“He Lost His Leg”: 44 Instant Karma Moments Where People Got Exactly What They Deserved

Karma... It's a word bandied about with glee. We hear it in our daily lives, read about it in self-help books, and see it play out in sitcoms. Consequences, repercussions, getting what you deserve, reaping what you sow.

Broadly, Karma comes from the Sanskrit word "karman" and literally means "action" or "deed." It's a way of life for those who practice Buddhism or Hinduism, but the definitions differ slightly.

"Hinduism identifies karma as the relationship between a person’s mental or physical action and the consequences following that action. It also signifies the consequences of all the actions of a person in their current and previous lives, as well as the chain of cause and effect in morality," explains WebMD.

While in Buddhism, Karma refers to the principle of cause and effect. "The result of an action — which can be verbal, mental, or physical — is determined not only by the act but also by the intention," the site adds.

Karma works on the principle that what you put in is what you'll get out. Whether good or bad.

Think of it like this: if you put a teabag in a mug and then add boiling water, you wouldn't get coffee... you'd get tea. If you plant a sunflower seed, you can't expect a lemon tree to sprout from it.

Karma psychology is essentially the same, explains WebMD. "If you act with good intentions, happiness will follow. If you act with ill intentions, problems will follow."

The Hindu American Foundation explains it like this: "When an individual’s actions are positive or selfless, and righteous (dharmic), they will experience positive effects or rewards. If their actions, on the other hand, are negative (i.e., lying, stealing, hurting, etc.), the results will be negative."

The result of your actions, whether positive or negative, might be experienced immediately, later in their present life, or possibly in a future life or lives, according to the foundation.

Hindus believe in reincarnation. And Karma plays a big part here. "Hindu teachings state that every birth is the result of an individual’s unique karmic circumstances. Thus, when a person or living thing dies, their soul is attracted to circumstances that will help balance out their karmic needs and debt in order to advance spiritually," explains the Hindu American Foundation.

It further adds that people may be born into circumstances where they suffer in order to reap the consequences of bad decisions from this and previous lives. While others might be born into circumstances in which their suffering is minimal, as a reward for the positive actions in this and previous lives.

But Karma isn't just about the way you treat other people...

Hindus also believe that people can be reincarnated as other living things based on their previous actions. "This process of reincarnation and the presence of souls in all living things is the basis for respect that Hindus are encouraged to show for all people and forms of life."

In Hinduism, there are three different types of Karma.

Kriyaman karma are actions from this life that may produce results in the same or subsequent life.

Prarabdha karma is the karma whose effects have already begun. "It takes longer to manifest, but occurs at some point in an individual’s present lifetime," the foundation explains.

Finally, Sanchita karma is the accumulation of all past karma, and the Hindus believe that the results of this type of Karma usually occur in a future lifetime.