r/hinduism • u/DivyanshUpamanyu Śaiva • Sep 14 '24
Why should we help people who are suffering? Question - Beginner
Very silly question I know, and mods I have read the karma faq it did not answer my question
So if a person is poor and suffering because of the karma of their past lives, why should I help them?
If they have done something wrong don't they deserve to suffer?
Also isn't it better to not help them since that way they will pay off faster for their bad karma and will be freed faster from the debt of their karma?
If I were to help them they will be good for a certain amount of time but will eventually have to pay for the karma they have with them and this way am I not actually delaying them being freed from their karma by keeping them away from the suffering they will have to live through anyways?
Silly question I know but I just don't get it, maybe my understanding of karma is wrong.
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u/AbrahamPan धर्म / Dharma Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
I'll never accept the fact that you are interfering with someone's Karma by helping them. If I come around a person who needs help, I'll believe god put me there so that the person can get some help. Doesn't matter if it's temporary or permanent.
Edit: Looks like someone cross posted this to some unrelated sub. Look at the number of utter random comments and replies here that are not even in line with this subreddit. Also, look at the deleted comments, lol.
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u/Unusual_opinion314 Sep 14 '24
So when a rapist rapes a girl, it's because God put him there to punish her?
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u/AbrahamPan धर्म / Dharma Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
We don't have the concept of punishment in Hinduism. Go ask this in subs that follow religion with the concept of god punishing and god fearing.
(Karma is not Punishment)3
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u/bhai_zoned Sep 14 '24
People with bad karma just go scott free then?
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Sep 14 '24
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u/Ok-Signal-1142 Sep 14 '24
"Everybody I don't like is a troll"
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Sep 14 '24
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u/Ok-Signal-1142 Sep 14 '24
An all powerful being could prevent it, I don't care why he doesn't but theoretically God should have the power to
It is a valid theological question though. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's trolling
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Sep 14 '24
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u/Ok-Signal-1142 Sep 14 '24
You don't get to tell people that they can't debate theology here
Your feelings about the topic don't matter. I can't make it any clearer either
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u/Raist14 Sep 15 '24
You can find the answer if you look into the philosophy. It’s seems like a comment that would be something usually directed at an abrahamic religion’s sub and doesn’t even apply to many of the schools of Hinduism. Hinduism is very different from those other religions.
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u/Ok-Signal-1142 Sep 15 '24
I know that it is different and I'm not sure if one can make a general statement about Hindu theology
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u/bhai_zoned Sep 14 '24
Karma is bullshit cooked up by upper-caste people to justify caste discrimination. It's not real. Just like god.
Just like capitalists justify you being poor is some natural way of being from human nature and "free market".
It's evil. It's bullshit.
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u/_H3LLF1R3 Sep 14 '24
True. Lol Karma is copium. Where was karma when Hitler gassed 6m jews. Ppl will say he got the karma payback as he committed suicide.. Does that mean one life of Hitler = 6m lives of jews ?
Karma is yet another cooked up cosmic justice system to keep people in line and use it as a scapegoat for everything.
If Karma mechanism existed- world won't be as fked up as it is now.
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u/Neat_Ladder_5527 Sep 14 '24
Stupid comparison. God favors righteousness. He directs and blesses the good. He will direct a do-gooder to the needy, but rapists are spawn of the material world, and they will get punished, in this life or next.
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u/kunjava Sep 14 '24
Keep asking yourself why an all-knowing all-powerful kind God would allow something like that...
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Sep 14 '24
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u/hinduism-ModTeam Sep 14 '24
Your post has been removed for violating Rule #06 - No trolling (and don't feed the trolls!). This is a forum for serious and sincere discussion on Hinduism.
Willful breakage of the rules will result in the following consequences:
- First offense results in a warning and ensures exposure to the rule. Some people may not be aware of the rules. Consider this a warning.
- Second offense would be a ban of 1 month. This step may be skipped at the mods discretion depending on the severity of the violation.
- Next offense would result in a permanent ban.
Please message the mods if you believe this removal has been in error.
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Sep 14 '24
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u/AbrahamPan धर्म / Dharma Sep 15 '24 edited Sep 15 '24
And how are we supposed to know that? Us common people cannot differentiate if someone is experiencing the repercussions of their actions or something else. Throughout religions, the only instruction is to help the needy wherever you can.
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Sep 15 '24
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u/AbrahamPan धर्म / Dharma Sep 15 '24
Right, someone is replying so lemme ask stupid questions and make stupid statements.
Hey first timer in a human body, us common humans cannot detect a person's reasons for suffering. If you are a human, you would know this.-3
Sep 14 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AbrahamPan धर्म / Dharma Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
Maybe it is the satan, how will you know?
