Q.: What are the three types of Karmas?
A.: The first type is the accumulated Karma from many lives.
The second type is the operative Karma which we have to face now. We have to become aware of them in order to reduce their strength.
The third type is the Karma which is yet to come. From birth to death, we have many Karmas which adjust themselves to what is dominant. Everything will be taken into account. The next birth will be determined by what we do now.
Q.: What are Vāsanās?
A.: Vāsanās are a fundamental concept in Yoga - through emotions they leave certain impressions behind. Vāsanās may be pleasant or painful. They are stored in the Citta until a certain situation causes them to act. Vāsanās are stored in the Buddhi (intelligence) aspect of the Citta.
Vāsanās may be latent and can operate in the next life or they take the form of memory which affects this life. These are the deep-rooted desire complexes which affect our lives. They are mainly embedded in Avidyā.
Q.: What is Karmasaya?
A.: The Karmasaya are virtuous and immoral actions done because of the emotions and the structural defects of the Karma which leads to a new birth. The type of birth is distinguished according to one’s past Karmas. The unknown factors force death and bring about a new birth. It may be a single new birth or many new births. One Karma does not mean one new birth. The Karmas are taken as a whole and depending on the kind of life – good or bad – it may lead to one or many new births.
Q.: Who is a Drṣṭā?
A.: Vacasapati believes it is possible for us to suffer in this life because of the bad actions we have done. However, a Yogi wants to do things beyond good and bad whereby he will not suffer. A Yogi does actions but he does not want any impressions as a result of them. He does not want any more Karma (good or bad) to work out in the future. Thus, he works on the Klēśas he has at present so that when he has burnt these away, he is free. A Yogi has no desire for the fruits of his actions (but as he has a body, he makes use of it) remaining disinterested and unattached from material things and emotions.
Vācaspati believes there are many types of Drṣṭā as one’s actions may bring about three possibilities:
1. determine the type of life one takes next
2. period of one’s life
3. pain which one will suffer
However, one’s actions may be so powerful that we see the results immediately. For example; when a king insulted a Yogi, he turned into a serpent.
There are 3 types of fruits:
1. Single Fruits: When the result of one action is felt and it ends there (King turns into a snake).
2. Double Fruit: Good actions bring about good results.
3. Triple Fruit: Good action creates one’s future type of life, one’s span of life, and one’s enjoyment of life (experiences one gains, all these things are a direct result of the Klēśas).
Q.: What are the kinds of actions which the Yogi does?
A.: A Yogi’s actions are Aśukla/ Akrṣṇa - neither white nor black. He works with no desire for the results and with no ego element. In this way, he has no Karma, he does not have to suffer the fruits of his actions, and he has no action Klēśas. Therefore, he need not be reborn. For a normal person who enjoys the fruits of his good actions, it is called Śukla Karma; for bad actions, it is called Kṛṣṇa Karma. If we do many good actions as well as a few bad actions, these act as pinpricks even while we are doing good actions. The good deeds, eventually, will however bear their good results.
Vyāsa sees three possibilities:
1. When one destroys any results from one’s actions - Aśukla/Akrṣṇa actions
2. When one overpowers one’s bad actions - Śukla overpowers Kṛṣṇa.
3. When the results of one’s actions pass on to the next life.