Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 73

III. SAMYAGDARŠANA AND THE SEVEN TATTVAS
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These activities are calculated to be the natural consequences of the Karmic fruition, though by all means destitute of attachment, aversion and infatuation. Hence they are as well called, in Karmic terminology, Kṣāyika Kriyās. They are stirred up by the total annulment of the Karmas; therefore they do not absorb and accumulate the fresh Karmas to cause and recommence the mundane career. These activities condition Asrava of the iryāpatha type which is nominal, and which does not keep the potency of prolonging Samsāra indefinitely. Besides, it is on account of the Yoga that the transcendental self stays temporarily in the embodied condition. The second type of activity, namely, Jñeyārthapariņamana Kriyā which is impregnated with attachment, aversion and infatuation is deemed to transmute the inherent meanings of the animate and inanimate objects of the world. It deviates us from the original, ontological significance of the things; hence it occasions Sāmparāyika Āsrava, which so intoxicates the inner life of the soul as to cause perpetual rounds of birth and death. The mundane souls enmeshed in the mire of flesh illustrate this type of activity.
In the following pages we, first, propose to deal with the passions in their multitudinous forms of existence and operation. And secondly, we shall deal with the Sāmparāyika Asrava generated by the passioninfected 'Yoga'. In accordance with the two types of Sāmparāyika Yoga (auspicious and inauspicious), which results from the auspicious and inauspicious psychical states, there ensue auspicious and inauspicious Asravas. These psychical states admit of innumerable distinctions and degrees of existence, and so cause differences of Sãmparāyika Asrava resulting in the various types and forms of mundane souls in various births. It may be mentioned in passing that these auspicious and inauspicious psychical states acquire their designation in congruity with the position they occupy on the scale of passions. From one extreme up to the middle of that scale we may demarcate auspicious psychical states in all their multiple forms of existence and operation, and from the other extreme up to the middle of that scale there are inauspicious Psychical states. There is a difference of kind and not of nature, hence they are required to be wiped out in the interest of arriving at the acme of spiritual realization.
1 Prava. I. 45. 2 Prava. I. 45. 3 Sarvārtha. VI-3. Ibid. VI. 6.