Agam 15 Upang 04 Pragnapana Sutra Part 02

SR No.: 001064
Original Sutra Author: Shyamacharya
Author: Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 934
Language: Prakrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Agam, Canon, Metaphysics, & agam_pragyapana
File Size: 16 MB

Page 404

... [375).. CHAPTER XXII
ON ACTIVITY
Karma means disposition or impression (vāsanā, saņskāra) which causes rebirth. From the very early times in India thinkers pondered over it. The speculation of the Karmı goes inevitably hand in hand with the conception of the cycle of births and deaths. In the old set of Upanisads this speculation occasionally occurs. But in the Jaina and the Buddhist literature-especially in the Jaina Āgamas-it occupies large space. Therein we also notice its two clear-cut stages. In its first or primary stage the term kriyā might have been employed in place of the term karma. We surmise this because in the Jaina Āgamas3 and Pali Pitakas4 the term kiriya has been used for sukrta-duskrta (good or bad acts), punya-pāpa (merit-demerit) and kusala-akusala karma (auspicious or inauspicious acts) whereas the term kiriyāväl has been used for the believer in those acts. Hence in the classification of doctrines, found in the Āgamas of that period of time, occur the four broad classes, viz. Kriyāvādi, Akriyāvādi etc.5 And in the Pāli Pițakas the believers in the good and bad acts are described as 'the preachers of Kriyå.' Moreover, therein the Buddha calls himself a Kriyāvādi, and he is praised by employing the terms Kriyāvādi and Karmavådi. Some thinkers might have dubbed him as Akriyāvädt on account of his doctrine of No-Soul. Hence he interpreted the term Akriyāvāda in his own way. And if somebody were to describe him as Akriyāvādī in this sense he would not have objected to the description. In fine, in those days the term Kriyāvādi was prevalent in the sense of the one who believes in the Karma' and the term Akriyāvādi in the sense of the one who does not believe in the Karma'. But the term Karma gradually ousted the term kriya. First both the terms were employed side by side as interchangable terms or as synonyms.7 But when it was finally determined
1. For the account of Āgamic speculation on Kriya (Activity) one may
refer to Kriyākośa' edited by Shri Mohan Lal Banthiya and Shri
Shrichand Choradiya, Calcutta, 1969. 2. Introduction to Gañadharavāda (Ed. Malvania), p. 109. 3. Sūtrakstanga, 1. 12. 1. 4. Dighanikāya, Samaññaphalasutta. 5. Bhagavati 30. 1; Bhagavatīsāra, p. 570. For other readings refer to
Kriyakośa, p. 256. 6. Vinayapitaka, Mahāvagga 6. 31. Anguttaranikāya 4. 179. Aso refer to
Āgama yuga kā Jaina Darśana'p. 74. 7. These two terms are employed side by side in Acārängasutra (the
portion in the beginning of the text) and Dighanikaya (Sonadamdasutta).
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