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Summary of Question:	Karma
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Friday, 11/28/2003 5:49 PM MST

In a previous email, when advising a woman with a terminal disease, you said that it was her karma and Guru Ji gave her the disease to pay off her karma from her past life/lives. I have always been confused about this notion. Do you think that people who are born into poverty, as in India, or those who are raped, murdered and been victimised in any way deserve it because of the sins they committed in thier past lives. How could our Guru do this to us, make us suffer in such a horrible way. How does it work? Do you get murdered in this life because you murdered someone in your past life, is it tit for tat. Do you think anyone deserves such misfortunes, especially rape, which is the worst of them all.

PS the service you are offering your Sikh brothers and sisters is very much appreciated. Keep up the good work and Thank you in advance for answering my question. :)

REPLY
The question of human suffering has been one that saints and sages have deliberated for millennia. According to ancient spiritual scriptures in many religions, when we choose certain kinds of suffering, such as sickness in our lives, we do so that we may quickly work off karmic debts. Guru Ji tells us that we choose our own destiny and the Mul Mantra (beginning of Japji Sahib) gives us the power to live in our highest destiny--in dharma--over karma. When we live in dharma we are elevated above karma. By taking solace in the Nadh by dwelling in Gurbani, we are granted the wisdom and power to be victorious over all of the challenges in our lives. When we have the courage of heart to open our minds and awareness to the suffering of others, perhaps we can also make choices as people of this earth to eradicate human suffering from this world. The path of the Khalsa laid out by the 10th Master provides hope for the masses, it is a path of great social consciousness, creating a new kind of society that is devoid of discrimination of any kind whatsoever. God bless you. Sat Nam. -GMK