The Pali term karma, literally, means action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical is regarded as karma. It covers all that is included in the phrase, "Thought, word and deed." Generally speaking, all good and bad actions, constitute karma. In its ultimate sense karma means all moral and immoral volition. Involuntary, unintentional or unconscious actions, though technically deeds, do not constitute karma, because volition, the most important factor in determining karma, is absent.

The Buddha says, "I declare, O Bhikkhus, that volition (cetana) is karma. Having willed one acts by body, speech, and thought."

If a person commits a bad karma it will be impossible for that person to escape from its bad effect. Somehow or other he or she must face the consequences that will follow. According to ancient belief there is a god to operate the effect of this karma. God punishes according one's bad karma; god rewards according to one's good karma. The Buddha did not accept this belief. He said there is no being or force which handles the operation of the effects of karma. Karma itself will yield the result, as a neutral operation of the law of cause and effect. He said we can avoid and in some cases, even overcome the effect of karma if we act wisely. He said we must never surrender ourselves fatalistically thinking that once we have done bad action there can be no more hope.

Other religions teach that god can negate the effect of karma through forgiveness if the followers worship and pray and sacrifice. But the Buddha teaches that we have to effect our salvation by our own effort and mental purity. "The Buddha can tell you what to do but he can not do the work for you". You have to do the work of salvation yourself. The Buddha has clearly stated that no one can do any thing for another for salvation except show the way. Therefore we must not depend on god, and not even depend on the Buddha.

We must know what are the qualities, duties, and responsibilities of being a human being. He said that if we have committed certain bad karma, we should not waste precious energy by being frustrated or disappointed in our effort to put it right.

The first thing to do is to firmly resolve to stop repeating such bad karma by realizing the harm it can do. The second thing is to cultivate more and more good karma. Thirdly, we must try to reduce evil thoughts, selfishness, hatred, anger, jealousy, grudges, and ill-will. In this way we can reduce the bad effect of the bad karma that we commit. This is the Buddha's method for overcoming the bad effects.

The Buddha did not say we must pray to and worship him and that he would forgive all our sins. Purity and impurity of our mind depend on ourselves. Neither god, Buddha, nor human being can pollute or [purify one's mind. "I cannot create impurity in your mind, I cannot purify your mind. But taking my word or my action, you create either purity or impurity within yourself. Outsiders cannot do anything for your mind if your mind is strong enough to resist it. That why knowledge and understanding are important."

The Buddha taught that what man needs for his happiness is not a religion or a mass of theories but an understanding of the cosmic nature of the universe and its complete operation according to the law of cause and effect. Until this fact is fully understood, man's understanding of life and existence will remain imperfect and faulty. "The path that the Buddha showed us is, I believe, the only path humanity must tread if it is to escape disaster". Jawaharlal Nehru

References: (1) Mahathera Narada. The Buddha and His Teachings: Kandy, Srilanka. Buddhist Publication Society. (2) K. Sri Dhammananda. Buddhism and Present Life