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is an act and it too, therefore, must have a fruit. Karma is this fruit, because pleasure or pain, the effect of this karma is experienced later on. There is no conflict in the two statements in the former of which acts of charity, etc. were referred to as the cause of karma and the latter one in which tranquillity of mind is regarded as such. Tranquillity of mind is the cause of karma, but acts of charity, etc. are the cause even of tranquillity of mind. Being the cause of the cause, acts of charity, etc., are regarded figuratively as the cause of karma (1615–1616).
Still someone may urge that it is not necessary to go into all these confounding details. Our common sense tells us that we attain tranquillity of mind by acts of charity and then feel more inclined to perform acts of charity which yield greater tranquillity and so on. It is not at all necessary to imagine an intangible fruit. But this is incorrect reasoning. Acts of charity, etc. are the cause of tranquillity of mind, as lump of clay is of a jar. What is the cause of a thing can never be the effect of that very thing. How is it possible to think of acts of charity, etc. as effects of tranquillity of mind ? (1617).
Even now the opponent may not be convinced as it is still possible to point out a tangible fruit. Acts of charity etc. may be said to be performed for fame which is its result or fruit. Why should we posit an unseen fruit? If people slaughter a beast, it is for the meat (flesh) and not for the sin which
is supposed to accrue from it. People are mostly motivated by - the tangible fruit in view and not even an infinitesimal part of the activity of the world is seen to have an unseen or intangible fruit in view (1618–1619).
The answer to this is that activities with a tangible fruit do have an unseen fruit also. Slaughter, agriculture etc. may lead to some visible gain, but sin too accrues to the performer. Otherwise if, as has been stated, people mostly act with a tangible fruit in view and if these actions of theirs have no
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