Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 36

THE KARMAN IN ITSELF
The atoms which have become karman in the soul can be contem plated from 4 points of view :
1. according to the manner of their effect (prakịti), 2. according to the duration of their effect (sthiti), 3. according to the intensity of their effect (rasa), and 4. according to their quantity, i.e. according to the number of
their pradeśas. Even as an article of confectionery (modaka), which is composed of a substance that cures wind in the body through its natural quality annihilates the wind-a sweetmeat composed of a substance that cures the bile, annihilates the bile—a sweetmeat composed of material that destroys phlegm, annihilates phlegm—so the pudgalas which have become jñānāvarana-karman veil the knowledge, those changed into cāritra-mohanīya-karman disturb the right conduct, etc. Even as the effect of one modaka is restricted to one day, of another to two days, and so forth, so the duration of one karman is 30 sāgaro pamakotikotis, that of another is 70, and so forth. Even as this pill has a sweet, that a still sweeter taste, so the one karman works with a lesser, the other with a greater intensity. And, finally, even as one pill measures 1 prasști, or 2 prasyti, according to the number of grains that compose it, so also a karman-particle has a greater or less dimension according to whether it contains more or less pradeśas.1
1. THE SPECIES OF THE KARMAN.2 There are 8 chief or fundamental species (mūla-prakyti) of the karman, namely :
1. jñānāvarana-k, the k which obscures knowledge, 2. dāršanāvarana-k, the k which obscures undifferentiated cog
nition,
1 Kg I, 3a, II 2b. Wilson 312 et seq.
2 Kg I, 3b et seq, II 120b. Ps. 265, Lp. X, 145 et seq., Gandhi 13 et seq., Tatty. VIII, 5 et seq.