Final answer:
Karuna is the Buddhist concept of compassion, integral to the development of good karma and distinct from some Western simplifications of karma. Both Hindu and Buddhist traditions recognize the law of karma, but their approaches and philosophical underpinnings vary, with Hindu practices including yoga aiming for spiritual goals and Buddhism focusing on alleviating suffering.
Step-by-step explanation:
Karuna in Buddhism refers to compassion and the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering, which aligns with the practice of developing positive karma through acts of kindness and adherence to the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path emphasizes discipline, restraint, humility, and kindness, and impacts one's reincarnation and karma. In contrast, Western notions of karma, often derived from Hinduism, sometimes simplify the concept to mean that good or bad actions have immediate consequences, not always acknowledging the depth of the karmic law that includes the idea of a cycle of rebirth or samsara. Hinduism sees dharma as an individual's righteous path, and following dharma can lead to nirvana, a state of ultimate enlightenment.
Hindu and Buddhist traditions both agree on the law of karma and the continuous cycle of life and death, but they diverge in certain philosophical and theological interpretations.
For example, Hinduism tends to focus on perennial philosophy through rituals and practices like yoga, aiming for spiritual development, whereas Buddhism emphasizes the cessation of suffering and the realization of emptiness or non-attachment. Similarly, the metaphysical views differ, with Samkhya philosophy in Hinduism having its own complex creation theory, contrasting Western dualistic systems such as in Plato's or Christian metaphysics.