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AN EPITOME OF JAÍNISM.
is determined by one's character, and habit, and so cannot be reckoned as free in its operation. But to this our reply is that this character which fetters our will in its activity, is itself nothing but the product of the free operation of ourselves, the effects of which are materialised and preserved as Character or Karmamatter. For what is this Character ? It is the settled disposition of the mind to operate in a particular way when opportunity comes.
It is the habit which fetters us indeed only How Chara- "Purunega
apparently to a certain extent later on, but as cter points to
engendered by the free operation of ourselves. We say apparently, because the clear verdict of consciousness in every case of activity is that we might have preferred another course of action, had we but sufficient strength of will. We cannot, by any amount of effort as a clear introspection reveals, divest ourselves of this concioussness of freedom-i.e. freedom to operate otherwise if only we had sufficient stamina to do so. In the presence of this clear verdict of consciousness all the arguments arrayed by the Determinists fall to the ground and our
presence of free-will.
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