Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi Godiji Jain Derasar Mumbai

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The Doctrines of the Jainas
own refuge, karma divides beings into higher or lower.' The Buddhists approached the problem from a purely mental point of view. The Mahaniddesa (1, pp. 117-118) points out that a man need not be afraid of the vast accumulation of karma through a long cycle of births and deaths. For consideration from the point of view of mind, the whole of such accumulation may be completely undone by a momentary action of mind. Mind is in its own place and as such can make and unmake all such accumulations of karma. On the whole Buddhism shifted the emphasis to the action and the state of the mind. Accordingly karma came to be defined as cetana or volition. A person cannot be held morally or legally responsible for his own action, if it is not intentional. Thus the Buddhist teachers tried to define karma on a rational and practical basis. This viewpoint has been criticised in the Jaina Sutrakrtanga.1 It is quite clear that in Buddhism the world exists through karma and people live through karma (karmana vattati loko, kammana vattati paja).
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In the Sutrakrtanga (1.12.11) we find that the painful condition of the self is brought about by one's own action; it is not brought about by any other cause, such as, fate, creator, chance or the like (Sayamkadanca dukkham, nannakadam). According to Silanka the kriyavadins contend that works alone by themselves without knowledge lead to moksa.2 The same idea is found in the Buddhist Nikayas-Sukhadukham sayamkatam in contradistinction to sukhadukkham paramkatam. In Buddhism pleasure and pain are brought about by one's own
1. Jaina Sutras Part II, S.B.E.
2. Ibid., II, S.B.E. p. 317 n.