Compendium of Jainism

SR No.: 001202
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T K Tukol, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Prasaranga Karnatak University Dharwar
Publication Year: 1980
Total Pages: 352
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 17 MB

Page 131

THE DOCTRINE OF KARMA
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purity of conduct and thought. It often happens with some people that when they are fully restrained in their mind and speech, they are disturbed by indecision. People observe austerities under wrong beliefs. Added to it, is the right faith. Since right faith is mentioned separately, it appears that by itself it is sufficient to cause the influx of life-Karma leading to celestial birth. The only way of reconciling the two Sūtras is to point out that those souls which have right faith will not be subject to any of the infirmities which affect the other souls which do not possess such faith. In fact, there cannot be right faith, unless there is awareness of the true nature of the soul and its non-connection with worldly objects.
Nāma Karma
It is this kind of Karma that determines the kind of character of the body in which a soul will be embodied. We have already noticed that a soul is born in any of the four states of existence, celestial, human, sub-human and infernal. Naturally there will be difference in the nature of the body, its size, colour, height. The nāma Karma is primarily of two kinds, piņda-praksti or physical or concrete qualities, and apiņda-praksti or non-physical or non-concrete qualities.
Nāma Karma is an extremely interesting principle, almost anticipating many elements of the modern biological theory. It is again divided into 93 classes. Modern biology tries to explain the origin and growth of an organism postulating the enzymes and genes, microscopic factors which determine the growth of the organic body. Similarly the theory of Nāma Karma formulated by the Jaina thinkers thousands of years ago tries to explain many of the biological problems such as, the difference between one genus and other genus of organisms, the bodily structure as vertebrate or invertebrate, the different methods of bone joints in the body, the systematical arrangements of the members in the structure of the sensory organs in the body, etc. These sense organs in the body whether completely developed and functionally effective or whether imperfectly developed or functionally inefficient- all