Doctrine of Deeds

Lalit A Patel

The Doctrine of Deeds states that every living organism sooner or later receives fruits of and in accordance with its deeds.

It is highlighted in all the religions and is most prominently highlighted in the Hindu religion.

It is the living-organism counterpart of Newton’s Third Law of Motion which states that every action (by a nonliving organism) has equal and opposite reaction.

It, unlike Newton’s Third Law of Motion, allows time-gap i.e. delay between deeds i.e. actions and their fruits i.e. reactions.

It can explain why some bad people undergo happiness and some good people undergo unhappiness; happiness or unhappiness in the present period is due to good or bad deeds in the past period.

It can be well illustrated by the story of two stealings A and B. There was a stealing A by a person X. Due to lack of a witness, the person X was released as innocent. Later on there was another stealing B by another person Y. Due to a false witness, the person Y was released as innocent but the person X was held as responsible.

It can justify such a judgment discrepancy. At the time of judgment for stealing A, the person X was reaping good fruits of his good deeds in the past. At the time of judgment for stealing B, he had no more good fruits left but instead had to undergo bad fruit of the stealing A.

It implies that a living organism who does good deeds in the present life will get happiness later on in the present life or in some future life or in "heaven" and a living organism who does bad deeds in the present life will get unhappiness later on in the present life or in some future life or in "hell".

It implies that every living organism should try to do good deeds and avoid bad deeds because good or bad deeds of the present period will lead to happiness or unhappiness respectively in the future period.

It should always be kept in mind, so as to avoid doing bad deeds while in happiness and so as to sportily bear unhappiness while in unhappiness.