By the doctrine of KARMA that happens to be inseparable from the Vedic Sanatana dharma, good deeds lead to good life in the next life (after rebirth) while bad deeds lead to bad life in the next birth. Evidently, by this doctrine, the BORN poor that make up the 99% of humanity and have to lead a bestial existence throughout their life were all BORN poor to sweat blood to produce all wealth & luxuries and thus keep civilisations moving and advancing as a result of SIN they committed in their earlier birth. As the 1% consisting of the BORN rich & the BORN super-rich are too insignificant to count, we can regard, in keeping with the Vedic Sanatana dharma, human life as the fruit of SIN. Am I Right? In order to get rid of the life, the Vedic Sanatana dharma has prescribed moksha, which fact also supports my view that life is, by the Vedic Sanatana dharma, an endless sea of sorrow & suffering.
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1Every being has an immortal soul,even animals & insects.So, there are trillions of souls on single earth, all beings are evolving with time,just like a body of child grows into adult with years,similarly spiritual evolution is based on Karmas i.e. survival of fittest as yugas change. There are no permanent sins,only wrong identification with temporary body, all sins disappear with Self-realization/Atman-Gyan. wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/vivekachudamani/d/doc144450.html "2. For all beings a human birth is difficult to obtain, more so is a male body; rarer than that is Brahmin-hood;– user22687May 21, 2021 at 20:03
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"rarer still is the attachment to the path of Vedic religion; higher than this is erudition in the scriptures; discrimination between the Self and not-Self, Realisation, and continuing in a state of identity with Brahman – these come next in order. (This kind of) Mukti (Liberation) is not to be attained except through the well-earned merits of a hundred crore of births. 3. There are three things which are rare indeed and are due to the grace of God –namely, a human birth, the longing for Liberation, and the protecting care of a perfected sage."– user22687May 21, 2021 at 20:05
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1. Humans aren't the base of reincarnation. The animals "below" us aren't failing at anything, just not "succeeding" as much. 2. Richness isn't the only determining factor on a good birth Varna and Family stability are just a few of the more important factors 3. If everyone was close to sinless, at least from our perspective, people's bodies, minds and society would be much more efficient and we might even have a few humans that develop yogic powers. Thus, the "need" to have people born poor (at least what we would call poverty) would be removed.– Aupakarana AbhibhaaMay 21, 2021 at 21:29
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Of two boys, one was born with a silver spoon in his mouth while the other boy was born in an abjectly poor family. How do you explain this fact on the basis of the Vedic doctrine of karma ?– Prakash RPMay 22, 2021 at 14:22
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Manu Kumar, the doctrine of karma and the principle of the ' survival of fittest ' are two outright different things. The former is a religious, hence Non-scientific, concept while the latter is a scientific theory premised on scientific logic and sound evidence. I want to know how you explain wealth, poverty, long life, short life, etc. by the Vedic doctrine of karma. I'd also like to know of the Vedic source of your assertion that ' Mukti (Liberation) is not to be attained except through the well-earned merits of a hundred crore of births. '– Prakash RPMay 22, 2021 at 14:48
2 Answers
Isn't life according to Sanatana Dharma, the fruit of Sin and thus an endless sea of sorrow & suffering?
Yes it is, according to Rama (son of Dasaratha), who presents a very pessimistic view of life in Vairagya prakaranam (Book 1) of Yoga Vasistha.
Below are only a few quotations of Rama from the Yoga Vasistha as translated by Swami Venkatesananda.
My heart begins to question: what do people call happiness and can it be had in the ever-changing objects of this world? All beings in this world take birth but to die, and they die to be born! I do not perceive any meaning in all these transient phenomena which are the roots of suffering and sin.
Sir, surely we are not bond slaves sold to a master; yet we live a life of slavery, without any freedom whatever. Ignorant of the truth, we have been aimlessly wandering in this dense forest called the world. What is this world? What comes into being, grows, and dies? How does this suffering come to an end? My heart bleeds with sorrow, though I do not shed tears, in deference to the feelings of my friends.
Man vainly seeks to extend his life-span, and thereby he earns more sorrow and extends the period of suffering. Only he lives who strives to gain self-knowledge, which alone is worth gaining in this world, thereby putting an end to future births; others exist here like donkeys.
to one who is restless, his own mind is a burden; and to one who has no self-knowledge, the body (the life-span) is a burden.
