Essentials of Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Nyayavijay, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Nyayavijay Nagin J Shah

Page 7

existence of physical atoms. So also, means other than sense perception prove the existence of the soul.
Many times we observe that the acts performed by a person do not give their fruits to that person in this entire life and the fruits he enjoyed in his entire life are not the fruits of the acts he performed. We come across others who are in a very miserable condition in this life. We cannot account for this anomaly so we are left with no other option but to attribute it to the person's karmas in this or past births. So also the results of karmas or actions in this birth would take place in this birth and the next. Since at the time of death the body and sense organs no longer exist there has to be something that gets carried forward from one birth to another. This thing is a sentient substance called the Soul. Actions give their fruits through the impressions, which serve as a link between actions & fruits. Though acts are momentary they leave their impressions on the soul. These impressions remain associated with the soul till the soul enjoys their fruits at the destined time. These impressions are material and called Karma.
In this world we come across different type of people, some rich other poor, some intelligent others dull. Sometimes twins differ in their growth, development and lifestyles. Friends if my brother is North Pole I am South Pole. Our attitude to life is just the opposite. How does one explain such differences? There must be some cause that governs all these seemingly causeless differences. This cause is Karma. In this way wise philosophers have proved the existence of the soul. It is because karma (in the form of fine particles), which causes happiness or misery to soul, is associated with the soul from the beginningless time. And because of its association with karma, the soul transmigrates from birth to birth in the world.
If the soul performs auspicious acts, its next birth will be good, if not its next birth will be bad. Either type of act leaves an impression on the soul. This impression is a group of material atoms of a special type called Karma. So karma is a group of material atoms of a special type attracted and bound with the soul on account of its activity. New karmas go on associating themselves with the soul and old karmas go on dissociating themselves from the soul after having given their proper and complete fruits to it. Karmas associated with the soul continue to exist inactive till the next birth or thru many births till they give their fruits good or bad. As soon as the soul experiences the fruit the karma of which is the fruit gets dissociated from the soul. The present and future births of the soul are governed and conditioned by the force of its accumulated karmas.
Thus we have proved the soul to be different from the body and sense organs.
Infinite Souls in the World A question arises in our minds. At any point of time, many souls have attained liberation, many are attaining it and others will attain it in the near future. Will this not result, at any one point of time, in the world becoming empty of souls?
One must find an answer to this question in a manner by which none of these principles, one that the world never gets empty of souls and the other that liberated souls are never