Karma

The law of cause and effect in Buddhist philosophy, where intentional actions — of body, speech, and mind — produce corresponding results in this life or future lives. The word karma literally means 'action' and does not imply fate or predestination. Rather, it describes a natural law of moral causation: wholesome actions lead to favorable outcomes, while unwholesome actions lead to suffering. Karma is not a system of reward and punishment administered by an external judge but an impersonal principle of conditionality. Understanding karma provides a framework for ethical responsibility and personal transformation.

According to the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, as preserved in the Buddhist sutras and the Dharma, Karma represents a key concept that continues to inform philosophical thought and practice today.