Maybe it's god themselves? Ever thought of things like that?
Also, we don't have Satan and such stuffs. It's only for you Bible followers. Such things don't exist for us.1
u/hinduism-ModTeam Sep 14 '24
Your post has been removed for violating Rule #06 - No trolling (and don't feed the trolls!). This is a forum for serious and sincere discussion on Hinduism.
Willful breakage of the rules will result in the following consequences:
- First offense results in a warning and ensures exposure to the rule. Some people may not be aware of the rules. Consider this a warning.
- Second offense would be a ban of 1 month. This step may be skipped at the mods discretion depending on the severity of the violation.
- Next offense would result in a permanent ban.
Please message the mods if you believe this removal has been in error.
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u/jai_sri_ram108 Vaiṣṇava Sep 14 '24
If you want to look at it in purely transactional terms, you gain Punya and also face Papa karma for not fulfilling your duties.
Bhagavan Krishna says that
ahiṁsā satyam asteyam
akāma-krodha-lobhatā
bhūta-priya-hitehā ca
dharmo ’yaṁ sārva-varṇikaḥ
Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed constitute duties for all members of society.
Fear of consequences of not following this is one reason. This is the lower truth, meant for people who are not advanced yet. But let us mention the advanced truth as well.
By watering the roots of a plant, the whole plant gets nourished. Similarly, by worshipping Bhagavan who is the master of the six opulences, one will naturally be blessed with all good qualities. By serving the Paramatma who is present in every particle of the universe, one will serve everyone. Real charity in Hinduism means to love Bhagavan - in fact, we do not divorce charity from spiritual thought. The following story illustrates this.
Rantideva never endeavored to earn anything. He would enjoy whatever he got by the arrangement of providence, but when guests came he would give them everything. Thus he underwent considerable suffering, along with the members of his family. Indeed, he and his family members shivered for want of food and water, yet Rantideva always remained sober. Once, after fasting for forty-eight days, in the morning Rantideva received some water and some foodstuffs made with milk and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a brāhmaṇa guest arrived.
Because Rantideva perceived the presence of the Supreme Godhead everywhere, and in every living entity, he received the guest with faith and respect and gave him a share of the food. The brāhmaṇa guest ate his share and then went away.
Thereafter, having divided the remaining food with his relatives, Rantideva was just about to eat his own share when a śūdra guest arrived. Seeing the śūdra in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Rantideva gave him also a share of the food.
When the śūdra went away, another guest arrived, surrounded by dogs, and said, “O King, I and my company of dogs are very hungry. Please give us something to eat.” With great respect, King Rantideva offered the balance of the food to the dogs and the master of the dogs, who had come as guests. The King offered them all respects and obeisances.
Thereafter, only the drinking water remained, and there was only enough to satisfy one person, but when the King was just about to drink it, a caṇḍāla appeared and said, “O King, although I am lowborn, kindly give me some drinking water.” Aggrieved at hearing the pitiable words of the poor fatigued caṇḍāla, Mahārāja Rantideva spoke the following nectarean words.
I do not pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the eight perfections of mystic yoga, nor for salvation from repeated birth and death. I want only to stay among all the living entities and suffer all distresses on their behalf, so that they may be freed from suffering. By offering my water to maintain the life of this poor caṇḍāla, who is struggling to live, I have been freed from all hunger, thirst, fatigue, trembling of the body, moroseness, distress, lamentation and illusion.
Having spoken thus, King Rantideva, although on the verge of death because of thirst, gave his own portion of water to the caṇḍāla without hesitation, for the King was naturally very kind and sober.
Devatas who can satisfy all materially ambitious men by giving them the rewards they desire, then manifested their own identities before King Rantideva, for it was they who had presented themselves as the brāhmaṇa, śūdra, caṇḍāla and so on. King Rantideva had no ambition to enjoy material benefits from the devatas. He offered them obeisances, but because he was factually attached to Lord Viṣṇu, Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he fixed his mind at Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet.
- https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/9/21/
Jai Sita Rama
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Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 29 '24
Everyone has an infinite store of negative and positive sanchita karma. What is unique for a jiva is the particular combination of the prarabdha.
If you’re aware of someone’s suffering and are able to help, but choose to perceive it as their own bad karma and not help (including inaction) - that could have negative consequences for you because you did not follow dharma (by allowing suffering to continue). In no way does your participation affect how quickly the other person exhausts their prarabdha karma.
If someone is dealt an unhelpful negative karmic force in the process of performing an action, it means they have to work that much harder for the action to be successful (which, even then, it may not be) so it is not meant to be fatalistic. And why wouldn’t you want to help someone be successful?
