Jain Journal 1969 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 23

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JAIN JOURNAL
on. In this way the soul has been assimilating and discharging karma molecules since the beginningless time span and there has never been a moment when the soul is wholly free from karma. The deliverance of the soul from karma in the natural course of things cannot happen. It is only possible by undergoing a series of processes. These processes are collectively termed caritra (conduct) in Jainism and yoga in other systems of philosophy.
The soul must hinder the absorption of fresh karma (samvara) and effect premature dissociation (udiraņā) of the existing karma, i.e., before it comes to fruition. This requires the methodical subjugation of body, senses and mind.
The soul by nature is absolutely non-hindering (avyabādha). Therefore ahimsā or non-injury is ātma-dharma (Soul's true nature) and the whole Jaina code of moral and spiritual values is inspired by this one great principle of non-injury or non-violence. The other four vows of truthfulness, non-stealing, celebacy and non-possession of property are nothing but the accessories which help the fulfilment of the great vow of non-violence.
One who is conscious of the change of fortune and transmigration is the believer in the soul, believer in the world, believer in the karma and believer in action.
The love of truth at the stage of self-conscious effort is called samyak-darśana (right attitude). Once the soul succeeds in acquiring samyak-darśana, it is bound to attain emancipation sooner or later. The attainment of right attitude is followed by samayak-jñāna or right knowledge and samyak-cāritra or right conduct. This trio constitutes the path-way to finl emancipation.
The Jaina idea of emancipation (mokşa) is the soul's freedom from the karma-matter or karma-body and attaining its true nature. Death severs connection of the organic body alone but the kārmaņa body is discarded only at the time of emancipation of the soul.
Jainism did explain the mechanistic theory of omniscience. There is no miracle in it. It is the very nature of the soul to be possessed of
* Yoga in Jaina philosophy means the activities of mind, speech and body which bring in the influx of karma.