Karma as per Ved§nta

What is karma, particularly in Advaita?   It means an action.  There can be at least two types of karma.  (i)  A good action (following the norms of dharma) done to bring about desirable consequences (karma-phala).  This generally results into happiness (sukha).  (ii) There can be another type of action which is not desirable (adharma) performance of which brings about consequences which are not desirable.  This produces unhappiness (du#kha).  This is ‘law of karma’.  All Indian schools of thoughts, irrespective of their internal diversities, equivocally accept the law of karma.  

Who owns the consequences?  The doer (kart§).  One who consciously undertakes the action, enjoys the effects of karma.  ‘He did this action’.  ‘I did this action’.  Who is this ‘doer’? 

There are four states of consciousness as per Ved§nta (M§;*ukyopani>ad) which are,  j§grat (state of awakening), svapna (dream state),  su>upti (deep sleep) and tur$ya (transcendental state of consciousness, pure and absolute, where there is no individual identity), Tur$ya alone is the Ultimate Reality.  All other three states are transitory, therefore ‘not real’.   As per M§;*ukya Upani>ad, state of tur$ya, the fourth, alone is the true state of the Self -- ‘<§nta/ <iva/-advaita/ caturtha/ manyante, sa §tm§, sa vij_eya#’.  All other states are not ultimate and therefore none of those represent the true Self.  Since they are transitory and non-real, are mere appearances.  

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