Karma and Rebirth

SR No.: 001546
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1972
Total Pages: 82
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Karma, Philosophy, & Religion
File Size: 6 MB

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T. G. Kalghaigi
he saw the vision of Siddbārtha as one to be the Buddha, and sad because he saw that he would not live to see that glorious day. This need not be taken as mere fable. It has a great significance in presenting the experience of a seer, And, “Oh Agaibhuti, Karma is pratyakşa to me, the omnicient being, just as your doubt is pratyakşa to me."60
IV. The problem is how to escape from the bonds of Karma. In ancient India philosophers referred to it in various ways. The Mīmāmsă school has found out a way for obtaining the release from the bonds of Karma by giving instructions for performing certain types of acts. Acts are divided into three types: (1) Nitya (daily acts), like Sandhya (2) Naimittika (occasional) like performance of rituals and worships on special occasions. Both these kinds have to be performed. (3) Kamya are actions motivated by desires and impulses. Then there are acts which are to be prohibited nişiddha as they are motivated by desires and impulses. By performing the kämya actions one has to take a series of births according to the effects of Karma accrued and has to experience the effects in these births. These also should not be performed as they bring the influx of Karma. One has to balance the effects of Karma by performing some actions like Nitya and Naimittika and avoiding Kamya and Nişiddha actions. The prarabdha karma is exhausted by it being experienced in this life. When suffering in this world, in heaven and hell are exhausted, the Atman reaches the state of release. This is the karma mukti, and naişkarmya siddhi. But the Vedāntins do not think that by naiskarmya one succeeds in reaching the goal as Naiskarmya does not result from abstenance of actions nor does one obtain release by giving up actions.61 Moreover, sancita Karma cannot be exhausted in this way because of the effects of two contrary sancita Karma like heavenly happiness and suffering in hell, and it is not possible to experience both at the same time. Sometimes meritorious actions previously performed by a man wait for fruition until he has escaped from the pain of this wordly life. Therefore, the Vedāntins say that by the Mimāṁsā way the release is not possible, nor is it possible to give up action altogether as no one can even for a single moment escape karma (action) in the world altogether. 62 The only may to escape from the wheel of life is by jñāna, knowledge in the sense of the realisation of the identitly of the self and the absolute. In this sense karmana vidyate jantuh, vidyayā tu pramucyate is to be understood. All Karma is reduced to ashes in the fire of knowledge.63 As the seed which has been burnt does not take root, so the Karma which has been destroyed by jnana
60. Viseşāvas yaka Bhāşya, Ganadharavāda, 1611-1612, 61. Bhagavadgitā, 3.4. 62. Ibid. 63. Ibid.