________________
224
JAINA GAZETTE. (June & July 1. Nitya-Sidha. Eternally perfect. 2. Muktatman-Liberated soul. 3. Bandhatman-Bound soul or the souls living in the
material body. The inanimate objects are also placed under a term Pudgola--matter, and all are collectively known as Dravya, (Jiva and Ajiva). Ajiva consists of five kinds, namely :-Padgala (matter), kala (time), Akasa (space), Dharma and Adharma.
Dravya can never be destroyed as it is the cause of all phenomena in the universe. This Dravya has infinite attributes and conditions and it is only these conditions that can be created or destroyed.
Question 5.—Where are the karmas stored that a man by his good, or bad thoughts has generated, and that will bring him reward, or punishment, in the future.
Answer 5.—The Jain scriptures teach that karma is a reality and is a kind of invisible matter which acts as a force by changing the individuality of the living being. Karma is a part of the nature of every embodied or mundane living being, consequently karma as an influencing force has always been in existence. Soul and karma have always been in combination, the karma being composed of subtle forces which have been generated by soul being compounded with matter.
These karmic forces are the sole cause of the misery, or happiness, of each soul ; thus the states which all beings are now in, have been brought about by past experiences in former lives. Speaking of man, (as soul and matter in combination cause good and bad actions to manifest through human beings), the Jains teach that the business of life is to obtain freedom by separating the soul from the various passions, desire, love, hate, lust, anger, pride, covetousness, deceitfulness, etc. Our punishments, which we get in the form of unhappiness, sorrow, pain and general dissatisfaction, are all self-made, and are the working out of the forces of karma which we have previously generated.
Oar rewards consist of the good karmas which we generate by striving unceasingly to develop our spiritual nature. When Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
