________________
Jaina Karmology
4.
The feeling-producing karma refers to the feelings of pleasure and pain. The acquisition of different types of materials etc. is only the instrumental cause for these feelings. They are not the fruits of karma but the feeling producing karma may be the result of these acquisitions. Thus, the karma is the essential cause and the objects are the helping causes for the feeling of pleasure and pain.
99
5. The feelings of pleasure or displeasure is a mental disposition due to the realisation of feeling producing karma. The psychologists opine that sensation and feelings are produced due to mechanical, electrical, thermal, chemical and environmental stimulii by the help of extro-receptors (superficial) and intro-receptors (inside the body). There may be specific sensations or organic sensations. There are muscular sensations also which are caused through propiri receptors. Sensations cause feelings and emotions which are strong feelings.
It is suggested that specific sensations and sense-feelings are due to feeling-producing karma while emotions are due to deluding karma. The feelings of pain or pleasure are positively real and every living being experiences them in or on his body or mind. A large number of feelings are tactile in nature while others may be mental by
nature.
The feelings or sensations are defined as affective experience preceded by sensation and could be followed by emotions. They represent the internal condition of the subject and are subjective only. The mixed feelings of pain and pleasure are nothing but their fast successions since no two conscious activities can occur at the same time. The feelings may be vague, localised or non-localised.
There are three types of feelings - (1) pleasant and unpleasant (2) excitemental and calm and (3) tension and relief. We are concerned here with the first type.
Physiologically, various types of stimulii causing the feelings produce some dis-order in bodily activities which is transmitted through the central nervous system (reticular system of brain) through the receptors in the form of free nerve-fibre-endings in the body system. The brain, then, communicates the experience. This reticular system produces morphine-like enkephaline compounds to kill the pain or withdraw from it through fainting. It has come to be known that though the number of pain points on the skin or under it may be as large as 3040 lacs with uneven distribution, there is no one single pain center in For Private & Personal Use Only
Jain Education International
www.jainelibrary.org
