Jaina Karmaology

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 78

Jaina Karmology
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be applicable to different groups of people. The scholars and saints of modern age have, therefore, extended this theory to incluce groups also. Thus, there are individual karmas and there are group karmas. Their karmas influence each other like the planets which effect character of individuals learnt through horoscopes. The different karmas of individuals and groups are inter-connected and interrelated with each other in a fine way whose effects are visible in many cases. In fact, any group may be designated as an 'enlarged man' who has his traditional karmic environment. It effects the individual character also. It is said that the group karmas are more powerful than individual karmas. That is why, even the knotless saints influence the karmas of the society even relieving themselves from the karmic bonds of their families. The term 'religion' itself means socialisation and, hence, karma theory should also be taken as part of the social sciences. As the individual karmic propensities could be improved, societal or group karmic propensities could also be bettered for overall welfare of individuals and groups.
14. The Karma Theory differentiates between the current life and the living being. The current life represents the present while the living unit may cover past and future also. As the current life is related with the living being, the Karma Theory is also related with it- thus, covering tri-timal aspects and effects on the living beings.
15. The Karma Theory deals with actions and transactions of living beings, their causes, effects and betterment processes. These issues are related with mind. Psychologists of today are studying these issues. There seems to be a large amount of similarities between their theories and Karma theory. Whatever the psychologist are studying, it all forms part of psychology. Hence, besides religious aspects, Karma theory could be taken as psychological theory also as it studies behaviour and modifications in them to have the desired effect.
It is said that psychology deals with physical points related with mind in its own terminology in contrast with the religious Karma Theory which deals with spiritual growth as well alongwith physical points or psychology. However, it is agreed that Karma Theory has an enhanced bias towards spiritualism. Nevertheless, as the worldly being is physical-cum-spiritual, these two aspects are intimately inter-related. Psychologically, the Karma Theory has bestowed power of tolerance under strains, has ingrained optimism in common man's mental make up and future life and has reduced the number and variety of sufferings of human kind. The karmas have a capacity to give them