Theos-Talk Archives (October 2002 Message tt00254)

--- In theos-talk@y..., Mic Forster <micforster@y...> wrote:
> Scientific Proof of Karma?

Let me suggest that the first step is to define karma. There is no 
way to prove or disprove something which has no formal definition.

Most people think of karma as a sort of invisible cosmic Santa Claus 
who stands over you and says "naughty or nice" every time you do 
something.

It has been awhile since I read nim (I need to get back to him) but 
as I recall, Vyasa, in his commentaries pm Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, 
explains karma in terms of the "samskara" theory. A samskara, as I 
understand it, is a ;atent tendency on the mind, and these can be 
shown to exist atn a phenomenal level, although proving any of the 
theories of samskara as a noumenal reality is out of the questuon.

Suppose some fellow, let us call him Bob, is a smoker. Suppose that 
Bob is not currently smoking. He nonetheless has a latent tendenct 
in the mind which will eventually mature (if lung cancer doesn't get 
him first) in the form of Bob smoking something. Smoking is 
therefore a deed (karma) which creates a tendency in the mind 
(samskara) which results in another deed (karma). That is my 
understanding of it, anyway. Our deeds constantly shape our 
samskaras which constantly shape future deeds.

There is a brief mention of samskaras in The Thesophical Glossary if 
I remember correctly which relates it to karma, but it is not clear 
whether Blavatsky signed on to this interpretation of it or not.

If for some reason our personal system of latent samskaras manifests 
in the form of a deed (karma) which consists of our being attracted 
to and affiliating with others who have similar samskaras, then it 
would make sense to speak of the group with which we are affiliating 
having a group karma, or, more accurately, of sharing a similar karma 
as a group.

If the Theosophical theory is correct that there are seven oversouls, 
then it may be reasonable to suggest that each of these seven has 
a "group karma" created by the members of the group. This Blavatsky 
says the "planetary spirit" of the planet Saturn is the oversoul of 
the Jews, not all of whom are born into Jewish families in any give 
incarnation. I am not yet advanced enough to be able to comment on 
that on anything other than a theoretical level.

The karma could mature and manifest in all sorts of non-obvious ways.

Buddhism adds to this the interesting idea that the samskaras are 
really the only thing that persists from moment to moment - that 
there is, in other words, no "soul" in the sense Westerners usually 
think of it (the anatman doctrine).

Incidentally, that is just my understanding of the theory so don't 
take it as if I were quoting some authoritative source. You can, if 
you wish, check sources on Hindu and Buddhist psychology, but be 
prepared for some very abstruse reading.