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________________ Jain Concept of Punya and Pap Karma Pravin K. Shah JAINA Education Committee Jain Study Center of North Carolina 509 Carriage Woods Circle Raleigh, NC 27607-3969 Website: www.jaina.org e-mail: education@jaina.org Tele-919-859-4994 1
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________________ Concept of Jain Karma Dravya Karma, Bhava Karma and Nokarma Dravya Karma Physical karmic particles which are attached to a soul or not attached to any soul. Generally following terminology is used, Karma - particles attached to soul Karma particle - not attached to soul Bhava Karma A reflection of the soul or the state of the soul at every moment. It is not a physical particle but a form of our soul (Paryaya) such as angry soul or greedy soul or a happy soul. No-karma Everything else in the universe other than Soul and Karma particles. This includes our physical body, physical mind, words, smell, sound, color, house, furniture, and all other items we come across in the universe. N
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________________ Jain Karma Theory Both Dravya Karma and No-karma are Nimitta causes (catalytic agents) of Bhava Karma Bhava Karma is the nimitta cause of new Dravya Karma which attach to the soul. In this process No-karma are not being affected. They are just present in their own state. Both Dravya Karma and Bhava Karma follow Nimitta Naimittic Relationship
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________________ Jain Religion Definition Acquiring Karma and their Consequences Bondage of karma occurs due to the soul's Mithyatva (illusion or ignorance of proper knowledge), Avirati (vowlessness), Pramada (spiritual laziness), Kashaya (anger, ego, deceit, greed etc.) and Yoga (activities of the mind, body, and speech). In other words Karma bondage occurs only due to the presence of Mohaniya karma meaning: Darshan Mohaniya - which is Mithyatva and Charitra Mohaniya Karma - which is Kashaya or a lack of spiritual conduct Under normal circumstances we will never be free of karma because at every moment we remove some old karma and acquire some new karma. 4
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________________ Types of Dravya Karma Deluding Karma obscures blissful nature of Soul or Samyak Conviction (faith), Samyak Knowledge, and Samyak Conduct of the Soul Obscures Infinite Knowledge of the Soul Mohaniya Karma Jnanavaraniya Karma Darshanavarani Obscures infinite Perception of the Soul ya Karma Antaraya karma Obstructs infinite Power and Energy of the Soul Vedaniya Karma Nam karma Gotra karma Ayu karma Creates Favorable or Unfavorable Physical Environment for the Soul (healthy body or unhealthy body) Physical Body and Physique Determining Karma Status Determining Karma Life Span Determining Karma
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________________ Punya and Pap Karma Process of Bondage and Separation or Kamma At every moment all 8 categories of (4 Ghati and 4 Aghati) karma together produce their results and then they get separated from the soul. At every moment 7 of 8 categories of new karma are attached to the soul and only once in a life time a soul acquires Ayu (age determining) karma of the next life Only the Mohaniya karma is responsible for the bondage of new karma of all 8 categories. Darshan Mohaniya - Mithyatva Charitra Mohaniya - Kashaya and non-spiritual conduct together In the absence of Mohaniya karma, no new karma are attached to the soul even though the other karma; Jnanavaraniya, Darshanavaraniya, Antaraya, Vedaniya, Nama, Gotra, and Ayu Karma are present. In the absence of Mohaniya Karma, theoretically one can say that Iryapathic Karma are being attached to the soul due to activities of body, speech, and mind. However these karma have no power to degrade a person spiritually and hence they are not considered in this spiritual aspect of the presentation.
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________________ Morality vs. Spirituality Individual Person Following Law and Order Not Following Law and Order Moral Immoral Spiritual Non-spiritual
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________________ Punya and Papa Karma Punya or Pious Karma We acquire Punya Karma when we perform or reflect upon virtuous activity with or without a feeling of self-satisfaction and its accomplishment. At maturity of Punya Karma, they produce a favorable environment conducive to spiritual life such as human life, healthy body, comfort, moral family etc. A person may use such circumstances to progress spiritually or a person may use it to increase his power, fame, luxury, and comfort. This depends upon the person's free will or self determination (Purushartha) and his proper understanding of true religion.
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________________ Punya and Pap Karma Pap or Sinful Karma We acquire Pap or sinful Karma when we perform or reflect on any non-virtuous activities such as violence, dishonesty, stealing, not behaving chastely, attachment to worldly objects, anger, conceit, deceit, lust, revenge, and having impure thoughts. When the Pap karma produce result - they create an unfavorable environment such as unhealthy body, birth in nonhuman life, or non-virtuous families, which may bring misery, discomfort, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. Under such an environment, it is extremely difficult to progresses spiritually. 9
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________________ Karma Relationship Ghati/Aghati Karma and Punya/Papa,amma All Ghati karma subdue the innate qualities of the soul and hence all categories of Ghati karma are classified as Pap or sinful karma. Only Aghati karma that are responsible for the physical environment of a living being are classified as the result of Punya karma or Pap karma. Punya Aghati Karma produce a human life, a healthy body, high social status, and a longer life span Papa Aghati karma produce an unhealthy body, a shorter life span, low social status, poverty, birth in hell, or as an animal, insect, or in a vegetative state or similar categories. In summary all Punya Karma are Aghati karma while Pap karma belong to both Ghati and Aghati karma. 10