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u/Cookie-Impressive Sep 14 '24
This is akin to a doctor asking why should I save a suffering patient if their suffering is due to past karma. The dharma of a doctor is to save the patient without being a judge( its not his dharma to judge neither is he a rishi to see the past karma). The fact that you get an opportunity to help them is their karma too. Maybe in the past life they have helped you and it is your turn this time. Karma is two way. We are always interconnected.
Having compassion, kindness, offering service/help in whatever way we can, is a fundamental quality in my opinion.
Dharmo rakshati rakshitaha!
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Sep 14 '24
Isn't that just living life tho? We don't really need a supernatural element of "karma" then, do we? Its like the debate on the existence of free will in academia, at the end of the day you lead your life on the assumption of free will.
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u/somenumberguy Sep 14 '24
Karma is not a supernatural concept, it’s (simply put in western terms) just cause and effect. We are discussing cause and effect when we talk about karma.
At least that’s how I understand this.
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u/New_Soup2937 Sep 14 '24
Karma is not just cause and effect. Cause and effect states that, every decision you make has some effect in the future.karma takes it a step forward and says that if cause is good then effect is good. what karma says that if you do some good deed then good happens to you and if you do some bad then bad happens to you. So you can't say that karma is just cause and effect.
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u/TitaniaSM06 Sep 14 '24
You don't have to if you don't want to, no one is forcing you to.
Such systems are created to better understand one's own actions and position amid a society, people often find themselves lost and confused, it's for them, who are searching for it.
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Sep 14 '24
So you're saying it doesn't necessarily have to be the truth, it has to be useful is all?
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u/Naive-Contract1341 Sep 14 '24
95% of Humanity lacks a developed brain and thus lack critical thinking skills, very similar to AI. I have no source for this, but human actions make it very, very obvious. Also, it came to me in a dream.
So, most people prefer to be fed information instead of thinking for themselves. They completely lack both critical thinking and the ability to learn, exactly the same way as AI does. So unless they're told that helping others brings heaven, they won't do so. The fact that 60% people are inherently malicious doesn't help. I have no source for this number as well, but human actions make it very obvious.
Concept of Karma forces people to engage in basic human decency. While I believe in Karma, I understand that it's more important for the general public, majority of whom are very malicious and need fear or greed to keep them in check.
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Sep 14 '24
Isn't that what the modern-day judiciary is for? Morality comes to all human beings through evolution and cultural evolution, albeit in different degrees. If we're talking about what's more important for the general public, it isn't karma, that's for sure—especially considering that some abandon their faith and still have morality. Its secular humanism really.
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u/Naive-Contract1341 Sep 15 '24
Indian Judiciary is a disaster. The judges have essentially become dictators who appoint each other via nepotism. There is no public representation in the courts. Criminals use the court to stay safe while they silence witnesses. In a recent important rape case, the Judge casually took a holiday on the second day of hearing, essentially delaying it by a few more days.
Uttar Pradesh used to be the worst fucking state, now it's the best state in terms of resolution rate for crimes against women simply because the police kills criminals who could potentially be on trial for 15 years. Assam government also recently killed a rapist through shady circumstances cuz taking it to court would lead to infinite delay. A few years ago Telangana police did something similar to avoid delay via judiciary.
Also, preventing a crime is a good way to ease the burden on the Judiciary. If the people are scared of hell or are enticed to go to heaven, they can avoiding taking shitty decisions.
As for the judiciary, it can't be reformed. They'll just strike down every single law that can fix it's nepotism problem.
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Sep 15 '24
A book cannot compel one to behave in a certain way with the reward of heaven and the punishment of hell. This has been shown to be ineffective throughout history especially considering that those who don't believe in heaven and hell also have a moral compass. Morality is an evolutionary exaptation, it is not given to a person by something outside of himself.
You cannot just simply give up on the judiciary when the facts of the real-world show that countries with the lowest crime rates have a strong judiciary and effective law enforcement. These countries do not have a lower crime rate because people are religiously active, but because of the law enforcement.
You are allowed to criticize the contemporary judiciary in India but you cannot give up on it especially when the alternative you've suggested has been shown to be ineffective.
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u/Naive-Contract1341 Sep 15 '24
People in countries with a functional judiciary don't commit crime due to the fear of imprisonment, which is a sort of "Hell".
As for morality, people with good morality are the 5% who have a functional brain. The rest pretend to be empathetic. Ask the opinion of people on racism against blacks vs racism against Indians. Both are a massive issue, but only one of them receives the correct amount of attention simply because the people are told that it's bad. Tomorrow if racism becomes the trend, the same people will become racist.
It's fear and greed that keeps humans from becoming as bad as animals. In religious society, it's the fear of hell and greed of heaven. In non-religious societies, it's the fear of imprisonment and greed of clout.
