Have you heard of the term karma before? Someone in Wikipedia defined karma as "a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect". (Yet another cycle!)

The exact "idea" of karma is that "effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others". In short what you reap is what you sow.

To some people, Karma is more than a self-belief. It is the guiding principle in several religion and folk-lore. (Incidently these religions all seem to originate from India)

Chinese tradition tells of how after one has passed on, his/her soul will travel down to Hell and face before the King of Hell, a diety who will look through all the deeds one has done while alive and pass judgement on the sufferings he/she has to endure in hell. And after he/she has completed his/her sentence in hell, he/she will reincarnate to the human world again to "suffer". (Buddhist teaching is that living in the human world is a form of suffering) And upon death, he/she will be sent to hell for another round of judgement. And so the process repeats itself again!

As child growing up in a chinese family in a mainstream chinese community, Karma was introduced to me through stories, folk-lore and media. Sometimes I even wonder if I did had a previous life, what kind of life was that?! (Chinese belief that there is a way to find out about your past life, but I'm not daring and curious enough to find out!)

Though by now, after twenty years of scientific education, I've come to look upon these teachings with half beliefs. But I cannot deny that these teachings did seem to be a pretty good guiding principle for a growing child to not mis-behave. For beware, SOMEONE knows! Just like Santa will know if a child has misbehave for the past year. Hmmm...isn't it a bit co-incidental that some of the things sound a bit similar/alike?