Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

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

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JAIN PHILOSOPHY
[CHAP. 1.]
matter, it has, in the natural course of things, no ending. The deliverance of the soul from the karman is, therefore, only possible by artificial means. Through a series of special processes the jīva must hinder the absorption of new karman and eliminate the karman already accumulated before they come to realisation. If, through the eradication of the physical cause which predisposes him to assimilate certain karman, he succeeds in restricting and in the end totally hindering the binding of new karman, as well as, through the methodical subjugation of the senses, in annihilating the potential karman already in existence, he will become free from all karman. Then all obstacles which impede the development of his true nature are automatically overcome ; released
the power of the karman, he can undisturbedly make manifest his own innate capabilities.
The karman doctrine, which in the foregoing has been only briefly sketched, has been formed by Jainism into a remarkable system, accurately worked out in its most minute details. To represent this is my task in the following chapters. We shall at first show the different karmans in themselves and in their relation to one another ; further on, the conditions which arise in the soul under the influence of the karmans; then, the causes which produce the formation of certain karmans; and, finally, the way that leads to release from them.