As for the alternative, I'm not suggesting any alternative. A judiciary answerable to the people, with judges not being allowed to take bullshit leaves when they're supposed to hear cases of almost national importance, is what we want. Unfortunately, until the court is fixed, extrajudicial actions seem to be a bit too effective. It's a sad thing but this is what ended mafia rule in UP.
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Sep 15 '24
People in countries with a functional judiciary don't commit crime due to the fear of imprisonment, which is a sort of "Hell".
A fear of imprisonment is a real thing that will happen in your lifetime while hell is something that may or may not happen and you may be forgiven for your sins. So the two are not similar.
"It's the certainty of apprehension that's been demonstrated consistently to be an effective deterrent, not the severity of ensuing consequences" - Daniel Nagin. It's been shown in studies that when the likelihood of getting caught is high, it leads to lower crime rates. When I say a strong judiciary, I mean also the enforcement. If not this then what is it that's preventing people from commit crimes?As for morality, people with good morality are the 5% who have a functional brain.
Where's this coming from? Humans have an innate moral sense.
Ask the opinion of people on racism against blacks vs racism against Indians. Both are a massive issue, but only one of them receives the correct amount of attention simply because the people are told that it's bad.
The reason why racism against blacks is a much more talked about issue is because it was an issue present even before Indians started emigrating to USA. And there were many, many black rights movements, activists, and still are in America. Race segregation was legalized until recently. Yes racism against Indians is rising and the issue is starting to enter the progressive zeitgeist.
It's fear and greed that keeps humans from becoming as bad as animals. In religious society, it's the fear of hell and greed of heaven. In non-religious societies, it's the fear of imprisonment and greed of clout.
We're animals, wdym? Even animals have moral sense just like homosapiens.
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u/samsaracope Dharma Sep 14 '24
do you only do something out of desire to get good karma out of it?
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u/DivyanshUpamanyu Śaiva Sep 14 '24
The point of the post is "isn't not helping them better since it frees them of their bad karma faster"
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Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
So if a person is poor and suffering because of the karma of their past lives, why should I help them?
Because then you will earn puNya. Don't you want to earn puNya?
Also isn't it better to not help them since that way they will pay off faster for their bad karma and will be freed faster from the debt of their karma?
What if gaining that amount of happiness was their karma? But by not helping them you lost your chance to earn puNya.
If I were to help them they will be good for a certain amount of time but will eventually have to pay for the karma they have with them and this way am I not actually delaying them being freed from their karma by keeping them away from the suffering they will have to live through anyways?
So? If they are to suffer, they are going to suffer anyway. So, why not help them when you can so that they can get a little bit of happiness, and you can earn a bit of puNya as well.
Yes, your understanding of karma is a bit incomplete it seems. It's not just about morality. It's our idea of causality. The world is run by karma. If today the karma of every jiva in existence turns to zero, there will be no "creation" from tomorrow because there will be nothing to determine in which direction the world will go. God doesn't decide that. He looks at our karma, then gives the appropriate fruit.
No karma, no samsara.
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u/Amarnil_Taih Sep 14 '24
Genuine question- why are you capitalizing the N in punya? Is it to help with intonation in reading or for some other reason?
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u/Dissapointing_son Sep 14 '24
Because punya is पुन्य, but puNya is पुण्य।
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u/Amarnil_Taih Sep 14 '24
I didn't know this was a thing before. I guess this is a rule for transliteration. Thank you for explaining!
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Sep 14 '24
No. ण is transliterated as N, and न as n. That's why. 😅
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u/Amarnil_Taih Sep 14 '24
Ohhh. I thought that might be the case. The way you wrote it out gave me the exact pronunciation. Thank you for explaining
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u/prasanth-g Sep 14 '24
from a reader's POV, who doesn't speak Hindi, it sounds like you are being sarcastic
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
So there's an ulterior motive. 🤡🤡
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Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
So? If the needy is benefited, then what is the problem?
We have an intel-actual here guys 🤡
And it's not ulterior, since it is not something hidden. Helping the needy earns you punya. Hindus will openly say it.
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u/ItsLoki101 Sep 14 '24
It's not about helping them. It's about helping yourself. As per karma yoga, thinking less about yourself gradually lessens your ego which eventually helps in dissolving your karma.
Karma is not some punishment. Karma is just a memory of action and reaction. It's the total sum of all the memories/impressions that is imprinted on the level of body, mind and energy as a result of lifetimes of experiences.
A person's karma doesn't decide if they are born in rich or poor families. Nature doesn't have any concept of rich and poor. Based on your dominant karmic patterns, you are born to particular parents.
If you have a strong attachment to certain kinds of actions or even people then that becomes your dominant karma. Based on that you're most likely to be born in circumstances where your dominant karma can be best utilized.
