Genotype, Phenotype and Ancestral Karma
Genotype, Phenotype and Ancestral Karma
"Karma is nothing but the Law of Cause and Effect operating in the realm of human life and bringing about adjustments between an individual and other individuals whom he has affected by his thoughts, emotions, and actions." ~I. K. Taimni
But What is the relation between The Genotype, Phenotype and Ancestral Karma?
In genetics, we use the term genotype[1] to name trends that we carry in our genes for certain diseases and behaviors; and phenotype[2], to denote the role of the environment in our final behavior.
As always, we begin our journey between two columns: one that one that represents our baggage, a reservoir of information and traits stored in our memory cells ( genotype ) and the other that represents material we have collected gradually from infancy and childhood ( phenotype ), such as characteristics of the country we are born, with its peculiarities of wealth or poverty, education, culture and types of food, the religious and moral constraints to which we are subjected to, from our families, belief system related social classes, economic situation, etc.
“Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don't even notice it.”
The Dynamics of Two Strands of Karma
Genotype Karma is entirely related to other existences. Phenotype Karma is only partially related to the past, and mostly will be built in the day to day interactions we have with ourselves and our environment through the choices we are always making. We can relate the phenotype type of karma, like the ones specified by the Jainism[3] traditions as the non-harming category or aghatiya karmas. They are responsible for the re-born soul's physical and mental circumstances, longevity, spiritual potential and experience of pleasant and unpleasant sensations. These non-harming karmas are nama (body determining karma), Ayu (life span determining karma), gotra (status determining karma) and Vedanaya (feeling producing karma) respectively.
These karmas are bound by the “stickiness” of the soul due to the existence of various passions or mental dispositions.
It is obvious that part of the script of our karmic drama for a particular incarnation is already written in our genetic code. This code will have a major role in our performance as conscious living beings incarnated on the Earth: not to necessarily harm us, but to create the perfect frequency voltage through conditions and challenges necessary for our evolutionary pitch: just as a slingshot relies on opposing columns of timber to throw the projectile. This aligns with the concept of Dharma as a Dravya - substance or reality or the principle of motion. Since Dharma as a substance extends and pervades the entire universe, it is also known as Dharmastikaya. It helps matter and souls in movement. It is not motion but is a medium of motion.
