The Law of Attraction is a belief system proposing that individuals can manifest their desires through focused thoughts and intentions. The central premise is that positive thinking attracts positive outcomes, while negative thinking can lead to adverse events. This concept has ancient roots, with some linking it to Buddhist teachings about the power of thought. The origin of the law of attraction is unclear. Many attribute it to Buddha… Buddha promoted a belief that people become what they think about. Buddhism and some other faith practices also include the concept of karma, a belief that events that occur in people's lives result from the way those people acted in the past.

In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to future consequences.[4] Those intentions are considered to be the determining factor in the karmic fruit.[4] In the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha is quoted: "Intention (cetana) I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect" (AN 6.63).[4] Later Buddhist thought explains that intentional actions create "seeds" in the mind which will ripen into future results.[4]

In the *Brhadaranyaka Upanishad*, one of the earliest Upanishads, the theologian Yajnavalkya states: "A man turns into something good by good action and into something bad by bad action." This passage presents karma as an ethical principle in which actions lead to corresponding future states of the person, linking present deeds to future circumstances and moral outcomes. The doctrine of karma and transmigration appears in early Vedic and later Hindu texts, where rebirth and the results of actions are central to explaining an individual’s fate after death.

“As you sow, so shall you reap” is a common phrase in life which concisely sums up the law of karma. Karma is the universal Hindu law of cause and effect which holds a person responsible for his or her actions and effects. A person’s past actions govern his present, and his present actions have an effect on his future. This means that every person is, to a certain degree, the creator of his own destiny. Good actions produce happiness and bad actions lead to suffering and misery in the present or next life.

Karma plays a crucial role in Hinduism and Buddhism, where it interrelates with concepts such as dharma (righteous duty) and moksha (liberation in Hinduism) and cetana (intention in Buddhism). Hindu texts articulate karma’s role in determining one’s future, emphasizing moral responsibility. While karma is similarly conceptualized as a law of moral causation, the Buddhist view emphasizes intention (cetana) as a crucial factor in determining the moral weight of actions. The Buddha taught that it is not merely the action itself that matters, but the intention behind it that shapes the karmic consequence.

Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest religions, is built on the concepts of **karma**—the belief that actions and intentions influence future outcomes—and the law of attraction, which mirrors modern manifestation ideas. According to Christopher Key Chapple, an Indic and comparative theology professor at Loyola Marymount University, “the law of attraction is rehashed karma theory.” References to manifestation-like principles appear as early as the Rigveda, a 3,500-year-old Sanskrit text containing hymns that suggest thoughts and actions influence personal destiny.

The law of attraction is the New Thought spiritual belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person's life. The belief is based on the idea that people and their thoughts are made from "pure energy" and that like energy can attract like energy, thereby allowing people to improve their health, wealth, or personal relationships. Historian Mitch Horowitz noted that the term *law of attraction* first appeared in 1855 in *The Great Harmonia*, vol. IV, by American Spiritualist Andrew Jackson Davis, in a context alluding to the human soul and spheres of the afterlife. The New Thought concept of the law of attraction is rooted in ideas that come from various philosophical and religious traditions… in particular… Hermeticism… and Hinduism.

Karma literally means “action.” It is the engine that propels beings through samsara. Karma is the law of cause and effect tied to the intentions behind physical, verbal, and mental actions. Every intentional action brings a future consequence, in this lifetime or another.[1] Dependent origination highlights Buddhism’s ethical core: intentional actions have consequences, so cultivating wholesome intentions is vital. Ethically, it emphasizes mindful behavior, as each action and intention shapes future actions and intentions, echoing the principle of karma.[1]

They revealed the laws of karma and reincarnation which are now two of Hinduism’s most central beliefs. Karma is a natural law of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter. Karma is movement in the mind. When the mind remains motionless, there is no karma. Every action has a reaction. If you sow evil, you will reap evil. You can only reap the fruit, bitter or sweet, of your own actions. Therefore the wise govern their lives anticipating the results of their actions, for they know that in causing an action they necessarily cause a reaction.

"Karma is the law of action and this law governs man's consciousness. Karma is a part of philosophy of the Hindus. The term came into being in Hinduism, based on the belief that every action has its consequences." The paper adds that for Buddhists, "Bad actions in a previous life can follow a person into their next life and cause bad effects. Good actions can cause good effects… Thus, in short, karma has relationship with cause and effect combination. Birth and rebirth are affected from karma of past and present." It notes a key difference: "Hinduism involves role of God. Buddhism does not involve the role of God."