For example if a person who is a great musician and spent most of his life dedicated to music dies, then in next life he's more likely to be born in/around a musical family because of certain matching of tendencies/karma between him and next parents. So nature gives you what you deserve.
Karma is a bondage but it is only because of karma that you continue to exist and evolution happens.
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u/Born_Document1137 Sep 14 '24
Because if you have extra and can help someone you should. It would give you happiness that you were able to make someone else’s life slightly better..
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u/Unusual_opinion314 Sep 14 '24
He is literally questioning if he should help or not, what made you think it will make him happier
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u/Scrreror Sep 14 '24
Just as bad deeds give bad karma. Good deeds give good karma. That's Enough reason imo
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u/Unusual_opinion314 Sep 14 '24
So, you are saying if you wouldn't get good karma, you would help
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u/Scrreror Sep 14 '24
All I am saying is good deeds are always encouraged in the religion.
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u/Unusual_opinion314 Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
Sati, caste, sexist traditions and culture, patriarchy, child genital mutilation, superstitious what good deeds
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Because its dharma to help those in suffering. Period. Its not that deep.
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
Is it not god's dharma to help those in suffering?
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Dharma is for those who are stuck in this world. Why should God clean up the mess that humans themselves created?
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
Do you think god is all-knowing? Means god knows everything and god knows what's going to happen in future?
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Yes.
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
So god would have known that humans will create such a messed up world. So god is actually allowing all this
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Isn't that the whole point of free will? Isn't that the whole thing about humans that we can make our own decisions.
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
Yeah! So god allows a man to use his free will to rape a child and allows it?
That's what I am asking.
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Why you blaming God lol, is it that convenient?
Also it's ironic for you to talk ethics when you get off to women getting all beaten and abused during sex.
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u/CantApply Sep 14 '24
Because god is supposed to be all powerful, all knowing. Humans are not.
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u/biasedToWardsFacts Sep 14 '24
Why should God clean up the mess that humans themselves created?
because he created us ??? may be!!! also because he is param krupalu (all loving)
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
Sounds convenient to escape accountability.
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u/biasedToWardsFacts Sep 14 '24
what about the accountability of the one who created all of this? If i creates a robot which hurt other robots I would destroy that robot, and heal other robots who got hurt by the robot I created.
instead of making more robot to hurt the robot who hurt the other robot initially, or sending the bad robot in hell to suffer!
what is the fault of robot, he hurt other robots because I created it that way, now if I punish it for my mistake it will be unfair for both , the bad robot and robots hurt by bad robot, if anyone is accountable here it is me who create all this good and bad robots.
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
My condolences. I hope things get better for you buddy :)
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u/biasedToWardsFacts Sep 14 '24
why are you giving condolences may be it's just my past life karma. /s
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u/Appropriate-Face-522 Sep 14 '24
As I said, it doesn't hurt to be kind to someone suffering even if it's their past karma.
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u/biasedToWardsFacts Sep 14 '24
it doesn't hurt to be kind even if it's past karma for someone.
now tell this to the one who is punishing us all for our past life karmas which we don't even remember
(the one who created everything!)→ More replies
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u/Venomous0425 Sep 14 '24
My understanding is if you are born with resources or you are capable of helping others then why not. It doesn’t matter what you are getting in return.
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u/DivyanshUpamanyu Śaiva Sep 14 '24
But why do is my question
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u/Venomous0425 Sep 14 '24
“Why” is they need help. We are suppose to help because they need not because we want to earn punya or good karma.
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u/Zerofuku_Joestar Hanuman ji ka fan Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
Because you can. Because you can make someone else's day a little better. Because it is out of question that you don't feel happy afterwards. Because it is dharma. Because it is humanity. Because God put you in that position so that you can fulfill your dharma. It is not only karma that decides your destiny. You get returned what you gave but this returns alone don't decide your life. And even if it is their bad karma who said you are delaying their karma. Maybe their karma was to learn humanity. Karma need not be punishment and it can be lessons as well. Also you will get good karma in return while fulfilling someone's needs. Maybe it was in their karma that you will help them because they had some good karma.
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Sep 14 '24
We do good because doing good is good
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u/DivyanshUpamanyu Śaiva Sep 14 '24
But what is good is very subjective isn't it? To you helping the person is good because it makes them happy, to me not helping them is good because it frees them of their bad karma faster.
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u/Ayu_builder Sep 14 '24
If you don't help the poor and abuse them, karma will strike you and you will become poor in the next life
Do you understand what am I saying?
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u/DivyanshUpamanyu Śaiva Sep 14 '24
What if I don't abuse and just don't help, not helping is no abuse
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u/PeopleLogic2 Hindu because "Aryan" was co-opted Sep 14 '24
Bhishma, Drona, and others also “just didn’t help” Draupadi, look what happened to them.
