Essence of Jainism

SR No.: 007623
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 46
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 269 KB

Page 11

Chapter 5: THEORY OF KARMA AND CYCLE OF BIRTH AND REBIRTH
Kammasangehim Sammooddhä, Dukhiya BahuVeyana; Amänusäsu Jonisu Vinihammanti Pänino
Uttaradhyayan Sutra (Mahavirvani 92)
Being stained with Karma, the foolish beings get unhappiness and undergo much pain in the present life) and are relentlessly hurt (thereafter) by being born in non-human species.
We have seen that the reasons of our comfortable or uncomfortable situations lie in the activities undertaken by us during this or the earlier lives. It is the law of nature that one reaps as he sows. That reaping does not necessarily occur in the same life; it can occur in a subsequent one too. Moreover, the law is not restricted to the physical activities. It applies to our attitudes and inclinations as well, even though they may not be translated into action. Whatever thoughts we may relish, even in the midst of mountains or within a remote cave, would have their consequences. No one can escape from that. The appropriate consequences of our physical activities and of mental attitude are invariably extended to us. It is not possible to deceive the nature. Consequences have to be borne sooner or later and no one is immune therefrom. This law is not different from the law of cause and effect or that of action and reaction in the physical realm, except that in spiritual field its scope is extended to attitudes and inclinations too.
The law of Karma and the theory of rebirth need not be brushed aside as a fancy of the spiritual thinkers. The recent psychological research bears testimony to the validity of that theory. The modern psychologists have been increasingly veering to accept it. Dr. Alexander Cannon during his experiments of age regression observed that the causes of his patients' phobias in several cases lay in the earlier lives. The reasons thereof could be traced back even to the Roman period. After surveying the results of 1382 reincarnation sittings, as he calls them, he writes as under in his book entitled 'The Power Within'.
"For years the theory of reincarnation was a nightmare to me and I did my best to disprove it... and I have to admit that there is such a thing as reincarnation. It is therefore only right and proper that I should include this study as a branch of psychology, as my text bears witness to the great benefit many have received psychologically from discovering hidden complexes and fears which undoubtedly have been brought over from past lives.
This study explains the scales of justice in a very broad way showing how a person appears to suffer in this life as a result of something he has done in a past life through this law of action and reaction known in the East as Karma.... A person cannot see why he suffers one disaster after another in this life, yet reincarnation may reveal atrocities committed by him in lives gone by."
We can consider ourselves fortunate that we could obtain, as part of our heritage, what the science has been revealing now. Most of us have, in the background of our mind, the consequences of what we might be doing at present. That helps in restraining our emotions and we can stay more or less tolerant in adversity. As such, we do not tend to react very violently even when we are hurt physically or otherwise. It is therefore worthwhile to examine the significance of this theory of Karma from the broad spectrum of society
If every one knew that one day he is surely going to bear the consequences of whatever he does or thinks, no one would dare to indulge in anything that would hurt others. All the disputes and discords, conflicts and hostilities, wars and terrorism, enmity and vengeance, parochialism and selfishness would come to an end. If one ponders rightly, he can realize that hatred, jealousy etc. may or may not hurt the person against whom they are aimed at, but they surely hurt the user, because his sense of discretion and equanimity is invariably affected by overcoming with defilement. No one in that case would harbor any evil and everyone would abide by the code of conduct that is beneficial to the society. If someone is any way hurt by others, he would be