Ambarsaria ji,
At the end of my post to Randip ji, I had wanted to suggest that after rejecting the particular Hindu understanding of Karma, the Sikh understanding about it should be provided. But I decided against it as I thought that it may come across as a challenge.
I don’t know Hindu, but I wouldn’t try to learn about it from any scholarly writings. A scholar seeks to come to a general conclusion about groups of people and does not take into consideration the mind of the individual. He may study outward behavior of selected individuals, but then this clearly is a place where his projections likely take effect. And scholars will talk in terms of philosophy and the evolution of ideas, but again this is an abstraction and missing the point. Because religion is about the individual, not the outward behavior, but his attitude towards experiences.
I don’t know Hindu, but what I do know is that any religion must be based on moral principles and this is what attracts different people to it. When I stated that Karma existed before there was caste system, historically I thought that this was the case, but this was not all that I had in mind. One thing I had in mind was that Karma as a moral principle is a universal law, and any correct or incorrect application must necessarily come after some recognition of this fact. And this means that Karma must override any other considerations, ones that we may feel disinclined to accept.
An individual who approaches religion is attracted to those parts which teach morality, and Karma *is* a moral law. If there is anything else that interests him, these comes *after* and is never that important. It seems like an insult then, to suggest more or less that Hinduism is built on the caste system and that those who follow it are fools. I would say that even amongst those who feel suppressed by the system, they gain inspiration from those parts of their teachings which is about Karma and rightly!
After all, what is the urge ‘to do good and avoid evil’ all about if not a reflection of this law being a Universal Truth? If Hinduism teaches about Karma, then it surely must have been based on such a truth and not as suggested, a creation by those who seek to control other people? You may not agree with the teachings, but why insult people’s intelligence?
I appreciate your efforts to provide the necessary information and I think you were hinting at the Sikh concept of Karma when you remarked:
“Sikhism postulates all being from one source and continuing so and a creation of God which cannot be fully known or described by anyone.”
I am however not going to engage in discussions here anymore and therefore apologize for having to make your efforts go more or less in vain.
Regarding the book you asked about, it is not like it was an important book from where I got all my ideas. But just that it is small in comparison and easier to read. It was “Buddhism in Daily Life” by Nina Van Gorkom. You can do a search and will surely come upon an online version of the book.
Thanks for all your discussions and kindness shown.
