Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 331

Tattva, Reality
303
bodily, mental and verbal may therefore produce either good and meritorious types of karman such as contribute to temporal well-being and towards a future life in one of the higher forms of existence or bad types of karman, the source of sin and misery, such as leads to a future life in a lower state of existence.
Whether the yoga is good or bad is determined by the goodness or badness, in varying degrees, of the mental attitude and intention. 68 It is at this point that the kaṣāyas or passions, as they are commonly called, which have an important place in the doctrine, enter the arena as the determining factor as regards the quality of the asrava. Thus two types of asrava are distinguished: that of persons acting under the influence of the passions, i.e., those who are sakaṣāya, and that of persons libcrated from the clutch of the passions, i.e., those who are akasāya.69
The word kasăya can have several closely connected meanings: it denotes an astringent; it is synonymous with rāga, colour, the colour red, a tincture or hue; thence it has been used to denote emotions of greater or less intensity, affective feelings, states of mind which lead to inner or outer violence, to vehement desires, attachments and errors. These sentiments and emotions give rise in the atman to: kaşa, scraping, friction; their effect is: karşaņa, a tugging, twisting, churning up of the atman. The result of this attack and grip upon the ätman is to render it: kaluşa, impure, soiled, and thus to bring about: śleşa, the ātman-karman amalgam.70 Thus kaşāya refers to all that produces a profound effect upon the ātman, does violence to it, makes inroads upon it, irritates it, squeczes it, tinges it, colours it, tarnishes its purity - all of which metaphors point to important factors contributing to the penetration of the atman by karman. We may note
detail men's violent activities, highlighting by contrast (69-73) the virtuous activities of the śramaņas.
68 Cf. TS VI, 6.
69 Cf. Ibid., 4.
70 Cf. JSK II, p. 35.