ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 151

B.3.2
Karma Doctrine of Jainism
Dr. Shugan C. Jain
1.0 The Karma Doctrine The word karma has many meanings namely to act, activity, and special types of matter particles which get associated with soul.
The doctrine of Karma is the central dogma of the Indian religions. It means: every action, every word, and every thought produces, besides its visible, an invisible a transcendental effect called as vāsanā (trace) or seeds left behind. Further every action produces certain potential energies which, under given conditions, are changing themselves into actual energies, forces which, either as rewarded or punished, enter sooner or later into appearance. As in the case of a bond which, although the amount borrowed may long ago have been spent, continues to exist and only loses its validity on the repayment of the capital sum, so also the invisible effect of an action remains in existence long after the visible one has disappeared. This effect does not confine itself to the present life, but continues beyond it; it destines qualitatively and quantitatively the state after death. Actions performed during the present existence are the causes of the future existence, and the present life is, in its condition and duration, the result of the actions of the preceding one. The picture at Annex I describes beautifully this doctrine of karma.
Thus the natural difference between individuals, one finds, are explanation that is so plausible that inversely they prove the validity of the Karman theory. The idea of the eternity of the transmigration (saṁsāra), as soon as life was contemplated pessimistically, necessarily led to the endeavor to bring the painful re-birth to an end and eradicate the power of the Karman.
Jains are the most realistic of all that have had their origin in India. Their fundamental idea of karma as a complexity of material particles infecting the sinful souls is indeed unique. The fine matter called pudgala (as known in Jainism) particles, which can become karma, fills the entire cosmos. An empirical soul does some activity, as a result of its energy (vīrya) quality through the faculties of mind, speech and body. All these activities are karma and mind, speech and body are the media through which it acts. This is okay. But with these activities,
1 Doctrine of Karma by H. V. Glasenapp,Parshwanath Vidyapeeth, Varanasi
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0