In some English texts, karma is translated as “doing.” In either case, the teaching of karma more specifically refers to intentional action. In the Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha says: “Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, and intellect” (AN 6.63).[6] If one performs a certain action at this moment, it will serve as a foundation for a series of events that follow, good or bad. If the nature of one’s karma is wholesome, it can generate desirable results and experiences in the future; unwholesome intentions are likely to involve suffering.[6] Buddhist karma is not fate but emphasizes one’s independent power and ownership over one’s doings: the law of karma is that actions have consequences.[6]

Mindfulness is centered on rising above thoughts and emotions so that one can objectively understand the true nature of reality, whereas Hindu meditation is more about focusing the mind so one can become fully absorbed in union with the Divine. According to Hindu texts, everyone is a spiritual being originating from a supreme spiritual source referred to as the Brahman. Thus meditation, as per Hindu teachings, is traditionally a tool that enables beings to quiet the disturbances of the mind so that they can tap into their innately Divine nature. As one chants and gets better in touch with this nature, one can rise above the conditionings of the mind, and come to the point of no longer being affected by the dualities caused by negative and positive thoughts.

Karma, in its essence, is the law of cause and effect—actions and intentions influencing one’s destiny. The Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, delves into the interconnectedness of thoughts, actions, and the unfolding of one’s life. In the Vedic traditions of ancient India, the concept of “Karma” is closely aligned with the Law of Attraction.

For the Buddha, though it literally means action, the meaning of karma is intention, or intentionality. He equates karma with intention.[3] The karma theory of the Buddha has to do with the causal chain, the causal conditions that are set in motion directly by our intentions. It is because the world of our happiness and our inner peace is primarily a product of our intentions.[3]

An early Buddhist teaching says: “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind.”[2] Karma means intended action, and is a dynamic concept. It is not fate or predestination, but a consequence of what has gone before. In other words, you are now in circumstances because of your thoughts and decisions, and this is an on-going process. New actions create new karma.[2] In Buddhism, karma is the reaping of past actions, but also offers the possibility of determining our own future with our actions and thoughts today.[2]

The concept of the Law of Attraction is attributed to New Thought philosophy, a spiritual movement originating from the 19th century. Originally, the concept appeared in Phineas Quimby’s writing. Quimby’s teachings are often attributed as the beginning of the New Thought Movement. In 1877, the term ‘Law of Attraction’ appeared in the work of Russian occultist Helena Blavatsky. Most recently, the concept has been popularised by the 2006 film and subsequent novel titled *The Secret*. Simply put in the words of American psychologist David R Hawkins, “what one holds in their mind tends to manifest.” What Hawkins is saying is that what we focus on in our minds and put energy into will come into our lives just as we envision.

Buddhist karma is subtle and complex: it’s about the state of your mind when you form an intention, perform an action, and experience the consequences, and how you can affect this process in order to avoid causing suffering for yourself and others.[7] The Buddha realized the whole karmic process – forming an intention to act, committing an act, and experiencing its results – was profoundly influenced by the state of mind of the person doing the action.[7] Acts based in greed, hate, and delusion tend to cause suffering, while the quality of one’s attention as one acts also shapes karmic results.[7]

This comparative explanation of karma states: "In both Buddhism and Hinduism, karma refers to cause-and-effect connected to actions, speech, and intention." It emphasizes that "In Buddhism, karma is mainly about how intention shapes experience and habits, moment by moment," while "In Hinduism, karma is often discussed alongside a continuing self and a moral order that spans lifetimes." Both traditions "treat karma as lawful cause-and-effect, not random reward or punishment," and "present choices matter" because changing intention and response changes conditioning or the moral trajectory.

The concept of the Law of Attraction, while popularized in recent times, has philosophical roots that go back centuries. Hermes Trismegistus, often considered the originator of the idea, spoke of the principle that “like attracts like” in his Hermetic teachings. Earnest Holmes in the early 20th century provided a more structured exploration of this idea in his work *The Science of Mind*, where he discussed how thoughts transform into reality through a universal law that mirrors our mental state.

Buddha’s teachings in Buddhism: the direct relationship between thought, intention, and karma. Every thought creates karma, connecting mental activity to future consequences.[9] The teaching emphasizes mindfulness of thoughts to avoid creating negative karma and to cultivate wholesome mental states that lead to better outcomes.[9]

This Buddhist critique contrasts karma and the popular Law of Attraction (LOA): "The most popular version of the law of attraction, that what you think you will get is not exactly true, according to Buddhism. Because the thought of something in terms of intention is just a seed. There are conditions needed for the seed to grow, for fruits (results) to bear." It argues that simply thinking is insufficient: "The idea of the law of attraction working just by constantly thinking of something is a big mistake… Cause + Conditions = Effect. Conditions are crucial and this includes diligent efforts in various appropriate forms." Karma is described as always operating perfectly: "Whatever one experiences in the moment, one always deserves in the moment – because the law of karma is always at work perfectly."

