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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY "GOD IN JAINISM"
get appropriate pleasures and pains. Like the Leibnitz a world, the set is different for different individuals."
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V. (ii) Karma &Theory of Causation
Literally, karma means 'action' or 'deed'. The common people use it in the sense of 'work' or 'profession'. But the sastras give a much wider denotation to it to include all types of actionvoluntary or non-voluntary of human beings or other beings. It is also used in the sense of "rites and rituals" by the Mimamsakas, in the sense of duties of the four-fold occupations (varnas) and stations (Asramas) by the Smṛtikāras in the sense of religious vows and disciplines by paurāṇikas.
According to Jaina conception, karma is an aggregate of material particles, which are very fine and are imperceptible to the senses. It enters into the soul and produces changes in it."
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Dr. Ramjee Singh explained "karma, however, as technical philosophical term, signifies not only action but also its actual potential effects. In Jainism, this means the activity of the soul, which invites and enables matter to flow into it, as also the matter, which does not flow into the soul. The first is known as thought activity (Bhava-karma) and second as material-activity (Dravyakarma) "23
Fine material particles that get attracted towards, stick to the soul on account of its activities. Etymologically, that which is being done is karma. Both these meaning are appropriate in the context. The whole universe is packed with the fine karmic material particles. But when they get attracted towards the soul and stick to it and bind it through its activity, then only they are designated by the term 'karma'. Thus the material particles bound with the soul (i.e. transformed in to karma) are called karma. The karmic material
21Dr. Ramjee Singh, "Jain Concept of Omniscience", P-104 22Dr. Mohan Lal Mehta, "Jaina Philosophy, An Introduction", 1998, P-189 23Dr. Ramjee Singh, "Jaina Concept of Omniscience", P-110
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