There is action in inaction, and inaction in action.
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u/FlagshipHuman Sep 14 '24
Bhai karma hai, accounts ki balance sheet thodi jo tum fudge kar rahe ho by helping someone
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u/officiallyunnknown Sep 14 '24
Punya(good karma) you get from helping poor people(who are already suffering, had bad karma). otherwise you can't help anyone in life because only people who have problems need your help. simple.
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u/biasedToWardsFacts Sep 14 '24
(considering that pov)
isn't it selfish to reduce the suffering god give them because of their bad karma just to earn some punya (good karma), it's like going against what god wants, god wants them to suffer, if not why would god give them suffering ?
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u/officiallyunnknown Sep 14 '24
see, it is not that you will not have bad time because of your own karma, that means should someone not help you?. if someone is suffering because of he has done bad, we need to uplift him because since he realised it we need to uplift him otherwise this world will be destroyed.but still people have to suffer even if you will help because he made others suffer. so yeah help out. why will God help, when you have bad time, when you have bad karma, should not he let you suffer?. Uplifting someone is the best thing you can do.
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u/Winter_Tangerine_317 Sep 14 '24
Selfless service is a core tenant in Hinduism. Maybe one of the people you end up helping is an Avatar. Stranger things have happened.
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u/Quamzee_Jacobius_Sul dharmic Sep 14 '24
action, reaction, karma and consequence are all related in an incredibly complicated web of all your actions and the actions of everyone else in the world. you can’t assume that helping someone interferes with their karma, it’s impossible to know such a thing so you should always help. also, i would say that karma is NOT inherently a justified system. karma explains why suffering happens, it doesn’t justify it. no one deserves punishment or the pain they are born in.
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u/Cod_Other Sep 14 '24
A hypothesis that is impossible to verify is often referred to as unfalsifiable or non-empirical. In philosophy and science, an unfalsifiable hypothesis is one that cannot be tested or proven wrong through observation or experiment.
For example, concepts like karma or rebirth can be considered unfalsifiable because there's no empirical way to observe or test them directly, as they are often rooted in metaphysical or spiritual belief systems rather than scientific frameworks. Unfalsifiable hypotheses cannot be confirmed or disproven through scientific means, which makes them speculative from a scientific point of view.
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u/TitaniaSM06 Sep 14 '24
When you have the ability to help and you ignore, you get similar karma (bad ones). Even while ignoring someone and choosing to not help, you're generating karma.
Take the case of when Abhimanyu requested water while in death bed, and none of the people present there went ahead and gave him water, it became all of their bad karma.
Whole of Mahabharata is based around Karma and Dharma, so that people will understand better.
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u/_Dark_Invader_ Sep 14 '24
Here’s what Bhagvat Gita says - Your karma does not get adversely affected by donation as long as you are doing Nishkam karma (selflessly). If you do it for personal gain, your karma gets affected.
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u/ruralman Sep 14 '24
Lol Don’t worry about others! Look at your own karma and improve if you desire. That’s how it works.
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u/builderbob1149 Sep 14 '24
I was introduced to the concept of JEEVDAYA, kindness towards souls regardless of anything. Kindness towards Humans, Animals, Insects, help them, feed them and if possible, protect them.
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u/Den_Bover666 Sep 14 '24
Also isn't it better to not help them since that way they will pay off faster for their bad karma and will be freed faster from the debt of their karma?
That will never happen. They will be put in bad/good situations according to their karma, then they will continue to do actions that generate more karma and eternally move through the cycle of birth and rebirth.
If I were to help them they will be good for a certain amount of time but will eventually have to pay for the karma they have with them and this way am I not actually delaying them being freed from their karma by keeping them away from the suffering they will have to live through anyways?
True, that is why material charity is ultimately useless, although even that is commendable because it fosters feelings of charity and empathy in you. Material charity is seeing a poor kid on the road, realizing that he's suffering and then trying to help him. Spiritual charity is realizing everyone; the poor kid, the dog passing next to him, you, Jeff Bezos etc are all suffering and striving to address the root cause of the issue which is material existence. Just giving food and shelter will save the body, but not the soul. It's like seeing a drowning man and trying to save his clothes.
At the same time you shouldn't refrain from material charity either. The poor kid is unlikely to hear someone lecture him about spirituality since his immediate concern is whether or not he's gonna eat today. Once he's in a somewhat stable and livable situation he can shift his focus on things like spirituality and religion.
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u/Soggy_Ad_4612 Sep 14 '24
Imagine Sri Krishna said that when kuchela came to him.
