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Jain Philosophy of Soul
119 Release means release from the bondage of Karma. Release is liberation or Mokşa. "Moksa is the emancipation of the soul from the snares of Karma (Karmapāśa)"63 According to Jainism the Jiva is constitutionally free and potentialy divine. In its pure form it is fully pure, completely perfect and all powerful. The soul in its pure form in fact, is not the real enjoyer of the pleasures and pains. But then the Jiva is an embodied soul. The soul that is polluted and is having veil of Karma on it due to subreption, passions etc. and thus the Jiva appears as “Bhoktā and Kartā."64 We also saw that the Karma is beginningless. A thing can have its beginning somewhere in past (Sādi) or it may be since beginningless (Anadi). In the same way a thing can have its end in future (Santa) or it may be infinite (Ananta). Thus from the beginning and end point of view, there could be four possibilities a thing could be
(i) Anādi + Ananta (from beginningless to infinite (ii) Anādi + Sānta (since beginningless with an end.) (iii) Sādi + Ananta (fixed beginning but no end.) and (iv) Sādi + Sänta (fixed beginning and fixed end.)
According to Jainism, Karma, from the above four possibilities falls under the second one. This means that Karma, which is the cause of the bondage is since beginningless but is not permanently for ever or for infinite period. It has its end. Thus the bondage is not for ever, liberatiion is possible. Like all the other systems of Indian philosophy, except Cārvāka, Jainism accepts the concept of liberation or Mokşa and it has the means of liberation for its followers. 5.3.1 Removal of the Bondage
Karma, according to the Jains is of material nature (Pudgalika). It has a peculiar property of developing the effect of merit and demerit. Being a matter, Karma has three stages, namely the bondage (Bandha), the realisation (Udaya) and exisence in potentia (Sattā) from assimilation to the realization. This means even if nothing is done, the Karmas are going to be realized as they have their definite end. According to Jain doctrine of Karma, the duration of the Karma is fixed right at the time of its bondage, The duration may be a larger one which is considered stronger and bad. But then “with an increased purity the duration of the bound Karma and the intensity of the bad Prakytis decrease and the
63. Nahar and Ghosh, : An Epitome of Jainism, p. 617 64. Nahar and Ghosh, : An Epitome of Jainism, p. 548
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