Day 3 – Karma and Algorithmic Causality
⚖️ Reflections from Day 3 – Cause, Effect, and Responsibility in AI
🔱 Sanātana Dharma and AI: How Karma Mirrors Machine Logic
✨ Series: Eternal Wisdom Meets Modern Intelligence – Day 3 of 7
🌀 “Your right is to action alone, never to its fruits.”
– Bhagavad Gītā 2.47
🌱 Introduction
Karma is one of the most well-known – and most misunderstood – ideas in Hindu philosophy.
It’s not about punishment or reward. It’s about cause and effect, just like the core logic behind every Artificial Intelligence algorithm.
Today, let’s explore how AI’s machine logic is surprisingly similar to the karmic cycle – and what it means for ethics, learning, and responsibility.
🧘 What is Karma in Sanātana Dharma?
Karma means action, and its consequence.
Sanskrit Verse:
“karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana…”
“You have the right to act, but never to the results of your actions.”
- Focus on doing your duty (dharma)
- Results are not in your control
- Every action leaves an impression that influences future events (karma phala)
🔄 3 Types of Karma and AI Parallels
| Karma Type (Sanskrit) | Meaning | AI Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Sanchita | Stored karma from the past | Historical training data |
| Prārabdha | Karma currently playing out | Model’s present predictions |
| Āgāmī | Karma you are creating now | New learning/data affecting future models |
Example: An AI trained on biased data (Sanchita) will show biased results (Prārabdha) unless you retrain it (Āgāmī). Karma works the same way!
🧠 AI Feedback Loops = Karma in Action
AI learns from:
- Input → Action → Reward/Penalty → Update (Reinforcement Learning)
This mirrors the karmic loop:
- Thought → Action → Result → Samskāra (impression)
🧘♂️ Intention Matters – In Both AI and Karma
In Hindu philosophy, Sankalpa (intention) behind action is as important as the action.
- AI designed to maximize profits might promote fake news
- AI designed to maximize well-being might suggest positive content
Karma responds to intent, not just behavior. So does ethical AI.
🧪 Real-World Example
An AI hiring system learned from biased past data and became unfair. Developers had to audit and retrain it to fix this injustice.
This is like correcting bad karma: acknowledging past mistakes and taking dhārmic action now to fix future outcomes.
💭 Quote to Reflect
“Every code you write is a cause. Every algorithm output is a consequence.”
“Code with care. Build with balance.”
📸 Visual Suggestions
- Icon: Dharma chakra (wheel) with arrows inside representing cause and effect
- Background: Chain reaction or domino effect graphic
- Infographic: Karma → AI
Action → Input
Reaction → Output
Impressions → Model Weights
🙏 Final Reflection
Karma teaches us that every decision shapes destiny. AI, too, learns from each action. Whether human or machine, the ethics we embed will shape the outcomes.
So let’s code like karma – with awareness and responsibility.
Next Up: Day 4 – Māyā and Virtual Reality →