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According to the beliefs of Hinduism, there was an ultimate, unchanging reality, composed of pure being and consciousness. The Hindus called this all pervasive manifest and unmanifest reality that was both immanent and transcendent, Brahman. The Brahman primal soul, existed behind the apparent multiplicity of the phenomenal world, and, was fundamentally identical to the inner essence of the human being. This all encompassing divinity, order, balance, harmony, law, principle of intelligence, unified life energy, or pure consciousness underlaid, emanated, and resonated throughout all of existence. An individual's state in this life was the result of physical and mental actions in past lives. Actions in this life will influence the circumstances of future incarnations. By this law of cause and effect, individuals created their own destinies by their deeds, words, and thoughts. The cycle of rebirth will continue for an individual until all karmas are resolved and the soul attains spiritual knowledge and liberation. Under karmic Law or the Law of Causation, although all things are impermanent, all occurrences in one’s life were conditioned by others and with a turn of the wheel then form conditions for other occurrences.
One event, action, or
reaction, resulted in an effect and that in turn caused other events, actions,
and reactions. In order to get off the karmic wheel one must initiate potent moral action in any moment of time so that
the bodily form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness were
properly configured.
Any future blended residual karmic patterns were the result of prior causations. Moral actions resulted in more propitious circumstances; while, wrongful acts led to unfortunate conditions. This causal linkage continued from lifetime to lifetime until the soul was liberated from the karmic cycles of rebirth. Dharma was the doctrine of virtuous living, and, of the religious and moral rights and duties of each individual to live a life of good conduct. By following divine law; being respectful of parents, elders, and swamis; by not doing mental, emotional, or physical harm to others; and by doing heart centered works of selfless service, pastlife karmas were resolved. According to the concepts of reincarnation and the transmigration of souls, after the death of the physical plane body, the individual soul entered a new existence based on karma (the actions of the body and mind) which determined the quality of rebirth. Because of this it was important to follow the dharma, and, to do what was right for the both the individual and the universe. This cycle of rebirth occurred until the attainment of mukti released the soul from the wheel of incarnations.
Mukti or moksha, the
attainment of liberation from rebirth occurred when the results fo one's actions
and the ensuing karma was transcended. This goal of liberation from
suffering and from the cycle of rebirth was accomplished by the elimination of
passions, through knowledge of reality, and union with divinity.
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