Jain Journal 1982 07

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

Page 36

JULY, 1982
and that such an evil deed does not manifest itself or ripen ; it calls such action (done in ignorance) as one of the three evil fetters (āyānā). Again in the Sutrakṛtānga 2.4.1 it is said that "though a fool does not consider (that even if he is not conscious of) the operations of his mind, speech and body ..still he commits sins". This is asserted in the face of the contrary view said to have been held by an opponent of Mahavira viz. that "there can be no sin, if (the perpetrator of an action) does not possess sinful thoughts, speech and functions of the body...if he does not consider the operations of mind, speech and body..." (Ibid., 2.4.2). Mahavira repeats to his opponent ..there is sin, though (the perpetrator of the action) does not possess sinful thoughts"...(Ibid., 2.4.3).
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The Sutrakṛtānga11 2.6.26-27 sets out with disapproval the Buddhist view that a person cannot be guilty of murder if he has committed it as a result of mistake of fact. The Sutra says: "If (a savage) thrusts a spit through the side of a granary, mistaking it for a man ; or through a gourd, mistaking it for a baby, and roasts it, he will be guilty of murder" according to the view of the Buddhists. Again according to the Buddhists "If a savage puts a man on a spit and roasts him mistaking him for a fragment of the granary, or a baby mistaking him for a gourd, he will not be guilty of murder....". Ardraka, the Jaina sage comments "wellcontrolled men cannot accept (your denial of) guilt incurred by (unintentionally) doing harm to living beings".
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The absence of evil intent, however, does not absolve a person of guilt; only its presence is an aggravating factor. Intent is a function of rāga (attachment) and dveşa (hatred) and is quality of mental action (mānasika karma) as distinct from actions of body (kaya) and speech (vāk). Intent increases the yoga or vibrations of the soul and therefore the latter attracts and absorbes more karma. Thus intent is only one factor and not the only factor in performance of karmas.
This is in conformity with the Jaina cosmological concepts. The one sensed (ekendriya), two sensed (dvindriya) and three sensed (trindriya) beings or jivas have only the sense of touch, touch and smell, touch, smell and taste. They are, therefore, bhogis, experiencers only. The four sensed (caturendriya) and five sensed (pañcendriya) beings are both bhogis and kamis (actuated by desire) as they possess, in addition to the three senses, either the faculty of hearing or and of seeing. 12 Again some of the five sensed jivas or beings are endowed with mind sama
11 Jacobi, Jaina Sutras.
12 Bhagavati Sutra, 3.7.7.