Aspects of Jaina Religion

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 45

Doctrines of Jainism :: 41
śubha karma, i.e., merit, produces happiness and an aśubha karma, i.e., demerit or sin, produces misery,
pain or uneasiness. (xi) The karmic matter remains with the soul and binds
it in the circle of births as gods, men, denizens of hell and sub-human beings.
(4) Kinds of Karma
The karmas are divided into eight main divisions and 148 subdivisions according to the nature of karmic matter. The main eight karmas are:
(i) jñānāvaraṇīya, i.e., the Knowledge-obscuring karma.
It obscures the right knowledge of the soul and
thereby produces different degrees of knowledge. (ii) Darśanāvaraṇīya, i.e., the Conation-obscuring karma.
It obscures the conation attribute of the soul. (iii) Vedaniya, i.e., the Feeling karma. It produces pleasure
and pain and thereby obscures the nature of the
soul. (iv) Mohaniya, i.e., the Deluding karma. It distorts the
right attitudes of the soul with regard to faith and conduct, etc., and produces passions and a variety
of mental states. (v) Ayuh, i.e., the Age karma. It determines the length of
life of an individual. (vi) Nāma, i.e., the Body-making karma. It determines
everything that is associated with personality, that is, the kind of body, senses, health and complexion
and the like. (vii) Gotra, i.e., the Family determining karma. It deter
mines the nationality, caste, family, social standing,
etc., of an individual. (viii) Antarāya, i.e., the Obstructive karma. It obstructs the
inborn energy of the soul and thereby prevents the doing of an action, good or bad, when there is a
desire to do it. Further, these karmas fall into two broad categories, viz.,