes by a forest fire, even so the sins of one who is devoted to the Supreme Lord are burnt away in the fire of His Name". And, "O great Sage! There aren't so many sins in this World as the power of Shiva's worship cannot destroy" (Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita I 4, 49, 60). We have thus demonstrated three important facts concerning Yoga. (1) We have demonstrated that Yoga can accurately identify the causes and purpose of Suffering, including in cases where other religions cannot or will not offer any satisfactory answers. (2) We have demonstrated that Yoga teaches us the correct way in which we are meant to react to Suffering. (3) We have demonstrated that Yoga (the Practice of Unity with the Supreme) is the ultimate means of avoiding Suffering and creating Hapiness.
Yoga - the Path to Freedom In conclusion, what is important to understand is that Yoga promotes the teaching of Karma and Reincarnation because it corresponds to the facts of life. From a Spiritual point of view, it is false, and therefore irresponsible and criminal, to tell people that they will go to Heaven just by belonging to a particular, man-made faith. The fact is that, whether we like it or not, most people on Earth will be reborn many more times. It is important for them to be prepared for this. However, Yoga does not regard Karma and Reincarnation as a never-ending cycle from which there is no escape. Nor is this cycle the highest Reality of Yoga. There is something higher than the Law of Nature or the Law of Cause and Effect, namely, Divine Law or the Spiritual Law of the Universe (Dharma). While lower forms of life such as plants, animals and undeveloped humans are subject to the Law of Nature (Karma), higher ones are subject to a Higher Law which is the Law of God (Shiva Dharma). The higher a Soul has ascended on the Evolutionary Scale, the more his actions are in harmony with Divine Will. In consequence, as he advances towards the highest Goal, he is less and less affected by Karma. The ultimate aim of all Spiritual Effort, therefore, is to free oneself from the burdens of Karma and its resultant cycle of death and rebirth. By adhering to the Spiritual Law of the Universe (Sanatana Dharma) man attains Unity with the Supreme Being (Shiva Samyoga) and enjoys unlimited freedom of Knowledge and Action. << Yoga Council Home || Questions & Answers >> |