This tree which is the body is born in the forest known as samsAra (repetitive existence), the restless monkey (mind) plays on it, it is the abode of crickets (worries), it is constantly eaten by the insects (of endless suffering), it shelters the venomous serpent (of craving), and the wild crow (of anger) dwells on it. On it are the flowers (of laughter), its fruits are good and evil, it appears to be animated by the wind (of life-force), it supports the birds (of senses), it is resorted to by the traveller (lust or desire) for it provides the shade of pleasure, the formidable vulture (egotism) is seated on it, and it is hollow and empty. It is certainly not meant to promote happiness.
Even childhood, the part of life which people ignorantly regard as enjoyable and happy, is full of sorrow, O sage. Helplessness, mishaps, cravings, inability to express oneself, utter foolishness, playfulness, instability, weakness—all these characterise childhood. The child is easily offended, easily roused to anger, easily bursts into tears.
When the child goes to school, it receives punishment in the hands of its teachers; and all this adds to its unhappiness.
In his youth, man is a slave of sexual attraction. In the body which is no more than the aggregate of flesh, blood, bone, hair and skin, he perceives beauty and charm. If this’beauty’were permanent, there would be some justification to the imagination; but, alas, it does not last very long. On the contrary, very soon the very flesh that contributed to the attractiveness, the charm and the beauty of the beloved is transformed first into the shrivelled ugliness of old age, and later consumed by fire, or by worms, or by vultures. Yet, while it lasts this sexual attraction consumes the heart and the wisdom of the man. By this is the creation maintained; when this attraction cease’s, this samsara (birth-death cycle) also ceases.
When the child is dissatisfied with its childhood, youth takes over; when youth is plagued by dissatisfaction and frustration, old age overpowers it—how cruel is life. Even as wind tosses a dew-drop from a leaf, old age destroys the body. Even as a drop of poison when it enters the system soon pervades it, senility soon pervades the entire body and breaks it down, and makes it the laughing stock of other people.
All enjoyments in this world are delusion, like the lunatic’s enjoyment of the taste of fruits reflected in a mirror. All the hopes of man in this world are consistently destroyed by Time.
When Time thus dances in this universe, creating and destroying everything, what hope can we entertain?
Obviously this world is full of pain and death; how does it become a source of joy, without befuddling one’s heart?
This question shows a complete misunderstanding of all Hinduism philosophy and economics.
First, let's discuss economics: 99% of humanity is not poor. Poor and rich are relative terms. I am poorer than Ambanis but richer than many others. If we go by global definitions and stats, around 9.2% of people are poor as of 2021. https://www.worldvision.org/sponsorship-news-stories/global-poverty-facts This means ~91% of people are in fact not poor! (I.e. most are middle class and a few are rich.)
Second, regarding the philosophy of Hinduism, Hinduism believes in living a simple life, with only necessities and very few luxuries, and having high virtues.
And once those people with virtues start doing fewer sins and do more good deeds, they move towards Moksha, where all their sins get removed and the cycle of rebirth also ends.
There were many people (most Rishis and Brahmins) in the scriptures who were poor but still highly regarded.
Unlike other religions like Christianity, where everyone is a born sinner, Hinduism doesn't believe so.
Also, Hinduism is a pro-capitalism religion and strongly encourages everyone to work hard and earn as much as they can by good means (in a Dharmic way). It doesn't stop the poor from studying more or switching their profession to earn more.
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Hey Ravishankarji, the world's wealthiest make up, by all Reliable estimates ( i.e. estimates made by organisations like Oxfam, WEF, IMF, WB, etc.) Not more than 1%, and so, just because 'Poor and rich are relative terms', the world's poor Really make up 99% of humanity ; and the Fact is the 99% consist of Nobel laureates, poets, painters, sculptors, dancers, actors, singers, editors, writers, researchers, professors, lecturers, doctors, scientists, technologists, climate activists,, Anti-Nuke activists and the masses that produce all Wealth and thus keep civilisations Moving & Advancing. Jul 19, 2021 at 3:03
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Hey Ravishankarji, you're lying knowingly. Hinduism Truly symbolises the Barefaced, Rank hypocrisy of turning a Blind eye to the Fabulous Plethora of riches & the Extravagant, Sumptuous lifestyle of the Richest, the 1% idlers as well as the Fact that the Deprived that make up the 99% of humanity Truly produce all wealth and keep civilisations Moving & Advancing, as I see it. Jul 19, 2021 at 3:38
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@Ravishankar ji, Hinduism believes in Lord Krishna's thesis that Women, Vaisyas & Shudras are all Born of Sin ( 'pāpa-yonayaḥ' ). Reference: 'māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśhritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim' (Bhagavad Gita (IX, 32) Jul 19, 2021 at 5:15