What is the difference between karma and dharma in Hinduism?
In Hinduism, karma and dharma are two crucial ideas that are frequently discussed together. Despite having a connection, their meanings are distinct. The concept of karma refers to cause and effect. It is the notion that every action has a reaction and that people are accountable for the results of their choices.
Hinduism holds that good deeds produce positive karma, which results in a better rebirth, whereas evil deeds produce negative karma, which results in a worse rebirth. The karma of an individual determines their cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
On the other hand, dharma refers to righteousness or responsibility. It is a fundamental tenet of cosmic order that people have a moral obligation to uphold. The religion is predicated on the notion that every living thing in the universe has a purpose and a role, and that achieving this role is essential to upholding order and balance.
Dharma entails obligations to one's self, others, and society at large. By carrying out one's dharma, one is believed to produce good karma and advance towards moksha, or escape from the cycle of birth and death.
Karma is, in essence, the law of cause and consequence, whereas dharma is the law of cosmic order and morality. While these ideas are significant in Hinduism, their implications and meanings vary.
