Globally, Buddhism is a major religion with a complex history and system of beliefs. The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was the son of an Indian warrior-king. He was believed to live an extravagant life through early adulthood. However, when he became bored with the indulgence of royal life, he wandered into the world in search of understanding. He was soon convinced that suffering lay at the end of all existence. He became a monk and deprived himself of worldly possessions in the hope of comprehending the world around him. Through meditation, he finally understood how to be free from suffering. Following his epiphany, he was known as the Buddha.
Karma is a belief of Buddhists that refers to the good and bad actions a person takes during their lifetime. Good actions involve either the absence of bad actions or actual positive actions. These actions include generosity, righteousness, and meditation. All of these actions bring about happiness in the long run. However, bad actions such as lting, stealing, and killing bring about unhappiness in the long run. The weight that actions carry is determined by five conditions: frequent, repetitive action; determined, intentional action; action performed without regret; action against extraordinary persons; and action toward those who have helped one in the past. Finally, there is also neutral karma, which derives from acts such as breathing, eating or sleeping. Neutral karma has no benefits or costs.
Karma is connected to Buddhism’s cycle of rebirth. There are six planes into which any living being can be reborn; these planes include three fortunate realms and three unfortunate realms. Those with positive Karma are reborn into fortunate realms. These realms consist of demigods, gods, and the realm of men. Demigods and gods enjoy pleasures unknown to men. They also suffer from jealousy and envy. The realm of men