Epitome of Jainism

SR No.: 006737
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: K B Jindal
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi
Publication Year: 1988
Total Pages: 248
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

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An Epitome of Jainism The operation may be tangible, the result may be apparent, appreciable, felt, or it may not be so. That would depend on circumstances ever varying in their nature. Every ordinary mundane soul, every one of us, so to say, binds Karmic matter of all the four passions--Anger, Pride, Deceit and Greed--at every instant, while it suffers from the action of only one of them, at an instant and the others shed off without producing any result, without being felt.
For example, take the case of a person engaged in pious meditation, or in deep study of the Sacred philosophy. The operation of evil and painproducing Karmas will not affect him and they will continue to shed off in due course. He has a pious desire, and there will be the effect and bondage of good Karmas only.
Again Karmas of one sub-class can be transformed into those of another sub-class. Consider again the just-above-stated case of a person engaged in deep pious study. He will not mind, or feel or be affected by the inclemencies of the weather, by thirst, hunger, sleep, lassitude, etc., but will be enjoying the pleasure of acquisition of knowledge. The pain-producing Karma will thus be transformed into pleasure-producing one.
Duration and effect or fruition of Karmas can also be similarly increased or decreased. A person is thus the maker and master of his destiny, he can make himself happy or miserable, he can rise above circumstances, and can make a hell of heaven and a heaven of hell.
A Karma bound in one life may produce its effect in the same life, in the next, or in a life thereafter.
In this Book are found a rich detail of the various groups of sub-classes of each of the eight main classes, which are bound by a soul, which operate, and which simply remain in existence, at various spiritual stages. For example, a soul in the first stage-wrong belief-binds 22 out of the 28 sub-classes of Deluding Karma-wrong belief, 16 kinds of passion, one of the three sexes, fear, disgust, and one from each of the two pairs of indulgence and ennui, laughter and sorrow. Only 10 will be in operation-only one out of the four kinds of cach of the four passions can operate at one time, and hence 12 kinds of passion fall out of calculation, and only 10 out of the 22 which are bound, can operate. Existence there is of all the 28.
The object of all this travail is to purify the Soul, to evolve it to its inherent perfection, to remove all the possible Karmic contaminations which obstruct the full and complete enjoyment and exercise of Omniscience, and Omnipotence. And how to attain this end is the subject discussed in Karma Kanda.
The knowledge and analysis of the crious forms and workings of Karma is helpful in all stages of life, to the preceptor and the student, to the householder and the man of business, to the admiral and the general, to the varrior and the soldier, to the king and the politician, to the saint and he recluse. It is a general panacea.