Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 24

PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION
xix
53-55. in mārganāsthānas (189b) ; 56-58. udiranā (194 b) ; 59-63. bandha in gunasthānas (195 b) ; 64. bandha in gatis (197 b) ; 65. upaśama-śreņi (198 a); 66-72. kşapaka-śreņi (205 b); 73. salvation (212b) ; 74-75. epilogue (213 a).
The task of the Karmagranthas is to expose completely a dogma but not to prove it. That is why we find in them a full enumeration of the different kinds of the karman, of the states of the soul, the degrees of their development, etc., but we do not hear why any of this is thus and not otherwise. I am aware of one passage only wherein the author deliberately raises the question concerning the cause. It is contained in Kg. II., 75 a; herein the author raises an objection as to how it is possible that the particle of matter seized in a moment by the soul is capable of transforming itself into the number of particles necessary for the formation of the various species of the karman, whereupon he replies that it is performed through the mysterious power of the soul, of which we may not make to ourselves any idea, and through the peculiar quality of the matter itself. It may be observed, he argues, that matter on which no spiritual force is working, is changing into clouds and rainbows; why, then, could not matter with which a jīva is in connection be changed into different kinds of karman ? All further discussion is cut off by an energetic "alam vistarena". The disregard of rational argumentation here shown is justified in so far as Jainism does not pretend to have attained its doctrines by human rational means. It is not through the limited comprehension of an average man that Jainism arrives at its view-point of the world, but by revelation, or, better, by that which an omniscient man, a kevalin, has communicated. Everything that such a Master, adorned with 18 characteristics, proclaims concerning world and life is accepted unconditionally as Truth that nothing can shake. All Jain scriptures, therefore, only undertake to recapitulate the utterances of such a man, to explain them, and, if necessary, to supplement them. This supplementing is done by the restricted agency of the human understanding ; the interpreters are consequently fully aware of their own imperfection, and point out, over and over again, that they are liable to err, for the reason that the Truth is only revealed to the omniscient ones,-nevertheless, this fact in no way deters them from opposing people who arrive at other conclusions.
In working up the material I have been governed by the desire to be as concise as possible. I have discarded all that is not in direct
1 For such other passages see p. 76 of this very work, and pp. 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 16, 30, 45, 48, 56, 68, 72, 120, 123, 144, 154, 158, 160, 183, 190, 191, 193 and 194 of No. 85.-H. R. K.
2 These may be found enumerated in Gandhi, Karma philosophy, pp. 82 et seq.