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revive when one is no longer under the influence of the drug, so can a soul attain the self realization, when it is no longer under the impact of Karma.
Q.4: Karma is lifeless and hence unconscious. How can it be conscious enough to extend the fruits appropriate to the type of Karma?
A. Karma does not need to be conscious for extending its consequences. It is its property that functions of its own. If a person consumes poison, the result would be death. On the other hand if one takes ambrosia, he would feel rejuvenated The poison or ambrosia has, however, has no plan to kill or rejuvenate. It is their inherent properties that function. Similarly different types of Karma have their own respective properties, which become effective in their own ways.
Q.5: If purity, enlightenment, bliss etc. are the properties of soul, when did it get polluted with Karma?
A. The worldly soul has been smeared with Karma since the time without beginning. It has never been devoid of Karma. As such, the question of its initial bondage with Karma does not arise.
Q.6: If the soul has been associated with Karma since the beginning, there can neither be an end to it. As such, the soul can never be devoid of Karma. Then why worry about it?
A. Though the bondage of Karma is without beginning, it is not the same bondage all throughout. Every Karma has a time limit during which its consequences have to be borne and that Karma drops off at the end of that period. Meanwhile, however, the worldly soul indulges in new Karma and thereby acquires a new bondage. If it does not indulge in new Karma, it can be devoid of Karma, as and when the consequences of the previous Karmas are fully borne and the soul gets disassociated therefrom. In spiritual terminology this disassociation is termed as Nirjarä, which we are going to discuss in a later chapter.
| SR No. | 007623 |
| Book Title | Essence of Jainism |
| 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 |