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Principle of Punya (Merit) and Papa (Demerit) : a Study
PRINCIPLES OF PUNYA AND PĀPA Punya (merit) is auspicious karma-pudgalas and papa (demerit) is inauspicious karma-pudgalas. Both are ajīvatattva.
A question may arise that the auspicious and inauspicious karmas, which are enumerated under principle of ajiva are the auspicious and inauspicious tendencies of atman; and the tendencies of atman should be jiva, i, e., jiva-rupa, they cannot be ajīva. Why merit and demerit are enumerated under ajīvatattva?
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The question is answered as the auspicious and inauspicious tendencies of atman are mental, physical and vocal. These enumerated under the influx (āśravatattva). 1 Here the punya and pāpa, only means that the karma-pudgalas which are attractated by the psychological, physiological and vocal tendencies of atman and are connected with jiva; if they are auspicious, they are punya and if inauspicious, they are papa. The auspicious and inauspicious tendencies of ätman are bhāva-puṇya and bhāva-pāpa. As the result of atmic tendencies, the karma-pudgalas gets connected with the atman, they are called as dravya-puṇya and dravya-pāpa. Hence the tendencies of atman are bhava-punya and bhāva-papa, while the dravya-punya and dravya-papa are pudgalas-ājīvatattva.
As the ätmic tendencies are of innumerable types so the cause of punya and papa (merit and demerit) are also innumerable. Still
1. Tattvärthasūtru, 6/1-2
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