How Do Your Bad Thoughts Without Action Generate Bad karmas?

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It is a common belief that visible action is the source for generating karmas. But Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an Enlightened being, has explained that it is one’s inner intent rather than the visible action which incurs karmas.

All thoughts which one sees or experiences in life were sown in their past life. As these thoughts dissipate, simultaneously one is creating new ones for their next life. This is done through our intent and forming opinions.

For example, your mind may say to you, ‘what if your friend succeeds in securing a job in the same workplace as you?’ At that time, if your intent is positive, then you will bind a good karma. Conversely, if you form a negative opinion, then you will bind bad karma. Regardless, karma will be sown for your next life depending on the opinion you form. This intent will manifest into good or bad thoughts in the next life, depending upon the karma you have formed in this life.

The power of one’s thoughts is vast. Whether we realise this consciously or subconsciously, our thoughts actively shape the outcome of anything we do. Everyone we see, everything we experience, in every single circumstance, we constantly have thoughts through which we make an opinion. It is fine if the thoughts are good because we bind merit karma, which will bring us happiness. But when the thoughts are bad, we incur demerit karma, consequently, which will result in causing us suffering and misery.

So, what can we do to overcome bad thoughts?

Don’t jump to conclusions, be open-minded.

Every time you have a bad thought for someone or some circumstance, ask for forgiveness. This is a three-step process of reversal from hurting another living being through our mind. It consists of:

Alochana – confessing the mistake to the Lord within,

Pratikraman – asking for forgiveness for that mistake, and

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Pratyakhyan – making the firm resolve to never repeat the mistake. A thought will not occur without an inner conflict that has been laid (past life). The moment the thought arises, you should do pratikraman, without fail.

Keep your thoughts normal. Meaning, when they reach a certain point where they cause you or others pain, stop the thought from going further. Think of positive aspects of that situation or person, regarding whom you are over-thinking; and pray to God so as to lessen the effects.

We do have a choice to agree or disagree with a thought. Just like when we have thoughts about dying, don’t we put that aside, even when we know that death is inevitable. Oppose thoughts that are harmful and encourage positive thinking.

Maintain a deep inner intent that ‘May no living being be hurt, even to the slightest extent, through my mind, speech and body.’ Through this inner intent, you will experience happiness. This sentence forms the foundation of human life.

To conclude:

Visible actions are fruits of our past deeds that are simply unfolding in one’s current life, but it is always one’s inner intent that sows the seed of karma.

Karmas are incurred through one’s inner intent. Therefore, always, even when bad thoughts arise in mind, maintain a deep inner intent that, ‘May no living being be ever hurt, even to the slightest extent, through my mind, speech and body.’