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Prakriti aro evolved in a fixed order, from the most subtle and spiritual one ( Buddhi) down to the gross clements and this order is always reproduced in the successive creations and disso lutions of the world.
The Jainas on the other hand, do not admit such a fixed orler of development of Matter (pudgala) but believe that the universe is eternal and of a permanent structure. According to thom, Matter is atomic and all material changes are really going on in the atoms and their combinations. A curious feature of their atomic theory is that the atoms are either in a gross condition or in a subtle one and that innumerable subtle atoms tako up the space of one gross atom. The bearing of this theory on their psychology I shall now proceed to point out. But I must premisc that the Jainas do not recognize a psychical apparatus of such a complex nature as the Sānkhyas in their tenet concern ing Buldhi, Ahamkāra, Manas and the Indriyas. The Jaiua opinion is much cruder and comes briefly, to this. Accorcling to the merit or demerit of a person, atoms of a peculiar subtle forin which we call karma matter, invade his soul or jîva filling and dofiling it, and obstructing its innate faculties. The Jainas are quite out-spoken on this point, and explicitly say that karman is made up of matter (pudgalikam karmam). This must be m erstood literally, not as a metaphor as will be seen from tho
following illustrations. The soul or jtva is extremely light and hy it self it has a tendency to move upwards, but it is kept down by the Karma matter with which it is filled. But when it is entirely purged of karma matter at Nirvāṇa, it goes upwarıls in a straight line to the top of the Universe the domicile of the the released souls. To take another example:-The karma matter within a soul may assume different conditions. It may be turbu. lent as mud in water which is being stirred; or it may be in. active as mud in water when it has settled at the bottom of a basin; or it may be completely nentralized as when the clear is poured off after the mud has been precipitatod. Here again it is cvident that Karma is regarded as a substance or matter, thongh of an infinitely muro suhte nature than the inipurities of
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| SR No. | 008001 |
| Book Title | Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker |
| Publisher | Parimal Publication |
| Publication Year | 1989 |
| Total Pages | 650 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, History, & Religion |
| File Size | 15 MB |