#  karma 

 



*Karma* means action and the consequences of action, both in the world and for oneself. It is important in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions where rebirth is presupposed and *karma* shapes one’s ongoing life. Every action leaves an imprint. In the Jain tradition, *karma* is understood to accumulate in quasi-material form, clouding and obscuring the luminous nature of the soul. The goal of some forms of Buddhism is seen as removing the effects of *karma* so that the cycle of birth and death, *samsara*, can be left. For Buddhists, *karma* can be both good and bad, and is sometimes referred to as good and bad merit.