Over the course of life, many people become puzzled by circumstances beyond their control - both their own and those of others. While investigating the principle of karma, one may still be left asking, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
Dadashri explains that kashaya is at the root of self harming, unhealthy relationships, and violence. Here, he teaches how to live in peace, offering profound knowledge of non violent communication, conflict resolution skills, and conflict management strategies.
In the book "The Science of Karma", Gnani Purush (embodiment of Self knowledge) Dada Bhagwan explains a precise definition of karma, and how exactly it works according to spiritual science.
Dadashri offers in-depth answers to questions such as: "What is the law of karma, and how can I master it?", "What is destiny, and does destiny relate to karma?", "Can spiritual enlightenment liberate one from karma?"
Dadashri explains that the knowledge of Self is the beginning of true spiritual development. From then, along with understanding the law of karma, one learns to remain with inner peace in daily problems of life.
For those wondering how to live in peace in the midst of life's challenges, this book is precious.
Excerpt:
Does One Act According To One's Free Will Or Does It Just Happen?
Dadashri: Do you ever find that you are forced to do something against your wishes? Does that happen or not?
Questioner: Yes, that does happen.
Dadashri: What is the reason for that? You do not wish to, yet you have no choice. It is the effect of karmas created in your past life.
People believe this effect to be the cause. They do not understand the previous life's effect at all. If anything done in this life were a cause, then why would you do something against your will? Furthermore, why would you say, "I did it," when you did not want to do it in the first place? Why do others say you did it, also? People call all visible actions to be the same as doing the karma. They will say, "I did a good deed today and so I created a good karma today." Whereas the Gnani Purush knows that all the visible acts of this life are an effect.
Who Sent You To This Earth?
Questioner: Are we born of our own free will or are we sent here?
What Is The Principle Of Karma?
Questioner: What is the definition of 'karma'?
Dadashri: Supporting any action, with the claim, "I am doing it," is karma. Claiming doership of any action, binds karma. To support the action with the belief 'I am the doer' is called binding the karma. It is this support of the belief of 'doership' that binds karma. If you know that you are not the doer and are aware of who the true doer is, 'I am not the doer' and 'who is the doer' then the action will not have any support and the karma will be shed.
Questioner: What is the principle of karma?
Dadashri: If you yell, "You are a thief!" into a well, what happens?
Questioner: You will hear the word's echo.
Dadashri: Exactly! If you don't like to hear what comes to you, then you should say, "You are a king!" instead, so that you will hear, "You are a king." Say that, which you would like to hear. Give what you would want to receive. That is the principle of karma. Karma means action. What is reaction? That is the echo. All reactions are like 'echoes' of your previous actions; the fruits will be inevitable.
What does the well illustrate here? It tells you that the world is your own projection. What you were referring to as karma, is really a projection.
Questioner: Is there a principal of karma or not?
Dadashri: The whole world is nothing but the principle of karma. The existence of bondage lies entirely on you, you are responsible for it. Everything is your own projection. You are responsible even for the formation of your body. Everything you encounter is your own design; nobody else is responsible for it. For endless lives, you have been responsible, "wholly and solely."
Your Own Projection
People recognize that whatever they experience is their own projection. As a result they try to change that projection, but are not successful. This is because the projection is not solely in their hands. Talks about changing the projection are correct, but does one have the independent ability to do so? Yes, he does, however only to a limited extent. The major portion of this control is not in your hands. Only after attaining the true knowledge does one become independent, but until then, it is not quite so.
Now how can the 'project' be stopped? (The project has components of cause and effect). Until one finds his real Self in all this, he continues to wander aimlessly. Although he recognizes, "This body and I are not one and the same". There are many other inner components within and one continues to identify with them, causing the belief of, "I am Chandubhai," to remain. It is due to his inability to break free of this belief, that man thinks he is the 'doer'. He believes that he is the one that speaks, that he is the one doing the penance, andsamayik etc. As long as he believes he is the doer, he continues to create new projects and suffer the consequences of the old (past life causes) ones. If people understood the principles of karma, they would understand the principle of liberation.
