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Mahavira now explains to Agnibhuti that the latter has not grasped the meaning of the words of the Veda and that karma is not beyond the reach of knowledge. It is known to Mahavira by direct perception and even Agnibhuti could infer its existence from its fruit, viz. the experience of pleasure and pain. It should not be argued of course that if Mahavira can perceive it directly, all must be in a position to do so if it is at all a real entity; there are many things in the world-lion, etc.--which have been perceived by only a few and yet no one has the slightest doubt regarding their existence. Mahavira's word has to be relied upon, for we have the evidence of Mahāvīra knowing immediately Agnibhuti's doubt. As pointed out earlier there cannot be any doubt as regards Mahavira's omniscience. Moreover even though atoms are imperceptible, we admit their perception in their form as effects, because we perceive their effects viz. jar, etc.. Similarly karma itself being supersensuous may not be known directly by our ordinary perception, but we do have the perception of it in the form of its effects-pleasure, pain (1610-1611).
The inference can be stated thus: The cause of pleasure and pain exists; because they are effects, as seed is the cause of a sprout. Karma is this cause. It may be argued that the cause of pleasure can be a visible one-garland, sandal-wood, etc.--and of pain snake's poison, thorn, etc.; as long as a visible cause can be traced it is not proper to imagine an invisible one. This reasoning involves a fallacy. Even when the same means or causes are present for pleasure or for pain, we find that there are different degrees of them; and what is still more significant what yields pleasure to one may be painful to another. To take an illustration, a garland makes a man honoured by it happy, but it causes inconvenience or even pain to a dog which would like to get rid of it. This difference in the case of pleasure and pain even when the means are the same can be explained only by inferring an unseen cause; karma is this unseen cause (1612-1613).
Other arguments too may be adduced. The body of a child just born must be preceded by another body, because it is
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