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 19

Chapter 9: NAV TATTVA : PUNYA AND PÄP
Jam Jam Samayam Jivo, Avisai Jen Jen Bhävena; So Tammi Tammi Samae, Suhäsuham Bandhae Kammam.
Saman Suttam (57)
Whenever a soul dwells in one mode or another, that very time it acquires the bondage of wholesome or unwholesome Karma.
We have dealt with Jiv and Ajiv in the last chapter. Now we are taking the next two fundamentals, viz. Punya, which can be earned by meritorious or virtuous deeds and Päp, which is acquired by evil or vicious ones.
As long as a soul is embodied, it does indulge in some or other activity. That activity may be of physical type, mental type or both. A person may refrain from the physical activity for some time. His mental apparatus, however, does not rest. It functions even when he undergoes sleep. Every activity involves Karma and one has to bear its consequences sooner or later. If one undertakes a meritorious activity, he earns Punya or Shubh (wholesome) Karma; if he indulges in an evil activity, he acquires Päp or Ashubh (unwholesome) Karma. Depending upon the intensity and accumulation of the wholesome Karma, one may be blessed with happy and comfortable situations like a handsome and strong or a beautiful and graceful body, health, wealth, attractive and loving spouse, children to be proud of, amenities etc. The unwholesome Karma, on the other hand, would lead to unhappy and miserable situations like ugly and diseased body, poverty, quarrelsome or wicked spouse, childlessness or the vicious children etc. It is therefore obvious that every one should try to undertake the meritorious activities and refrain from the evil ones.
Many of the physical activities are evidently good or bad. The organized societies therefore endeavor to encourage the virtuous activities and to discourage the wicked ones. There may also be legal provisions to forbid some of the manifestly wicked activities so as to maintain peace and order within the society. Some of the activities, however, cannot be clearly labeled as good or bad. As such, it is left to the people to decide whether to undertake such activities or not. Moreover, the social norms relate to the actual action, not the intention. The intention for undertaking an activity is not of much consequence to the society
In spiritual realm, however, the intention, with which and the disposition in which an activity is undertaken play the vital role in deciding whether it would attract wholesome or unwholesome Karma. Let us examine this aspect with the help of illustrations. A burglar, for instance, comes across a person, whom he wants to rob. He therefore fatally stabs the person. On the other hand, a patient with tumor in stomach is required to undergo surgery. He therefore goes to a surgeon, who opens the patient's belly with the surgical knife. Unfortunately, the tumor happens to be in the advanced stage or there are some other complications and the patient dies at the opening of the belly. In both these cases, one person hurts the other with a knife and that other person dies. Does it mean that the burglar and the surgeon would attract the same type of Karma? The burglar's activity is evidently sinful, while that of the surgeon can be termed as meritorious.
Let us take a finer case. Suppose, Suresh and Raman, two young pupils of the same preceptor, are going to some place. On the way they come across a river that is flooded. On the bank of the river, they notice a beautiful young girl intending to go across but feeling scared of too much water. Realizing her anxiety, Suresh offers his hand and leads her into water. Watching that, Raman screams, but Suresh ignores it and goes ahead. Flow of the river gets swifter causing the girl to drift. Suresh therefore holds his hand around her waist and leads her ahead. For Raman this act of Suresh is beyond his imagination and he severely reproaches Suresh for that audacity. Suresh again ignores his objection. They come to the deeper water and the girl does not know how to swim. Suresh therefore carries her on his back and swims across the river. To Raman that is gross violation of the vow of celibacy and he abuses Suresh like anything for that. Suresh does not respond to that. He leaves the girl on the other bank and silently proceeds ahead with