Jain Journal 1995 07

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

Page 16

LALITHA : SELF, SIN AND KARMA IN THE SŪTRAKRTĀNGA one's karman and spring forth in it due to one's karman, grow in the particles of water that are the origin of different things and spring forth as Udaga, Avaga, a grassy plant growing in marshy land, (Blyxa octandrapanaga), Sevla, the aquatic plant Vallisneria, Kalambuya (Nanclea kadamba) Kasēruya (Scripus kysoor) Kakkhabhāniya, Uppala, Kumuya, Nalina, Subhagasõniya, Pondariya, Mahāpondariya, Sayavatta, Sahassavatta, Kalhāra, Kākanada, Tamarasa which are all variety of lotus as stalks and fibres of lotus as pukkhala (Pushkara and Pukkhalatthibaga.). These living beings consume the sap of the earth-particles which are the origin of different things. These beings annihilate earth-bodies, water-bodies, fire-bodies, wind-bodies, bodies of plants and thereby deprive of life the bodies of manifold movable and immovable beings. These beings absorb, digest and assimilate the destroyed bodies which are consumed before. The bodies of the roots, bulb, stem are of many colours, tastes, smells, touches, forms and are arranged of corporeal particles. It is due to one's karman these beings come into existence. 18
One is called as a movable being when it gets the character or name through the taking effect of the karman relating to the movable being. When the duration of the movable being expires the soul embodied in the movable being leaves its life as such and becomes embodied in an immovable being. One is called as an immovable being when it gets the character through the taking effect of the karman relating to immovable being. When the duration of life of an immovable being expires the soul embodied in the immovable being leaves its life as such and takes again a new form of existence and they are then termed as animated beings (animals) of large bodies and who consists of long span. 19
Résume
Thus the above study of the Jain conception of soul in the Sūtrakstānga reveals that each body possesses a different soul and hence, there are numerous souls. The soul is deprived of all colour, taste, smell and touch. Though it is metaphysically formless, it takes the shape of that wherein it happens to dwell by virtue of its own karma.The souls lie scattered in every nook and corner of the universe. It is due to the consequences of the good and bad actions, it takes repeated births and deaths according to the merits of its own karma and therefore crosses through the different grades of samsāra, heaven, hell or Purgatory or finally releases itself from the fetters of
18. JS Part II, p. 392. 19. Ibid., p. 424.