Continuing on our series on Karma, today we discuss types of actions. Let’s begin with non-virtuous or negative actions. There are just about a million negative Karma one can create. However, all of those mostly fall into ten negative actions. They are killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, hurtful speech, idle chatter, covetousness, malice, and holding wrong views. Out of these, the first three are called bodily actions, the next four are speech actions and the last three are mental actions. So let’s look at each one. We think I have not killed anyone so I am good. Let’s take it slow. If we killed a mosquito with an intention to kill because it was bugging us, that is a killing action no different than committing first-degree murder. If we accidentally killed a living being that does not have the negative Karma attached to it. There need to be four factors present for us to suffer consequences of a negative action – the object, the intention, the preparation, and the completion. So in our mosquito example, the mosquito is the object. Our intention to kill arrives when it starts bugging us. We prepare to kill by using a squatter or some other object and the action is complete when we actually kill the mosquito. A couple of points of note here. Let’s say you are trying to kill a mosquito and by mistake, you end up killing a fly. In this case, you do not suffer consequences because you did not kill mosquito and you did not intend to kill a fly. Also, a point to bear in mind that if we direct someone to kill a mosquito for us, and they complete that action, both of us suffer consequences of that negative action. Next, let’s look at stealing. Again, we think we never stole anything from anyone. But let’s examine this a little bit deeper. If we ever took our work product from one job to another, for example, that is a form of stealing. Not paying our taxes or defaulting on loans is a form of stealing. Stealing means anything that is not freely given to us. If we manipulate, bribe, blackmail to get something, that is stealing. Sexual misconduct is another type of bodily negative action. Lying is a negative action of speech. Although one can commit this action by writing or staying silent. A classic example of this is Yudhishthira during the Kurukshetra war. Someone asks him Ashwatthama is dead and he said Ashwatthama was indeed dead not clarifying that it was the elephant and not the Guru. Divisive speech is something when we create division between people. A lot of this is going on in our society at this time where people make statements just to incite hatred amongst groups of people. There is also a divisive speech of gossip where people talk about other people behind their backs trying to create a rift amongst friends. Hurtful speech is again, a type of negative action that is intended to hurt someone. Sarcasm is also a form of hurtful speech. Before we speak or post something on social media, we should contemplate, is it true; is it necessary; is it kind? Is the answer to any of these three questions is no, then don’t do it? Idle chatter is the least affecting negative Karma. This means a meaningless conversation. Covetousness is a negative Karma where one desires something that does not belong to them. It can be a material possession, a job, a higher position, or someone else’s partner. This is one Karma that creates negative results just with a train of thought. Malice is expressing ill will towards other people to harm them. Holding wrong views is where we reject universal truths such as Karma, the Cycle of birth and death, and so on. So these are ten types of negative actions. If we commit ourselves to avoid these ten negative Karmas, our lives will drastically improve for ourselves and those around us.