Studies in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001616
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1951
Total Pages: 366
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Knowledge, Yoga, & Epistemology
File Size: 9 MB

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232
JAINA DOCTRINE OF KARMAN
[CH.
with water or fire with iron. In the state of bondage the soul is infected with a kind of susceptibility to establish relation with the nonsoul. This susceptibility finds expression in the passion-states of the soul. In the ultimate analysis, this susceptibility is but a state of the soul in conjunction with matter. We have already sought to explain the problem. Next we turn to the topic of classification of karman.
III
CLASSIFICATION OF KARMAN
The soul in its pure state possesses a number of characteristic attributes which are obscured and distorted in the defiled state of bondage. This obscuration and distortion find expression in the imperfect existence of the soul. In the state of perfection, the soul has infiniteness of knowledge, intuition and bliss as well as freedom from delusion, delimited longevity, embodied existence, difference of status and obstruction of energy. The karmic matter obscures or obstructs these characteristics of the soul and keeps it away from its supreme state of existence. The soul, under the influence of passions (kaṣayas) and possessed of yoga (that is, the vibrations of body, vocal organ, and mind) attracts karmic matter (karma-pudgala') which then is inseparably mixed up with the soul. The resultant state is bondage (bandha). Even as a lamp by its temperature draws up the oil with its wick and, after drawing up, converts the oil into its body (viz. glow), exactly so does a soul-lamp, with the attributes of attachment and the like, attract the material aggregates by the wick of its activities and after attracting, transforms them into karman.'s The karman, as we have stated above, obscures as well as distorts the attributes of the soul, and is classified into eight main types. The types that obscure knowledge and intuition are respectively called knowledge-covering (jñānāvarana) and intuition-covering (darśanavarana). The type of karmic matter that holds up the natural bliss and produces earthly pleasure and suffering is called feeling-producing (vedaniya) karman. The type that effects delusion, theoretical and practical, metaphysical and ethical, is deluding (mohaniya) karman. The type that breaks up the immortal continuity of existence into so many mortal fragments
1 Vide supra, p. 65 for the conception of karma-vargaṇā. 2 TSu, VIII. 2-3.
3üşma-gunaḥ san dipaḥ sneham vartyä yathā samādatte ädaya sariratayā pariņamayati ca 'pi tam sneham. tadvad rāgādi-gunah svayoga-vartyä "tmadipa ādatte skandhan ādāya tatha pariņamayati tamś ca karmataya. -TSuBh Tikā, Part I, p. 343.