| The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, to | | | | aggregate of tendencies, the sum total of the bent of |
| do; all action is Karma. Technically, this word also | | | | his mind; you will find that misery and happiness are |
| means the effects of actions. In connection with | | | | equal factors in the formation of that character. Good |
| metaphysics, it sometimes means the effects, of | | | | and evil have an equal share in moulding character, and |
| which our past actions were the causes. But in | | | | in some instances misery is a greater teacher than |
| Karma-Yoga we have simply to do with the word | | | | happiness. In studying the great characters the world |
| Karma as meaning work. The goal of mankind is | | | | has produced, I dare say, in the vast majority of cases, |
| knowledge. That is the one ideal placed before us by | | | | it would be found that it was misery that taught more |
| Eastern philosophy.Pleasure is not the goal of man, but | | | | than happiness, it was poverty that taught more than |
| knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end.It | | | | wealth, it was blows that brought out their inner fire |
| is a mistake to suppose that pleasure is the goal. The | | | | more than praise. Now this knowledge, again, is |
| cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that | | | | inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside; it |
| men foolishly think pleasure to be the ideal to strive for. | | | | is all inside. What we say a man "knows", should, in |
| After a time man finds that it is not happiness, but | | | | strict psychological language, be what he "discovers" |
| knowledge, towards which he is going, and that both | | | | or "unveils"; what a man "learns" is really what he |
| pleasure and pain are great teachers, and that he | | | | "discovers", by taking the cover off his own soul, which |
| learns as much from evil as from good. As pleasure | | | | is a mine of infinite knowledge. To get more |
| and pain pass before his soul they have upon it | | | | information visit |
| different pictures, and the result of these combined | | | | Swami Vivekananda was a prolific speaker, a life |
| impressions is what is called man's "character". If you | | | | changing catalyst and a real master of spirituality. |
| take the character of any man, it really is but the | | | | |