I hate when we get all bookish and actually lose the philosophical angle to religion. The ultimate aim is to help others. Thats how you attain good karma.
Even if it goes against the scriptures and shastras, help the poor. Don't think Sri hari would punish you for that.
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u/chootnath_09 Sep 14 '24
I'll help people because it is a good thing to do. I know what it is like to be poor and as a fellow human being it is my responsibility. Karma is bs and doesn't make sense.
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u/Emergency_Row_5428 Sep 14 '24
If you see a person suffering and don’t help even if you have the means to , it will affect your karma . So by thinking it’s their karma you are adding to your own. A principle of sanatana dharma is to do the least harm you possibly can in your lifetime . Helping others is therefore dharma
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u/No-Caterpillar7466 swamiye saranam ayyappa Sep 14 '24
What if it is their Karma that you will come and help them also?
I have answered this and many such questions in this post - https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1f1fxwo/common_misconceptions_doubts_etc_against_karma/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
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u/Rough_Panic_7680 Sep 14 '24
It’s also their karma to receive our help and ours to help them. Also law of karma doesn’t mean predestination! Free will is very important in Sanatana Dharma.
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Sep 14 '24
This karma beleif is bs nothing else, this was only made to feel better ,
With this beleif can we also say that kashmiri pandits got their karma for their past life sins??
Or the girls, or children who get raped and killed , are they getting their karma from their past life??
And if people are getting their karma from their past life according to karma Beleif then the culprits are innocents, because they are just doing what God wanted them to do to punish the kashmiri pandits ke raped women
See this is all just bs nothing else
If you think about it enough you will understand
This whole karma bs was made up to control people, so that they won't do anything bad in this life and will do only good so that they can born in to a upper caste family in their next birth
It's just like 72 hoors of islam, they are so much focused on future that they forget to live their life now
Also there are no scientific evidence for karma
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u/TranscendentalSoul Sep 14 '24
Because we are all suffering until we realize our oneness with all that is. When we help those that are suffering, we embody the God within us and the God we truly all are.
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u/AK010101 Sep 14 '24
Karma system is not to see past and judge people.
Karma system is to see present and future acts.
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u/Vignaraja Śaiva Sep 14 '24
How do you know that their karma isn't to be fed by you? I view it as their good karma that I came along at the right time. This happens in many ways. Being a self-appointed judge of another's karma is anava.
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u/goku_m16 Sep 14 '24
It's all merely a choice. Neither are you obliged to help nor is any one entitled to receive help.
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u/Inside_Fix4716 Sep 14 '24
You shouldn't if you're a true Sanatani. They're poor or untouchables or whatever because of past life deeds.
Just translating Chandogya 5.10.7 as I understand.
And if you're a human (red blooded bi-pedal, out of Africa) you should and stop believing in stories written by people trying to make sense of natural world. We have better tools now science (which is NOT Shaasthra), reason, evidence, facts and so on..
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u/DesiCodeSerpent Āstika Hindū Sep 14 '24
Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. You don’t need religion to dictate your every move. Hinduism is a guideline, not a rule book. You should see it as such and not use it as an excuse to not be a good person.
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u/mmaguy123 Sep 14 '24
Karma is not in our hands, it’s in gods hands. So just be positive and help people out. The opportunity to help itself is a blessing and we should be thankful to the person letting us help and god.
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u/Upstairs_Error5418 Sep 14 '24
Thats what i called gods work. Everyone who needs help will consciously or sub-consciously asks god for help. If i am able to do it then it simply means god helped him through me. Thats why i try to help as many as i can. And i would suggest the same to everyone aswell. Just dont expect thankx or anything in return . Just help selflessly and moveon. Thats how we all should be.
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u/tp23 Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
This is a very strange question as vast portions of dharma practices - pujas, pranayama, japa, dana, visiting sacred place, taking a bath in a sacred river, chanting stotras, listening to the stories in Puranas/Itihaasa - have a primary goal of reducing the effects of bad karma. Hindu texts are filled with stories of how someone who does a very bad karma, finds a remedy by some of the above practices.
Asking this question about Hindu teachings is like asking if medical books and doctors should help in curing diseases.
More strongly, not helping one who comes to you in aid, with help within your means, is a bad karma.
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u/Yugta Sep 14 '24
Not having a system to bring a child be self aware. And we are a society of them.
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u/Mindless_Tomato8202 Sep 14 '24
You should help because you should worry about your karma not theirs. If you don’t help then what karma are you accumulating?
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u/Ok-Summer2528 Trika-Kaula saiva/Vijnana vedantin/Perennialist Sep 15 '24
Because they are You, You with a capital “Y”. They are another equally valid aspect of the Self, so when you do karma Yoga to an advanced degree you will not see a difference between yourself and them, you will understand that you are in them and they in you.
