Supplement II : The Truth about Good Deeds

II.  KARMAS AS EXPLAINED IN THE VARIOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF REVERED LEADERS OF RADHASOAMI FAITH, RADHASOAMI SATSANG, DAYALBAGH.

(Compiled by DR. PREM SARAN SATSANGI)

THE TRUTH ABOUT GOOD DEEDS

(Discourse No. 32 from SATSANG KE UPDESA, Part I by Param Guru Sahabji Maharaj)

            People in India have believed in the Theory of Karma from very ancient times. Several learned Europeans have recently given some thought to this problem and obtained considerable peace of mind and, influenced by their example, quite a large number of Europeans have also begun to believe in the Karma philosophy. In India however every child believes in the theory of ‘Karma’ and feels no difficulty whatsoever regarding his belief in this theory. But it does not mean that everybody in India is acquainted with all the intricacies of this difficult theory. On the contrary Indians harbour many wrong notions about this theory due to their ignorance. For example, everyone says that good actions bring happiness, ensure God’s pleasure or lead to heaven, while evil actions bring pain and God’s displeasure or lead to hell. It should be noted that no action in itself is either good or bad. It is the motive of the doer that determines whether any particular action is good or bad. For example, if a doctor amputates your finger, it would be a good act because his motive in cutting off your finger is to give you relief but the same act by an enemy or a dacoit would be an evil act because his real motive is to give you pain or to injure you. It follows from the above that good deeds are those that are inspired by good motives and that it is the motive and not the action that counts. But it is not necessary that all actions inspired by good motives should result in happiness. For example, there is a story of a bear who with a view to give relief to his sleeping man-friend struck him hard on the face because a fly sat on his friend’s face again and again despite his best efforts to keep it off. The bear no doubt killed the fly but sorely wounded the friend’s face by his claws. Many more instances can be cited to show clearly that despite the best intentions, every action does not necessarily result in happiness. Thus the principle that actions inspired by good motives result in happiness, ensure the pleasure of the True Supreme Being or lead to heaven, is proved to be wrong. If however the principle is accepted as true, good deeds would have to be defined in some other way. Merely good intentions will not make actions really good. For this reason, it is said that good deeds are those which are performed in the discharge of duties laid down for man by Rishis, Sages, Sadhs, Saints and Prophets. Obviously, if these duties are performed merely by way of custom or under compulsion, they will bear no fruit. Thus the right principle for guidance would be that man can attain happiness and pleasure of the True Supreme Being and reach the Highest Abode if he performs his duties prescribed by the great Seers and Spiritual Adepts for man in a spirit of faith and devotion and in accordance with their instructions.