________________
Karma element
165
tbefi and another is held for the offence. All this should lead us to consider one thing. Will the Karma, good or bad, go fruitless in case of persons who do not reap their reward in this birth ? 'When we take all these matters into duo consideration, we have to accept that life-force is an independent element and it must necessarily reap the fruit of all good and bad Karma that it per. forms knowingly or unknowingly. It must therefore rotate in the cycle of rebirth. Even Lord Buddha believes in rebirth. Nitsche, a staunch atheist from Germany, accepts rebirth that brought about the cycle of Karma. Acceptance of rebirth in this manner, is a strong proof to believe in the independent existence of Ārmā.
Peculiar thjoking of Jain Philosophy about Karma
Three are the states attributed to all Karmas in Jain philosophy. They are of the nature of binding, existence and rising and known as Bandha, Satta and Udaya. These very states are described even in the non-Jain philosopbies. The three Karmas, in due order, are also known as Kriyanāna, Sancita and Prārabdha. But this Karma, wbich has the tendency to envelop knowledge, is classified into eight basic types and 148 sub-types. No other philosophy has been able to explain the different states of worldly Atmā, proved through experience as the Jain philosophy has done, In the philosophy of Patanjali, "Jati', 'Āyu' and 'Bhoga' are the three fruitions of Karma, but the thinking on Karma here sounds simply prelimioary before the thinking found with the Jain philosophy.
What is the type of bondage of Karma with Ātmā ? What are its causes ? What causes lead to the prowess of its type in Karma ? What is the maximum and the minimum time-span for which Karma remains attached to Ātmā? Is change possible in the fixed period of time of the result-Vipaka? When is one Karma converted to another? How is the active or low prowess during the period of bondage changed ? Is it possible and if so, how to experience Karma that yields the fruit in form of Vipāka? How. soever powerful Karma might be, how can that Vipāka be obstructed by the pure resultants of Ātmā ? How does it happen that sometimes th: Ātma, is forced to taste its Vipaka in spite of all efforts ?
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
