2.3 What is the moral purpose inherent in karma?

Mind in its pure original unconditioned state, that, makes manifest its inherent unity and harmony through karma. The workings of karma form, shape and establish the coherent, inter-related and meaningful contexts in which every aspect and activity of your life takes place. Karma works at every moment to direct you along the path towards a full, final and absolute understanding of your own nature, that.

As you will come to realise through practice of the advanced meditative techniques taught in this book, this is simply the externalised and materialised thought process of that, the all-embracing unconditioned mind which transcends and embraces conditioned existence. Your own thoughts spring from, and return to, that. Your own thoughts and actions are woven together inextricably with karma, as this unfolds spontaneously, now, in the clear sight of that.

It is crucial to understand the link between your own thought process and karma. This can be understood as a process designed to purge you of your ignorance that this is that. Karma is the implicate law, inherent in this, which reacts to your thoughts and actions so as to guide you towards realisation of that.

The moral purpose inherent in karma is to teach you that all things are interconnected. The apparent separateness of people, places, events and things is an illusion experienced and suffered by mind in its unenlightened form. The true nature of this is an organic unity, a vast, evolving, inherently harmonious thought process, in which each part is dependent on all the others.

Just as you are a central part of this, so, in the same way, each person and all else is inseparable from the whole. A thought or an action which results in harm occurring to another part of this, acts against the harmony inherent in the process by which this unfolds through time and space. The extent and severity of the karmic compensating response depends on how much the harmonious flow of reality has been disturbed, and on the specific needs of the consciousnesses involved.

This Implicate Technology teaching on the moral purpose inherent in karma is simply a technical way of discussing the moral basis of a life lived in harmony. It is purely a matter of personal taste whether you prefer to live by this technical formulation of the compensating and educational nature of karma, or to work within a religious code of ethics, such as the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. What counts is what you learn from your life’s experiences and the choices which you make concerning others, through your thought and action.

You cannot escape the consequences of your thoughts and actions. If you selfishly use or harm another part of this, you inevitably incur an appropriate and negative karmic response. If you unselfishly benefit another part of this, you inevitably incur an appropriate and positive karmic response.

Be clear: it is futile to anticipate the form of a karmic response to a particular action, either your own or another person’s. Karma does not function to suit smug moral views or desires for revenge. Indeed, any attempt to second-guess karma will of itself incur an appropriate form of karmic compensation. The morally complacent, frequently sure of their good standing in God’s eyes and filled with the illusory but deeply held conviction that they know God’s purpose, are invariably taught a lesson in humility by karma.

All moral codes merely provide guidelines for behaviour. Adherence to a culturally approved moral code may get you the recognition and approval of others, but, unless your thoughts and actions genuinely reflect the harmony inherent in this, you will continue to suffer the karmic consequences of your lack of understanding. Fixed adherence to a moral code is no substitute for spontaneous and harmonious responses to the complexities and demands of late-twentieth century life.

The key to the Implicate Technology moral teaching is Act, as discussed in The beginner’s guide to enlightenment. Act is a concise set of meditation-enhanced behavioural guidelines. Be guided by Act, and you will always react to situations in a spontaneous and harmonious manner.

The moral patterning inherent in the structure of reality is inescapable. From the religious point of view, karma is correctly understood as the expression of the will of God. From the secular Implicate Technology point of view, karma is correctly understood as the impersonal, implacable law ensuring that every thought and action incurs a compensating and balancing reaction.

You will enjoy or suffer the fruits of your thoughts and actions, whether it be in this life, in the after-death state or in any of your lives to come. Death will bring you no escape from the problems and difficulties of this life. Death simply provides you with a different set of opportunities to understand the true nature of this, a new set of conditions structured to lead you from ignorance to enlightenment.

From a devotional point of view, the primary cause of a person receiving the gift of samadhi is a life lived in accord with God’s loving will. From the viewpoint of Implicate Technology, based not on the path of devotion to God but on the path of knowledge of reality, you will gain freedom from the constraints of this when you learn to behave with due regard to the inherent harmony and unity of this. Such a life, whether lived in a religious or a secular way, is lived according to the moral purpose inherent in the law of karma.