Jain Journal 1981 01

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

Page 35

JANUARY, 1981
109
whatever performance is made by man becomes momentary because of its being action-like. Hence there takes place the birth of an entity called apūrva out of that performance, which gives the fruit of actions like sacrifice, etc. Kumarila, while explaining this entity--apūrva, said that the meaning of apūrva is capacity. Both the actions, such as, sacrifice, etc., and Puruşa are incapable of producting the heaven-like fruit until the performance of actions like sacrifice, etc., is not made. But after the performance there is born such a capacity by which the doer attains the heaven-like fruit. In this regard one should not be eager to know whether this capacity is of the Puruşa or of the sacrifice ; it is sufficient to know that it is born.39 That which is called by other philosophers as samskāra (force), capacity, capability and power is expressed by the Mimansakas with the application of the word 'apūrva'. But they are emphatic that the emergence of samskāra (force) or fakti (capacity or power) which takes place from karma as laid down in the Vedas should be called apūrva. Any other samskära born of other karma, is not apūrva. 40
The Mimansakas maintain41 also that the substratum (or abode) of apūrva (or power) is Soul and apūrva also is non-corporeal like Soul.42 This apūrva of the Mimansakas can be compared with bhāvakarma of the Jainas from this point of view that both of them are non-corporeal.43 Bhāvakarma, even being born of dravyakarma, is the character of Soul. Just as the Mimansakas have accepted action as non-different from Soul, so the Jainas also have accepted dravyakarma somehow non-different. Just as the Mimansakas regard apūrva as being born of karma so the Jainas also admit bhāvakarma as being born of dravyakarma. Just as the Mimansakas accept apūrva as capable of producing fruit, so the Jainas accept bhāvakarma as the producer of particular fruit.44
But, in fact, apūrva is in the place of dravyakarma of the Jainas. The Mimansakas accept the following order : Karma (actions like sacrifices, etc.) is produced from kāmanā (desire) and apūrva is born of pravịtti (action) such as, sacrifices, etc. Hence kāmanā or tīşņā (thirst) can be
39 karmabhyah pragayogasya karmanah purusasya val
yogyata sastragamya ya para sa apurvamisyatell, Tantravartika, 2.1.5 40 yadi hi anahitasamskara eva yaga nasyeyuh, Tantravartika, p. 396. 41 Ibid, p. 308 ; kriyatmanoratyantabhedabhavat, Sastradipika, p. 80
yadi syasamavetaiva saktirisyeta karmanam tadvinaso tato na syat karttrstha
tu na nasyati), Ibid. 42 Tantravartika, p. 398. 43 See Nyayavataravartika, Tippan, p. 781. 44 kriyatmanoratyantabhedabhavat, Sastradipika, p. 80.