________________
110
COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
the real nature of the soul and render realization of the qualities of the self difficult.
Therefore, Karmas which obscure the four great attributes of the soul, viz, inifinite perception, inifinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite bliss, and thereby hinder it from realising them, are respectively called Darśanăvaraņiya, Jñānāvaraộiya, Antarāya and Mohaniya. While the first one obscures the attribute of perception, the second one obscures knowledge, the third one hinders soul's power and obstructs its passage to success; and the fourth one creates a delusion disabling the soul from knowing what is real happiness and what is infatuation. Since these four kinds of Karmas obscure each of the supreme attributes of the soul, they are called the ghātiya or destructive Karmas.
The remaining four kinds of Karmas do not destroy the qualities of the soul but merely affect its mundane existence. They are : Āyus, Nāma, Gotra and Vedaniya. The first Karma determines the duration of life and other conditions of existence; the second one determines the character of one's personality like the body, height, colour, size, etc; the third one determines one's family, nationality, etc., the fourth one determines the nature of the pleasure and pain that one suffers in mundane life. Since these do not affect the essential attributes of the soul, they are called aghātiya or non-destructive Karmas. Thus there are eight kinds of Karmas.4
Ghāti Karmas
Now it is necessary to find out the causes of each of these Karmas so that one may prevent the accumulation of such Karmas and try to free oneself from them. Since Umāsvāmi has dealt with the Jñānāvaraniya Karma first, I shall also discuss it first. Jõānāvaraniya Karma
Spite or hatred against knowledge, concealment of knowledge from others, declining or failing to import knowledge due to envy or jealousy, causing obstruction or impediment to others in the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
