The study on “A Comparative Study of the Belief of Kamma and Rebirth in Brahmanism-Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism” has three objectives: 1) to study the belief of Kamma and rebirth in Brahmanism-Hinduism, 2) to study the belief of Kamma and rebirth in Theravada Buddhism, and 3) to comparatively study the belief of Kamma and rebirth in Brahmanism-Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism. This study is of documentary research.

The results of the study were as follows:

Brahmanism-Hinduism believes that Brāhman is the center and the genesis of all souls, all living beings originated out of the Brahman. Soul (Ātman) that separated from Brahman may go into the body of man, animal, plant, or deity. The old soul that disintegrated would always be born in the new body as called ‘one becoming or one birth.’ When the soul exists in the body, it commits both good and bad deed, thereby men subject to the force of kamma that cause them to be reborn repeatedly, when they are able to reach to the state of non-action (akamma), they reach to the Brāhman or Paramātman, which is the first cause of the souls of men, then they would emancipate from Kamma and rebirth or called ‘the reaching to Moksha.’

Theravada Buddhism believes that Kamma and rebirth are related to consciousness that disintegrated (cuti), not the deceased consciousness to be reborn (patisandhi citta) that be sent from this birth to the next one, that is to say, there is, in the force of kamma concerning the new birth, no consciousness or soul that will be born from this life to the next one, there is only the fruit of kamma or the force of Kamma that be sent from this life to the next one. Buddhism calls the force of Kamma that be sent from this life to the next one as ‘the productive kamma (chanaka kamma).’ When this force of kamma is destroyed, the condition of rebirth will be absolutely destroyed; then there is no kamma and rebirth any longer, that is to say, the state of one who attains nibbāna.

Both Brahmanism-Hinduism and Buddhism have the same view on the meaning and principle, but they have different view on the method that will make ones liberated from rebirth; Brahmanism-Hinduism has the view that one who wishes to emancipate from rebirth has to follow the four kinds of kammas, whereas Theravada Buddhism, has the view that one who wishes to be emancipated has to follow the Noble Eightfold Paths that are the ways of practice leading one to attain the path (magga) fruit (phala) and nibbāna without being born again.

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