Doctrine of Karman in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 39

JAIN PHILOSOPHY
[CHAP.
III. VEDANIYA-KARMAN. The vedaniya-k causes the feeling of pain and pleasure. It has, therefore, 2 sub-species :
1. sāta-vedanīya-k which causes a feeling of pleasure, created,
e.g. by licking something sweet, 2. asāta-vedaniya-k which causes the feeling of pain, such as
is produced, e.g., if one is hurt by a sword. With gods and men the sāta-vedaniya is predominant, although, also, with the former at the time of the downfall from the celestial world, and with the latter through cold and heat, death and accident, pain can be produced. Animals and infernal beings experience chiefly the asāta-vedaniya, although, also, at the birth of a Jina or on a similar occasion, they can experience a feeling of pleasure.
IV. MOHANIYA-KARMAN. The mohanīya-k obstructs true faith and right conduct. It is therefore separated into 2 main divisions : disturbance of faith and disturbance of conduct.
(a) Darśana-mohaniya-karman. The darśana-mohanīya-k causes a disturbance of the knowledge of the religious truth inherent in the jīva by natural disposition. (Here "darśana” is employed in another sense than in its application as darśanāvarana, see p. 7). According as to whether the disturbance is an absolute or a partial one, 3 kinds of this k are to be distinguished :
1. mith yātva-k. This causes complete unbelief or heterodoxy.
If it realises itself, the jīva does not believe in the truths as proclaimed by Mahāvīra ; he believes false prophets to be saints and enjoins false doctrines. samyagmithyātva-(miśra-) k. This produces a mixed belief, i.e., if it operates the soul waves to and fro betwixt true and false ; it is indifferent to the religion of the Jina and
has no predilection for, nor hatred against it. 3. samyaktva-k. This induces the correct belief. This
samyaktva is, however, not the correct faith in its completeness, but only in a preliminary degree; it is a so-called mithyātva, from which the mith yātva-quality has been abstracted, a mith yatva free from poison (Kg. I. 35a, 113a). The true belief in its perfection is only obtained, when the atoms of the samyaktva-mohanīya-k have disappeared, even as milk which is covered by quite clear water only becomes perfectly pure after the water has been poured off.