Book Title: Jain Philosophy
Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Agamoday Samiti

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Page 272
________________ 243 man throughout his whole life rested his whole hopes on contiqually offering oblations of soine kind to the gods; and the burning of his body at death was hela to be the last offering of himself in fire (antyeshti)” In later literature, Karma, in addition to the above mea uing, also meant duty and good and bad actions. In the Jain literature we have a fuller meaning. It is any energy which an embodied being generates -be it vital, mental, or moral and which keeps him in the mundane world--the Sansara, Karma, in short, is the whole Sansaric make-up of an embodied being. It is entirely divested of the sacrifice idea. Karmas which keep the individual in a backward condition are known as Papa; those which help him in advancement are Punya. The Jain philcsophy gives a detailed enumeration of Karmas, and explains, how they are attracted (Ashrava) how they are assimilated with the individual (Bandha), how their inflow can be stopped (Samvara) how they can be entirely worked out (Nirjara), and what the ultimate state of a perfected individual is (Moksha). This particular branch of philosophy, therefore, includes topics like sensations, perceptions, consciousness, pains and pleasures, moralities of life, moral depravities, building of the bodies and all factors of the individuality. No other philosophical system in India has gone into so many details of life-building as Jainism has donė. Like other systems, Jainism teaches the doctrine of rebirth, the nature of which Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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