Karma

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/karma

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the etymological origin?Sanskrit word 'karma' meaning 'action' or 'deed'
2. What is the primary philosophical function?Explains the relationship between actions and their consequences across lifetimes
3. How does karma work like planting seeds?When we do something with a clear intention, we plant a karmic seed. Over time that seed can grow into a new experience or feeling, just like a flower grows from a seed.
4. Why do good actions lead to good results?Because karma says that every intentional action leaves a mark that can bring similar good or bad results later. Good actions leave good marks, and bad actions leave bad marks.

Cetana: Mental volition or intention, considered the root of karmic action.
Samsara: The cyclical existence of birth, death, and rebirth, driven by karma.
Moksha/Nirvana: Liberation from Samsara, often achieved by transcending karmic influences.