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Karma element
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The word ' Apūrva' is used in Mimāmsā, the Buddhist philosophy and is also used in the Yoga philosophy. Other pbilosophies use the words 'Dharmadharina', 'AdȚsta' and 'Saṁskāra', more particularly so in the Nyāya and Vaiseșika philosophies. There are other words such as 'Daiva', 'Bhägya', 'Punya-Fapa' etc. which are moro or less similar to all philosophies almost. Ātinavādi philosophies, that believe in rebirth have no option but to accept the theory of karma in order to justify rebirth.
Nature of Karma
The activity undertaken by the Jiva under the inspiration of the causes such as falsehood(Mithyarva) and Kasāya is designated ‘Karma'. This definition of Karma applies both to the Bhavakarma and Dravyakarmı mentioned above. This is because Bhavakarma is the change of state of Ātmā or Jiva. The Jiva and that only is therefore the material doer and Dravyakarma which is a change of the subtle Pudgalas of the kārmaņajāti, has just this same Jiva as the instrument. In the Bhavakarma, drav yakarma is the incidental cause and in Dravyakarma, Bhävakarma is incidental. The two are therefore mutually related as cause anj effect like the seed and the sprout.
Test of Pāpa and Punya
It is the view of the common man that activities such as liberality, worship, service etc., lead to a bondage of good activities, i.e., Punya. Giving pain to others, acting opposite to opes desires etc., lead to a bondage of bad deeds, i.e., Papa. But this is not necessarily the basic test of determining Punya and Pāpa. When a benevolent doctor operates upon someone, no doubt the patient suffers pain. When again, genuine and well-wishing parents try to educate their innocent ward against his wishes, the child seems to experience sorrow. But we cannct, just with this, label the doctor as under taking improper activity or find fault with good parents, Take the opposite example of a man resorting to liberality, worship etc. with the intention say to deceive others. Such a man creates for himself the bond of sin instead of Punya. The real test therefore
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