Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Vijibai Jivanlal Panalal Charity Fund Mumbai

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PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION
important deviation would not have remained unreproved. As with the canon, so also all karman works are in accord in all things of prime importance; in some details, however, wherein the sacred writing does not make any distinct declaration and leaves free rein to speculation, they differ from one another to the extent that in some details two or more views are exposed. There are two schools in particular who are opposing one another on many by-issues': the Āgamikas and the Kärmagranthikas. The former, the chief exponent of whom is Malayagiri, derive their ideas from a tradition which is dependent upon the Pūrvas. The Kārmagranthikas and their spokesman Devendrasūri, however, lean on the authority of older works on the karman, portions of which are even to-day in existence in Jain monastic libraries, but about which, nevertheless, nothing distinct is as yet known. For this attempt at a first complete, although not exhaustive, account of the karman doctrine, works of the two schools have been used. This could be done without hesitation, because the differences between the two schools are quite unimportant in regard to the system as a whole, and in a preponderating majority are of an altogether trifling nature; in their proper place there will be pointed out the most conspicuous of these differences.
The leading works, on which this account is based are the six Karmagranthas, in addition to which the two other works have been consulted for comparison and for supplementary material ; the ideas reproduced by us are therefore, within certain limitations, practically in their entirety those of Devendrasūri. The Karmagranthas recommended themselves before all other writings in so far as they demonstrate the karman doctrine in the clearest manner, and because of their most methodical arrangement. For similar reasons they appear to be those most highly estimated by the present-day Jains, as is proved by their frequent occurrence in manuscripts and in translations into the vernacular languages.
In order to afford the uninitiated an insight also into the essential principles and arrangement of the Karmagranthas, I append the following observations relating to them, commencing with a
Survey of the contents of the Karmagranthas.
First Volume of the Edition consulted.
I. KARMAVIPĀKA (Kammavivāga). 1. Praise, list of contents, explanations and proofs of the k (1 a) ;
1 For some of them see my edition (pp. 23-24) of Ķşabhapañcāśikā etc., and Devendra Sūri's commentary (p. 74) on Kammatthava (v. 2), his comm. (p. 182) on Sadasiiga (v. 49) and his comm. (p. 132) on Sayaga (v. 98).-H. R. K.
2 The numbers before the references signify the gāthās of the respective Karmagranthas; those in brackets after them, the page of the edition consulted.