What is Karma?

Karma, the natural law of cause and effect, is the driving force behind reincarnation. According to Buddhism, one's actions in the current life dictate how one will live in the next life. Thus, if one's conditions are of poverty and suffering, one can know their previous lives were filled with selfish actions. One can then alter their perceptions and behaviors to focus on actions that help others, thereby improving their conditions for future reincarnations.