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JAINA PHILOSOPHY : AN INTRODUCTION
Moreover, the karma is pratyaksa to the doubter, too, since he realises its kärva, as is the case with material atoms, which though not directly realisable, are pratyakşa, since their kāryas (effects) like a pitcher etc. are directly perceived.
This point of cause and effect is further explained. Just as a sprout which is a kārya, has a seed for it, so happiness and misery, which are well known to every individual, have a cause, because they are käryas. And this cause is nothing but karma and so it exists. A question may be raised : A garland, sandal-paste, a woman and the like are the causes of happiness, whereas a serpent, poison, a thorn etc. are those of misery. All these causes of happiness and misery are seen - are the objects of the sense of sight. So, why should we believe karma to be their cause - the karma which is not seen ? To admit a thing not seen in the place of one that is seen is not justifiable.
This question is out of place owing to vyabhicāra (irrelevancy). It is a matter of common experience that persons having the same means for enjoying happiness do not get the same type of happiness. It is the same case with those who have the same or similar means to suffer misery. This difference in each case cannot be without a cause which is not seen. This very unseen cause is karma.
Furthermore, just as the body in youth is preceded by a body in childhood, so is the body in childhood preceded by another body. The body which is prior to that in childhood is karma.
The opponent asks : If on the ground that we can see the body etc., which are the effects, the karma is proved to be their cause, then, on the ground that the effect has a physical form, the karma also will have to be admitted as something having a physical form. The Jaina thinkers reply : Karma has indeed a physical form.
1. Višesā vasyaka-bhāsya, 1614.
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