First Steps to Jainism Part 2

Author(s): Sancheti Asso Lal, Manakmal Bhandari
Publisher: Sancheti Trust Jodhpur

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First Steps to Jainisni
of the soul. The causes of such connecting Influx-Samprayiak Asrava is given as under though they are all covered in the broader scope of Raag and Dwesh activities :
(a) Three Yoga-Activities of Thought, Word and Body
(b) Five Avirati--Non-observance of vows of Non-violence, truth, non-theft, sexual restraint and non-covetousness.
(c) Four Kashaya --Anger, Pride, Deceipt & Greed.
(b) Five senses --(& their actions) Sense of touch, taste, smell, sight & hearing.
(e) Twenty-five types of activities--including acts of false faith, negligence, attachment etc.
18. To summarise, a soul which is acting through thought, word or deed under the influence of Raag and Dwesh or Passions (Kashya) will attract Karma (Ashrava) which will stick to it just like dust blown by wind sticks to a wet or oily piece of cloth, and will become bondage (Bundh). This type of Ashrava is of the nature of affecting or Samprayik Karma ashrava. Another soul which is also so acting but without Raag-Dwesh or Passions (Kashaya) may attract Karma but they will not stick to the soul just as a wooden ball striking against a dry wall does not stick to it but falls aprt, and are known as Non-affecting or Iryapathic Karma. To some extent this touches upon the second and main part of our enquiry i. e. “How does Karma matter gets attached and retained by the soul" which we can take up now in detail.
19. Attachment proper or retention of Karma by the soul
To put the record straight it might appear incorrect to say that Karma get attached or retained by the soul as the Karma as we have seen-are non-conscious, non-living matter and, therefore, the passive agent. Actually, it is the living soul that is the conscious and active agent which by its vibrations through the acts of body, speech and mind attracts and retains the Karma and binds itself. However, it has to be remembered, that the soul is not a completely free agent (though at times it is) and is acting under the influence of past Karma with which it has beginningless attachment, and which are in turn guiding its activities as they come to fruition. Further, though the Karma are considered lifeless and non-conscious, due to their attachment with the soul they acquire conscious character and give results. Similarly, though the soul is invisible shape-less entity, due to the close association with Karma it