Jain Journal 2007 04

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

Page 14

Subhash Chand Jain: A Logical Perspective of karma Doctrine
A question arises about the nature of the karma phala if it is not in the form of material goods. Karma is related to living beings which in turn are related to its vitalities (prana) and the soul and to the heterogeneity in the lives which in turn is related to the feeling of life and environmental circumstances. The nature of the karma phala should be such that it affects the qualities (gunas) of the soul, the vitalities of living beings, the feeling of life, and environmental circumstances. The soul has four fundamental qualities (darsana, jñāna, ānanda, and virya). All vitalities, except the age, of a living being are related to the body of the living being. Karma, therefore, should be of eight kind; the four (darśanāvaraṇīva, jñānāvaraṇīya, mohaniya, and antaraya) affect the qualities of the soul; the fifth (nami) determines form and features of the body, the sixth (avu) determines the duration of embodiment; the seventh (vedaniya) determines the feeling of life; and the eighth (gotra) determines environmental circumstances conducive or detrimental to leading a spiritual life.
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Seventh Postulate: The present deeds influence the karmic field of the past deeds.
This is one of the most important postulates of the karma doctrine. Without assuming the veracity of this postulate it would be impossible to dissolve the accumulated karma. Consider the follwoing illustration. A human being commits a heinous crime; consequently the duration of association with his/her soul of the karma related to the crime is so long that his/her soul will have to take several rebirths for its fruition. The person after committing the crime repents on his/ her deed and he/she completely changes his/her conduct like a saint. Though he/she has become a saint, it would be impossible for him/ her to dissolve his/her karma related to the crime within this birth or the next few rebirths if the postulate is not considered true. The basis of this postulate is an established fact that one feels change in ones attitude and conduct upon repenting on the past evil deeds. Just as the