Sanchita Karma

Definition

Sanchita karma refers to the accumulated sum of all actions and their consequences from past lives. It represents the totality of karmic imprints that an individual carries into their current existence, influencing their present circumstances and future experiences. Understanding sanchita karma is essential for comprehending how karma operates in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth within Hindu and Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Sanchita karma includes all past actions from numerous lifetimes, creating a complex web of karmic influence on an individual's current life.
2. In Hinduism, sanchita karma can determine one's dharma (duty) and the circumstances they face in their current life.
3. Both Hinduism and Buddhism recognize that sanchita karma can be resolved or mitigated through good actions and spiritual practices.
4. While sanchita karma is accumulated over time, it can be transformed by conscious choices made in the present moment.
5. The ultimate goal in both traditions is to liberate oneself from the cycle of samsara (rebirth) by addressing and resolving one's sanchita karma.

Review Questions

• How does sanchita karma affect an individual's life experiences and choices in the present?
  • Sanchita karma plays a significant role in shaping an individual's current experiences and choices by providing the backdrop of karmic influences accumulated from past lives. This accumulated karma manifests as various challenges, opportunities, and circumstances one faces today. By understanding these influences, individuals can make more conscious choices that either align with their dharma or work towards resolving past karmic imprints.
• Discuss the relationship between sanchita karma and prarabdha karma in Hindu philosophy.
  • In Hindu philosophy, sanchita karma is the total accumulation of all karmas from past lives, while prarabdha karma refers specifically to the portion of that accumulated karma that is currently active and influencing one's present life. Prarabdha karma determines the current experiences and circumstances an individual must confront. This relationship emphasizes the idea that while past actions shape present realities, individuals have the power to alter future outcomes through present actions.
• Evaluate how the understanding of sanchita karma contributes to the broader concepts of liberation in both Hinduism and Buddhism.
  • Understanding sanchita karma is crucial for grasping the broader concepts of liberation within both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, addressing and resolving sanchita karma through righteous living allows individuals to progress toward moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Similarly, in Buddhism, acknowledging past karmic influences aids practitioners in cultivating mindfulness and ethical conduct to achieve enlightenment. Both traditions illustrate that while one cannot change past actions, conscious efforts can lead to transformation and ultimately free individuals from suffering associated with accumulated karma.

Related terms

Karma: The principle of cause and effect where a person's actions (good or bad) influence their future experiences, impacting their cycle of rebirth.

Prarabdha Karma: The portion of sanchita karma that is currently being experienced in a person's life, which shapes their present circumstances.

Ashancita Karma: Refers to actions that are yet to be performed, representing future karmic potential that has not yet manifested.