Buddhist Summary: Karma is intention + action. It shapes your character and future experience. Awareness and mindfulness can stop negative karma.[8] The summary links mindfulness practice to conscious shaping of karma, suggesting that by being aware of intentions and actions one can change future circumstances.[8]

Hinduism is one of the primary sources of the concept of karma; it has also been influential in Buddhism and Jainism, which have their own interpretations of karma. To understand Hindu karma and its relationship to intention and future circumstances, one should start by reading holy texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, which discusses different kinds of karma and emphasizes the attitude and intention behind action, including acting without attachment to results.

This article from a Buddhist practitioner notes that karma in Buddhism "actually means ‘action,’ and particularly an action or choice with an ethical motivation behind it." It explains: "if we do something out of kindness, generosity, or wisdom, we create conditions for positive consequences to arise for us. And if we do something out of anger, selfishness, or ignorance, we set conditions for negative consequences." On this basis, the author suggests that "if you think of it this way, then the Buddhist idea of karma is very much in line with LOA, don’t you think? It’s really about choice — OUR choice to move ourselves in a positive or negative direction." The piece portrays karma as "like a universal force in the world, like gravity… there’s no escaping its effects."

The Facebook group post states: "The principle of Karma is well explained in the Hindu and especially in the Buddhist tradition. The Law of Cause and Effect is a central topic of Buddha’s teachings." It describes karma as a law that "teaches us that every thought, every word, and every action that we send out will return to us, sooner or later, with the same energy with which we sent it out" and connects this to the Law of Attraction by saying that understanding this karmic law explains "why our thoughts and actions shape our future experiences."

Early Buddhist texts such as the Dhammapada contain verses like: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.” This is often cited to illustrate the Buddhist view that present character and circumstances are shaped by past mental states and actions. The same text teaches that by cultivating wholesome thoughts and intentions, one changes future experience.

Karma simply conditions your inner experience of pain and pleasure that results from whatever happens. How you react to these feelings of pain is within your control, and karma is closely tied to how your mental responses, intentions, and attitudes shape your ongoing experience. In many modern Hindu interpretations, karma is understood not just as an external law of reward and punishment but as a process through which one’s mindset and reactions influence future suffering or happiness.

In a Q&A on Buddhism and the Law of Attraction, one answer says: "The Law of Attraction seems to advocate that by the power of your mind (thoughts) one can attract things what will make you happy. And this statement already goes against what Buddhism teaches." The critique is that LOA "creates even more desires, attachments and aversions which sadly, are seeds for future sufferings." Another answer contrasts LOA’s aim of "manipulating circumstances to provide material benefits for oneself" with Buddhism’s goal of "understand[ing] reality as it is" and letting go of desire. At the same time, another contributor suggests there is "no conflict" and relates LOA to the idea that "as long as you need something you will be born," implying desire shapes future circumstances.

The term "Law of Attraction" appeared in print for the first time in the book *Isis Unveiled* (1877), written by Helena Blavatsky. The key sentence is the classic "Believe that ye already received it and ye shall" from the bible. The theory as we know it was first written about by Victorian psychics like Helena Blavatsky. See the "New Thought" movement.

In other words, you've gotta see it and hold the picture in your mind, you will attract everything you need. Wattles pointed out in *The Science of Getting Rich* that "Desire is the effort of the unexpressed possibility within, seeking expression without through your actions." … The action sets up an attraction. And it's the action-attraction that alters the results.

"Karma is a concept originating from Hinduism and Buddhism, describing the principle that actions and intentions have consequences that shape future experiences." In popular explanations, this principle is often compared to ideas like the "law of attraction" in which thoughts, attitudes, and actions are believed to influence future circumstances, though traditional religious teachings on karma stress ethical conduct and liberation rather than material manifestation.

In a YouTube talk titled "Law of Karma VS Law of Attraction," the speaker describes karma as "the law of causality… action and consequences, which means any consequences or retributions you receive in the future are the results of every action you take today." Later, he notes that "karma also has a bit more specific effects that help us to redesign what our life should be" and says that "law of attraction and law of karma are quite similar to each other because law of attraction mostly talk about… manifestation [and] your intention." The talk thus explicitly links karmic causality and intention with LOA’s idea that mental focus influences future life circumstances.

A Reddit discussion on meditation and LOA observes: "The law of attraction is about using your thoughts to get what you want and to change your circumstances. Buddhism philosophy on the other hand seems to be about accepting your thoughts and letting them go." Another commenter writes, "Buddhism goes to the root of desire, suffering, birth, death, and our own true nature. LOA is about getting what you want. There's no inherent conflict," suggesting that while both recognize thought as important, their ultimate aims differ, with Buddhism focusing on liberation from desire rather than deliberate attraction of circumstances.