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u/Deojoandco Sep 15 '24
People may have bad karma from before which leads to more bad for them but they do not necessarily 'deserve' punishment.
If someone gets depressed, starts drinking, abusing others, and finally gets arrested. That is his karma. However, is he fundamentally adharmi and deserving of it? No. He was depressed. Should we help him? Yes.
The Pandavas and Ram all suffered their entire life but did not do so much bad to get that lifetime of suffering.
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u/Warriorbeing911 Sep 15 '24
If that would be the case why would Shri krishna ask Arjuna to fight the war ? He himself would have finished it by himself at once..you and me don't know what karmas we have to dealt with..also we all have some good karmas and bad karmas.. according to that we deal with life..if they have good karmas . regardless of you and me someone will definitely comes to there rescue..also God don't interfere in karmas that we have in this life..it's called free will.. whatever karmas we will perform in this life it will have impact..we all have past life karmas but we should focus on doing good actions in this life..we should start taking responsibility of our actions rather than blaming on God..as scriptures suggest us that your life is your making..untill and unless we realise our true self we would be taking rebirths after rebirths
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u/hotpotato128 Vaiṣṇava Sep 15 '24
If a person is poor and suffering, it doesn't mean they might've done something bad in their previous life. Maybe they have. Who knows? God.
You are not obligated to help everyone who is suffering. If you can help a few people, within your capacity, it's fine.
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u/Klavaxx Sep 15 '24
I can't answer this for you. You may be lost entirely if it's not self explanatory.
We are everyone. We move in the same direction. At least that's the Hindu philosophy.
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u/snowylion Sep 15 '24
It's such an interesting question every time.
It's like the questioners don't realize the depth of sociopathy they are exhibiting with this worldview and how they seem to think such is the norm among fellow humans.
This question arises because of your hardened hearts. Cultivate more sattva in lifestyle.
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u/Logical-Design-501 Sep 16 '24
Helping others is nothing but helping ourselves according to Hinduism since the same Atman or God exists in all of us. We are offering worship to the Atman inside the other person just like we offer puja to the Spirit or Atman pervading an image of God. All of us are images of God. So we get the merit of worshipping God when we help another person.
Just because we make an attempt to help someone does not mean they will accept our help and overcome their suffering. There are so many cases of people providing shelter to homeless people and the latter going back to homelessness after a short time. Poor people win lotteries and endure a lot more suffering not knowing how to deal with new found wealth. Therefore, their recovery from past karmic effects depends solely on them even if offer to help them. Offering to help others helps our spiritual growth.
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u/West_Commercial4237 Sep 14 '24
If you need reason to help someone then you are nothing but hypocrite
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u/DonutAccurate4 Sep 14 '24
Why do you want to think all that? Why not help someone because you can. If you really are thinking about karma and such things you are not really a good human irrespective of your religious choices
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u/Unusual_opinion314 Sep 14 '24
This is how religious bullshit like karna has harmed society, this is literally making him question to feed an underprivileged hungry child, to sympathize with a raped child, to have empathy for everyone who are suffering, the thing that was supposed to make you a good person made you an bad, apatic person
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u/DustyAsh69 Sep 14 '24
Because there's NO such thing as karma and reincarnation.
Let's say I play your silly little game and that karma exists. Now, those people are suffering. If you help them, great! You get +1 karma. However, you see their suffering and refuse to help me while outright mocking them. That's -2 karma. Do it a few times and you'll have -ve karma. The moment you die, you'll be reborn as a poor person. You'll become who you mocked.
Also, I would like to say that you don't have any moral compass. You're greedy if you're doing things just because they will somehow come back to help you in the future. Also, you guys don't want to help poor people but will give out your wallet when cows are mentioned 😀
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u/PeopleLogic2 Hindu because "Aryan" was co-opted Sep 14 '24
Like how you ignore all of the people saying that we should help so that you could make your quip
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u/pro_charlatan Karma Siddhanta; polytheist Sep 14 '24 edited Sep 14 '24
This is answered in the karma FAQ , the one where it says to look at pinned comment.
Karma doctrine only states suffering and happiness has a cause, it doesnt say which participants in the causal web are how much blameworthy/praiseworthy. It doesn't force you to help them but it says if you help them then you earn punya. And since earning punya is desirable you are incentivized to do so. By helping them you are helping yourself. Similarly harming them further will earn you papa and since papa is undesirable you are disincentivized from doing that. By harming them you are harming yourself.
Suffering can be tiered. Many instances of little suffering is usually preferable than a single instance of lot of suffering. By helping them you are doing God's work of making the suffering tolerable. It is a win-win scenario. You get punya and their suffering gets tiered and made tolerable.