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Fourth Fundamental-Consequences of Karma
Poison and nectar have no capability to understand, but one who consumes them gets the results; similarly a soul bears the consequences of its wholesome or unwholesome Karma. (83)
Explanation & Discussion: The pupil had pointed out that Karma is lifeless, and does not understand how to extend the right consequences. That concept of the lifeless matter being unable to do anything may, prima facie, seem reasonable, but it is not true. If we minutely observe, it can be noticed that every object is imbibed with some visible or invisible activity. All the objects that we come across are seen as undergoing change. New ones get old and worn; they change in size, shape, color, odor, and taste; they break, crack, and collapse. Visible and invisible forces are continually at work for bringing out such changes.
Lifeless objects do not have any specific plan to bring out a particular change. For instance, a flowing river does not have any plan to give round shape to a rough stone. But while being in the stream the stone becomes round by the impact of flowing water. In Jain terminology, it can be stated that the stone was to get a round shape and the flowing water was instrumental in bringing about that change. It can therefore be said that every object is imbibed with activity.
Here the Guru explains that phenomenon with the illustration of poison and nectar. Those two substances are lifeless and do not have any concept about their properties. Neither poison has any plan to kill nor does nectar have any plan to rejuvenate. But the person who consumes poison would die, and the one who takes nectar would be rejuvenated. Those outcomes occur on their
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