About Karma

We have a lot of people who believe that they have already reached a very high spiritual level and they can do nothing in the physical world but pray and meditate. In this sense they are a little wrong, first, in evaluating their spiritual level and, second, they misunderstand the meaning of inaction. There is such a notion in Hinduism as “non-action”. This term - I do not know how it sounds in Sanskrit, but in Russian it is translated as: inaction”. And, thus, people think that they can do nothing.

But in fact, non-action does not mean doing nothing. A person who reaches a high spiritual level in his consciousness acts just like all other people. He can cook food, he can bring up children, he can conduct training, engage in charity, medicine, etc… that is, he can also do all the activities that people practice.

The difference, which is why he does not create consequences, why he doesn’t produce karma, Is because he does not act from the position of his ego, but enables God to manifest Himself in this activity in the world.

Thus, all the activities that he does become Divine activities. And, accordingly, the fruits, the results of his actions do not bring him karmic retribution.

There is a good quote that I wanted to read. It is from the book that is called “God talks with Arjuna: the Bhagavad Gita, Royal Science of God-Realization” By Paramahansa Yogananda. I will read this quote:

“Nothing is as thrilling as the desire to succeed for God. If God is present in the aspirations of the seeker of spirituality, the karmic consequences that automatically grow out of actions according to the Law of nature are burned in the inner fire of Divine Wisdom.”

At a certain level of consciousness, when a person refuses his free will and fulfills the Will of God by all his actions, Continuing to live on the physical plane, Then this activity does not create karmic retribution, does not bring karma.

How can one understand that a person is on a high spiritual level?

This path to such a high state is very difficult to realize in our time. And that is why there are few people who are in embodiment at such a level of consciousness, when they can say that they live only for God and do the Will of God in this world. This is an extremely rare case.

But there is a whole set of qualities that such a person would possess. These include selflessness, love, faith, devotion, aspiration, integrity, mercifulness, compassion, truthfulness, sincerity … All the Divine qualities that exist, they must be present in this person. Some to a greater extent than others.

One’s motive determines the degree of karmic retribution

The motive which guides a person to embark on any activity is important. But not the motive that he shows to all, however noble it may be, but the true motive that is inside him and that perhaps even he does not realize. This inner motive leaves an imprint on everything that a person does. A person can act as sincere, truthful, devoted, but in reality he may not be so.

Then he actually carries out activities which create karma, the fruits of which will bring him retribution.

Therefore, if two people do the same thing, but with a different motive, one will create karma and the other one will not, depending on the motive that guides them.

Are there any external criteria for determining a person’s spiritual level?

Jesus taught us to judge by the fruits. Not by what we do, not by how we do it, but by the result of our activities. In spite of the fact that the fruits of activity are now ripening very quickly, nevertheless, they may not mature until the end of the current incarnation. Therefore, it is said that everything can be judged only after a certain time. That is, when a person lives, makes mistakes, then corrects his mistakes, and does something else - in fact not everything is obvious. Everything becomes obvious after a certain time.

Historically Saints become canonized after a lapse of 100 years. Because only after this period of time some fruits, more or less, become apparent. But when a person is still incarnated, it’s very difficult to understand how much he has acted karmically or not karmically. It is very difficult. Almost impossible.

How not to create karma?

We must analyze our actions every day. This is the essence of the art: to constantly maintain awareness. We have to maintain awareness every minute and every second throughout the day, that is, understand what we are doing, with what motive we are doing it, whether we are doing it selflessly, or whether we are motivated by some selfishness, whether we are acting from the position of the ego or we are doing it disinterestedly. This is the manifestation of awareness and the art of life.

Spiritual practice and karma

We must constantly maintain our spiritual level, every day. If we do not engage in spiritual practice every day, then we roll back. Why do we engage in spiritual practice?

When we are engaged in spiritual practice, it is as if we are climbing the mountain in our minds and from this mountain we are able to see better. When we see better, we make more proper choices. When we make correct choices, we work off karma. When we work off karma, we get closer to God. When we constantly approach God,we will eventually reach a state of non-action, and we will no longer be involved in karmic activity.

Doing things for the Common Good or for God. Is there a difference?

Doing things for the Common Good is not the same as doing things for God. These are slightly different things. When we are at our level of consciousness, then for us the correct motive will be when we carry out our actions disinterestedly for the Common Good. That is, for us it is the highest possible motive that is accessible, so to say. But when a person factually becomes an incarnation of God, the full manifestation of God in the incarnation, it is somewhat different.

Thus, fulfilling the Will of God or simply doing good things unselfishly for the Common Good - these are two completely different things. This is just another level of evolutionary development. For us, it is enough simply to selflessly perform actions for the Common Good. It will be very good if we do this now.