Jaina Philosophy and Religion

SR No.: 001604
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 500
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Epistemology
File Size: 12 MB

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Karma Philosophy
totally changed; so how can we remember our previous birth? And yet we do hear instances of the great saints remembering their previous birth. The details of such instances have also been published in the reputed Indian journals. These incidents of the memory of past births compel man to think about rebirth.
Doctrine of rebirth preserves and keeps intact man's moral responsibility. Some time even a great man has to experience calamity and suffer statutory punishment without any fault or crime. At that time, the doctrine of rebirth serves as a soothing balm and helps him much in his efforts of keeping his mind unagitated and peaceful. If the good acts of the present birth are not accepted as having continuation in or connection with the future life beyond the end of the present birth, then man would become disappointed and frustrated, and in the time of calamity he would be surrounded by the darkness of despair and despondency.
Not a few 'accidental' events take place in the life of man. They may be called 'accidental' on account of their having no connection whatsoever with the intelligent efforts of a conscious being. But how can they be causeless? There must be some cause of an 'accident'? Reflecting on the difficult search of the cause of an 'accident', we arrive at the law of the 'unseen', i.e., karma.
In the world some think: "There is no soul, etc. The days which I spend in sensual enjoyment are mine. After the end of this life, this body will return to the five elements and merge with them. As a result, the usage of T' will cease. Then what is the harm if I love or hurt beings, tell lies or speak truths, lead a restrained or an unrestrained life, or do as I wish? It is because there is nobody or no rule to give me punishment or reward of my acts." But such a thinking or idea is totally wrong. Man may become rich by
oral and cruel acts, by robbery or bloodshed, and move happily. But he cannot escape the responsibility of those evil acts. If there is not some ‘unseen' cause over and above the present circumstances behind the miserable state of the virtuous and the happy state of the wicked and the account of the state is closed here only, but does not remain open and continue even in future life, then that would be considered to be no less than anarchy in the spiritual world and the material world as well.
Rule of the law of karma (moral causation) is so universal, so sure, so exact and so just that it gives each and every being right fruits for its acts. Therefore, the law of karma, from which naturally follows the belief in