Book Title: Jain Theism
Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

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Page 139
________________ 120 Jain Theism Rasa of the good Prakrits grows." Thus Karma and Karmabandha' (bondage) is not in principle endless, and "the real Moksa is the Mokşa from Karma. "66 In short there is no release or liberation possible till the bondage is not broken off. The soul is capable to do so, but then what is immediately required is the stoppage of the inflow of Karmic matter. The entire process of attaining liberation is two-fold : stoppage of the new Karmic matter and elimination or annihilation of bound Karma. The first one, i.e. stoppage is known as “Samvara."67 Saṁvara is derived from ‘Samvriyate', i.e. meaning that which checks the causes of Karma. This is the opposite principle of Asrava."68 The second one is the annihilation of Karma. This is known as "Nirjarā.” When the Karmic flow is checked and stopped what remains to be done is "the purging out of all Karmic matter stored up from before, through austerities. "69 Though it is more difficult to dissipate the already accumulated Karma than to stop the fresh Karma, yet what is most important is the checking and stopping the inflow of the fresh Karma. Liberation is not possible if the accumulated Karmas are destroyed but the fresh Karma is allowed to flow in. Let us examine both Samvara and Nirjară in detail. (1) Samvara : Checking of the Inflow of Karma Samvara means the checking or stoppage of the inflow of the fresh Karmic matter. It is the very first step towards the removal of misery and pain. It is quite rational to say that the controlling of the inflow of fresh Karmic matter can best be done by not allowing those causes to work which are responsible for the inflow. "The supression of the inflow of new Karman is called "impeding' (samvar)."70 It is attained by six means. They are (a) Gupti or control, i.e. three-fold discipline of the activity of body, speech and mind. (b) Samiti or vigilance in walking, speaking, collecting alms, in the lifting up and laying down a thing, and in the discharging of the body. (c) Dharma : the ten duties of a monk namely : forbearance, humility. purity, self-abnegation, truthfulness, self-control, asceticism, abstinence, voluntary poverty and spiritual obedience. 65. Karmagrantha, II 436 66. si tafiti fannyrita: 67. 3 aa : a: Tattvārthasatra IX. 1 68. Fra ufugat: Fal: Sthāpānga Satra Adhyayana I 69. 777 faster ai T.S. IX. 3 70. Dr. Glassenapp : The Doctrine of Karma in Jain Philosophy (1942), p. 65 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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