Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-02-04
THE LAW OF KARMA.
VIEW OF A DISCIPLE OF THEOS-
OPHY.
This Is the New Religion That Is Real
ly OId-LWed Up to 1t Would, Like
All Others, Transform Earth Into a
Heaven

"Karma" is Sanskrit word mean
ing action" whether of thought, wore
or deed. Since there are no straight
lines in nature, every force tends e
return to its protector. Once this law
is recognized we begin to see the phil
osophy underlying that homely adage
Curses. like chickens, come home tc
roost." For 1900 years we in the west
ern world have heard, LAS a man sows
so shall he reap" yet while glibly re-
citing this, we SOW Canada thistles and
then rail at fate because We do LIT
reap California peaches. Why? Sim
ply because the philosophy underlying
this is not understood. We fail to
see in man the master of the cause
but the slave of the effect Nature is
conquered by obedience to its laws.
Help Nature and work on with her,
and Nature will regard thee as one of
her creatures and will make obei-
sance," says the Voice of Silence.
Karma, then, is the law which ad-
justs effects to causes on all planes. 1t
is the ultimate law of the universe. In
connection with the law of rebirths--
reincarnation-it explains the prob
lens which now are vexing us. 1t ex-
plains the unequal distribution of cap
ital and labor; the distinction of class
in society, Of sex in the affairs of life;
the apparent injustice of birth-one
man born in a howell, another in a
palace one an imbecile, another with
vigorous, healthy intellect; one
reaching the age of fourscore and ten
in peace and plenty, the other cut off
in his prime by a violent or ''acciden-
tall death. All that is due to Kar-
ma, either racial, national or individ-
ual. Man in his efforts toward the ex
pansion of self-consciousness throws
himself out of harmony with cosmic
law, the result of the discord being
what we call pain and suffering. So
he learns that law has been disregard
ed, and the ultimate result is obedi-
ence to law, the tendency ever being
to restore equilibrium.
The two doctrines which modern
Christianity lacks (but which Jesus
are reincarnation and Karma,
the one depending on the other. There
is no mistaking the words of Christ:
with what measure We mete it shall
be measured to you again" Another
passage teaching both doctrines is
-,
unto thee, thou shalt by no means
come out of thence till thou hast paid
the uttermost farthing," implying the
Karmic ties that draw the soul back
statement is made clearly, IF We will
receive it, this is Elias, which was for
% come" a positive declaration that
elias had incarnated in John the Bap
list. When the disciples asked why
t was said that Elias would come be-
ore the Messiah, His answer was:
Elias shall truly come first and re-
tore all things, but 1 say unto you
hat Elias is come already and they
new it not"
When the doctrine of reincarnation |
vas stamped as a heresy at a general !
ouncil held by the early church after
be reign of mental and spiritual dark
ess had set in that of Karma went
lso. with what measure we mete
. shall be measured to you again"
became a dead letter in the
hurch, the vicarious atonement
wrongly interpreted) seeming to Of
or an escape; and so we have the vari-
us schemes to enable man to evade
he penalty Of his own wrong-doing.
he doctrine of Karma-absolute JUS
ce-does not appeal to weak natures,
to shift the responsibility of
heir misdeeds on to the shoulders of
leir Creator-an idea which appears
, theosophists little short of BIAS
henry.
Let us now take up the law of Kar-
la and try if possible to see how it
orks. Science now acknowledges
lat thought precedes action, that no
,tion is possible without the thought
. motive power behind it; therefore,
Ioughts are of the most Importance.
ct us analyze this little. Suppose
e take mind with no past activities,
it'll nothing to hinder it's perfect free
m ian impossibility which some of
IT scientific" psychologists assume.)
oppose such a mind to evolve a
ought. This thought, repeated many
mes, becomes a habit of mind" so
at it runs automatically into this