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Part 2
Karma - Nature and Mechanism
456
It is maintained in XVI.2.568 that caitanya is the agent of karma bandha. The reason forthcoming is that a jiva eats matter and accumulates it in his 'sarira, which then transforms accordingly. Likewise he accumulates karma matter (pudgala), which transforms into hardship, discomfort, illness, mental occupation (sankalpa) and death. All this is caused by caitanya but not by acaitanya. This exposition is couched in non-technical terms, and we place this text in the third canonical stage. Then, X VI.4.601 expounds that a being in any class binds and experiences misery wrought by himself, and that his vedanā is self· wrought and he experiences vedana wrought by himself. This is a basic position of the karma theory. The method of discussion by taking up beings in this and that class, which is usual in the fourth canonical stage, must have commenced in the third canonical stage. We assign the third canonical period to this text.
457
X1.5.451 reads that a single being as well as the world (jagat; jiva-samuha, according to Abhayadeva) transform into various states because of karma, but not because of akarma (without karma). This again belongs to the fundamental theory of karma. This text along with sutra 450 (cf. C-la) are referred to in XX.3.665 for its total content. A similar idea is expressed in XIV.6.517 in the following way. All the beings eat matter which then undergoes changes, and they are born of material yonis and attain life-span due to matter. Similarly, they obtain their states of existence and life span, and undergo transformation by binding karma matter. Karma is examined here on the analogy of ahara and pudgala parināma, as in the case of X V1.2.568 above. These texts belong to the early stratum of karma theory, which we assign to the third canonical stage excepting XX.3.665 that we place to the third-fourth canonical stages.
458
VI.8.294 explains that beings in all classes are in a state of happiness when all miseries made in the three tenses of time are exhausted. Likewise, XIV.4.510 says that a being undergoes transformation by way of suffering at times, not suffering at times, and both suffering and not suffering at times. But when miseries are experienced and exhausted, he remains in his everlasting original nature. VI.3.278 offers the explanation that beings in all classes experience karma and purge out no-karma, and thereby vedana differs from nirjara, which each take place at a different time. The distinction between karma and no-karma must have been made at the earlier stage of karma history when karma was examined in the context of pudgala. This distinction generally disappears in the later age. These discussions relevant to vedana and nirjara made in the texts above are all elementary, and we allot to them the third canonical stage.
459 The following passages express the mechanism of karmic process. Jain Education International
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