In Our Time: Karma
BBC Radio 4 | July 18, 2024
Hosts and Guests:
- Melvyn Bragg (Host)
- Monimachata (Professor of Indian Philosophy and Tutorial Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford)
- Jessica Frazier (Lecturer in the Study of Religion at the University of Oxford and Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies)
- Karan O'Brien Kopp (Lecturer in Asian Religions at King's College, London)
Introduction to Karma
The episode begins with an exploration of karma, a foundational doctrine in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism that posits a moral cause-and-effect system governing human actions and their consequences across lifetimes. Karma serves as a guide for moral responsibility, influencing individual behavior and societal norms.
Historical Origins and Early Texts
Monimachata provides an overview of karma’s origins in ancient South Asia, tracing its roots to the Vedas, specifically the early Rig Veda around 1500 BCE. Initially, karma was closely tied to ritual actions aimed at securing material benefits, such as fertility and harvests. This foundation laid the groundwork for karma's evolution into a more comprehensive moral and spiritual doctrine.
"Karma is a concept that we find in early South Asia... It gives us a guide on how to act in the world and how we weigh up moral justification for any one action." [01:14]
Karma in Hinduism
Jessica Frazier delves into the development of karma within Hinduism, particularly through the Upanishads, classical texts from the late Vedic period (800–300 BCE). These texts introduce the idea of transmigration and reincarnation, presenting a cyclical view of existence where the soul (atman) evolves through various lives based on past actions.
Monimachata highlights the Upanishads' philosophical advancements, such as the Kaushiki Upanishad’s cosmology illustrating the soul’s journey post-death, and the Chandogya Upanishad’s analogy of the tree’s root representing the persistent essence of the self.
"The Bhagavad Gita says, nothing comes from nothing. Where does life come from? There must be a kind of a resource that we can tap into again and again." [08:00]
Karma in Buddhism
Karan O'Brien Kopp transitions the discussion to Buddhism, emphasizing how Buddhist interpretations of karma differ significantly from Hinduism. Buddhism reframes karma from a natural law to a moral law, rejecting the caste system and focusing on individual responsibility to shape one’s current and future lives through intentional actions.
A key aspect in Buddhism is the emphasis on intention (chetana) as the determinant of karma’s moral quality. Monimachata explains that in Buddhism, intention shapes actions, which in turn influence karmic outcomes, allowing for moral justification even in seemingly harmful actions if the underlying intention is pure.
"If you have the right intention, you will carry out the right action." [12:30]
Karma in Jainism
Karan O'Brien Kopp outlines the Jain perspective, which uniquely conceives karma as a material substance that adheres to the soul (jiva), causing ignorance and moral deficiencies. The Jain path focuses on purifying the soul by eliminating this karmic material through extreme ethical practices, such as strict vegetarianism and non-violence.
"Karma is thought to have this sticky quality so that it adheres to the soul and it covers the soul." [24:26]
Philosophical Debates: The Nature of Self
A significant philosophical debate emerges concerning the existence of a self or soul. Hinduism posits a persistent soul that carries karmic residues across lifetimes, whereas Buddhism denies a permanent self, viewing individuals as a collection of impermanent physical and mental states. This difference leads to complex discussions on how karma operates without a lasting agent.
Karan O'Brien Kopp illustrates Buddhist analogies, such as the candle flame and teaching information, to explain karmic continuity without invoking a permanent self.
"There's no agent of action, and the continuum... keeps on transforming until you get to the result of the action." [30:00]
Social Implications and the Caste System
Karan O'Brien Kopp explains how karma has been used to rationalize social inequalities, particularly the caste system in India. Karma provides a moral explanation for why individuals are born into specific social strata, asserting that one's current status is a result of past actions. This perspective has been both a tool for social control and a means to uphold societal norms.
"Karma is the explanation given. It is because of your deeds in the past that you are born in such and such a caste or such and such a situation." [09:02]
Modern Interpretations and Global Influence
The discussion extends to modern adaptations of karma, particularly in Western contexts where the term has been co-opted to represent a general sense of spiritual and moral reciprocity. Monimachata notes that contemporary interpretations often stray from traditional meanings, embedding karma into broader notions of spirituality and personal ethics.
"The word karma is also a borrowed word in English and has travelled into other languages... linked generally to notions of spirituality and morality." [39:17]
Criticisms and Challenges
Monimachata and Jessica Frazier address inherent challenges within the karma doctrine, such as its all-encompassing nature that attempts to explain everything from natural phenomena to personal misfortunes. This broad applicability can dilute its explanatory power and lead to criticisms of fatalism.
Jessica Frazier points out that the Mahabharata itself acknowledges the complexity and sometimes unsatisfying nature of karma as an explanation for personal circumstances.
"The Mahabharata actually says, don't try and read people's current situation in terms of what happened in the past. Fate is messy..." [33:27]
Monimachata further critiques the Buddhist inability to reconcile karma without a self, leading to philosophical dilemmas about moral agency and responsibility.
"If there is no self, the Hindus say, how are you going to explain who is the doer of the action?" [27:59]
Social Geography of Karma
The conversation explores the geographical spread of karma beyond India, noting its significant presence in countries like China, Japan, Thailand, and across Southeast Asia. This widespread belief system underpins various cultural practices and societal structures in these regions.
"All of the Buddhist world, a huge portion of humanity, lives in terms of not at this life being the only life, but rather there's a larger long game." [40:15]
Karma and Free Will
Jessica Frazier emphasizes that karma incorporates a strong element of free will, encouraging individuals to take moral responsibility for their actions with the understanding that these actions significantly impact their present and future lives.
"Karma is devised as a doctrine... to empower people to think about their actions as having a very powerful and direct impact on the world around them." [37:45]
Conclusion: Liberation and Beyond
The episode concludes by linking karma to the ultimate goal of liberation (moksha or nirvana). While karma dictates the moral quality of actions and their consequences, the end goal transcends the cyclical nature of rebirth, aiming for a state of complete freedom and enlightenment.
Jessica Frazier notes that in many cultures influenced by karma, the aspiration extends beyond mere afterlife rewards or punishments, seeking a profound transformation into a higher state of existence.
"All of those cultures have an ideal of achieving a completely higher state of existence beyond finitude, beyond human bodies and limits." [40:15]
Notable Quotes:
- “If you have the right intention, you will carry out the right action.” — Monimachata [12:30]
- “Karma is thought to have this sticky quality so that it adheres to the soul and it covers the soul.” — Karan O'Brien Kopp [24:26]
- “The Mahabharata actually says, don't try and read people's current situation in terms of what happened in the past.” — Jessica Frazier [33:27]
- “All of the Buddhist world... lives in terms of not at this life being the only life, but rather there's a larger long game.” — Jessica Frazier [40:15]
Final Remarks:
The episode "Karma" offers a comprehensive examination of the doctrine’s origins, philosophical intricacies, and its multifaceted impact on individual lives and societal structures. Through expert insights, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of karma's enduring relevance and its dynamic interpretations across different cultures and religions.