[Chaturamnaya] The Problem of Evil - 5 (Answering a Criticism)

[S Jayanarayanan]

People often wonder, "Why do the Acharyas insist on practising Dharma?"

The answer is simple: "Because action matters. The effects of the action performed by the body
now may not be apparent in this lifetime, but may fructify in a future birth."

The Acharyas talk about past births because Sankara teaches this, and Sankara's instructions
are precisely in line with scripture.

One criticism that is commonly levied on explanations incorporating past Karma is that it
involves an infinite regress. For the experience of pleasure/pain in one lifetime, another
lifetime is brought up to explain it, and yet another...and so on. Thus we have an infinite
chain of lifetimes each linking to one another to complete the explanation. So the
objection is that an infinite regress is formed, which is unacceptable.

My opinion is that in this case, the infinite regress is not epistemological, but only
ontological. A small example may be relevant here. In physics, there is a "Cyclic Model"
of the universe, where the universe is theorized to follow infinite cycles. There is a
"Big Bang" (expansion), followed by a "Big Crunch" (contraction), and this occurs infinitely
many times. This is not considered an infinite regress problem, because the EXPLANATION
does not go on indefinitely, but only the PHENOMENON does. Put differently: an infinite regress
of CAUSES is not a problem, but only one involving EXPLANATIONS.
(This is of course my personal way of accepting an infinite regress of causes. But there is
good reason for this being correct, since Advaitins are opposed to infinite regress in general,
but permit an inifinite chain of causation, e.g. lives
from an infinite past).

Historically, the Vedic tradition has been opposed to Buddhism. The reasons for this may be
known only to the past, but without doubt, there are some similarities between Hinduism and
Buddhism. One of them is the acceptance of reaping Karmic effects through Reincarnation.
The non-acceptance of Ishvara is not a purely Buddhist notion - for even Mimamsa, a Vedic
viewpoint, does not. I am a bit interested in whether or not there exists an Ishvara, but am
extremely concerned if my acts will be reflected back to me - in this or another life.
Here, both the Vedic and Buddhist traditions answer in the affirmative - that via reincarnation
one will have to reap the fruits of one's Karma. Vedanta says it is because of an
Omniscient Ishvara, but others may say it is due to an unitelligent force. Either way, an
individual must answer for his or her own actions.


(Series Concluded)