---
title: karma — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «karma» in the school dictionary: In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, karma is the idea that a person's actions, good or bad, bring results back to them, in this life or a future life. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# karma

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** karma, person, good things, idea, Hindus, Buddhists · **What happens:** be, act, happen, behave, believe, follow · **To what, where:** idea, you, karma, person, next life, good actions · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«karma» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [karma in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/karma.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: religion — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, karma is the idea that a person's actions, good or bad, bring results back to them, in this life or a future life.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:m1:1
# text = In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, karma is the idea that a person's actions, good or bad, bring results back to them, in this life or a future life.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Hinduism	Hinduism	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	Buddhism	Buddhism	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	Jainism	Jainism	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	Sikhism	Sikhism	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
21	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
24	bring	bring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	_
26	back	back	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
27	to	to	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	32	punct	_	_
30	in	in	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	32	det	_	_
32	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	conj	_	_
33	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	36	cc	_	_
34	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
35	future	future	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	36	amod	_	_
36	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	32	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | karma | the idea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **act** |  | a person |  |  |  |  |  | nom action «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The idea that good or bad things happen to you because of how you behaved: «That's karma!».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:m2:1
# text = The idea that good or bad things happen to you because of how you behaved: «That's karma!».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
4	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	happen	happen	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	_
11	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	behaved	behave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	20	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
20	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | present | good things |  | you |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **behave** | past | the idea |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | that karma |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hindus believe karma follows a person into their next life.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x1:1
# text = Hindus believe karma follows a person into their next life.
1	Hindus	Hindu	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	follows	follow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | Hindus |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **follow** | present | karma | a person |  | Hindus's next life |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent person=Theme into life=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Buddhists try to do good actions to make good karma.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x2:1
# text = Buddhists try to do good actions to make good karma.
1	Buddhists	buddhist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	try	try	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present | Buddhists |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Buddhists *not said here* | good actions |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent action=Eventuality |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive | Buddhists *not said here* | good karma |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset karma=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He laughed at me and then tripped; that's karma! (informal)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* He laughed at me and then tripped; that's karma!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x3:1
# text = He laughed at me and then tripped; that's karma!
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	_
7	tripped	trip	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | past | He |  |  |  |  | at me | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **trip** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  | then |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is a** | present |  | that karma |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (informal)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x3:2
# text = (informal)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Helping others is said to bring good karma.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x4:1
# text = Helping others is said to bring good karma.
1	Helping	help	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	csubj:pass	_	_
2	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | gerund |  | others |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent other=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive | Helping |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: clause=Topic |
| 3 | **bring** | to-infinitive | Helping *not said here* | good karma |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent karma=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The idea of karma means our actions matter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x5:1
# text = The idea of karma means our actions matter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	matter	matter	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the idea of karma |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **matter** | present | our actions |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **act** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom action «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Instant karma: the boy who took the last cake dropped it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x6:1
# text = Instant karma: the boy who took the last cake dropped it.
1	Instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	dropped	drop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | the boy | the last cake |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Theme |
| 2 | **drop** | past | Instant karma | cake |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our RE teacher explained karma with a story about a kind farmer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:karma:x7:1
# text = Our RE teacher explained karma with a story about a kind farmer.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	RE	re	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	explained	explain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	karma	karma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | past | Our teacher | karma |  |  |  | with a story about a kind farmer | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent karma=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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