The theory of karma as causation holds that: (1) executed actions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives, and (2) the intentions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives. Disinterested actions, or unintentional actions do not have the same positive or negative karmic effect, as interested and intentional actions. In Buddhism, for example, actions that are performed, or arise, or originate without any bad intent such as covetousness, are considered non-existent in karmic impact or neutral in influence to the individual.

Now as a man is like this or like that, according as he acts and according as he behaves, so will he be, a man of good acts will become good, a man of bad acts, bad, he becomes pure by pure deeds, bad by bad deeds;