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

Page 56

Jaina Philosophy and Religion
nimity. Cāritra means the endeavour to remain steady in the state of equanimity by giving up all impure activities. By all these means stoppage of the inflow of the karmic matter is achieved. And the partial dissociation of the bound karmas is achieved by means of austerity. Spiritually motivated external and internal austerity leads to the partial dissociation. The internal austerity is divided into six types, viz., prāyaścitta (atonement with a view to making .clean sweep of defects), vinaya (veneration), vaiyāvịttya (rendering service), svādhyāya (self-study), vyutsarga (renouncement of attachment and other passions) and dhyāna (spiritually beneficial mental concentration). Like austerity, even the means of samvara, viz. gupti, etc. cause partial dissociation because they too are basically of the nature of austerity.
As already stated, the karmas get dissociated from the soul as soon as they yield their fruits completely and reach the limit of their time-duration. The process of partial dissociation of this type goes on incessantly in the case of worldly souls caught in the cycle of transmigration. But the spiritually beneficial 'partial dissociation' is that which takes place in association with the stoppage of the inflow. And when the process of the stoppage of the inflow of new karmas and that of the dissociation of the bound karmas reach their acme, the absolute and total dissociation of karmas, which characterises liberation, is attained.
Knowledge-covering karma, vision-covering karma, deluding karma and obstructive karma - these four karma-types are called 'ghātī-karma' ('destructive karma') because they cover or adversely affect the natural qualities of soul. When these four ghāti-karmas are removed completely from the soul, the perfect knowledge (omniscience) manifests itself. And when this perfect knowledge manifests itself, the soul becomes perfect seer and perfect knower. Then the concerned soul, at the time of its life-span coming to its end, by its special efforts dissociates even the remaining four karmas designated 'aghātī" or 'bhavopagrāhī? And the moment they are totally removed from the soul, the latter moves upward; and within a moment reaches the end of the universe and rests there. This state is called liberation (mokşa).
1. 'Aghati is the opposite of 'ghāti. 2. 'Bhava' means transmigratory cycle or body, and that which sustains it is 'bhavopagrāhī.