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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
auspicious mental states do cause bondage according to their natures.
Yet we should remember that auspicious inflow of karmic matter caused by the auspicious activities-good activities beneficial to one's own self as also to others—is spiritually beneficial to the soul. The auspicious karmic matter bound on account of good activities performed with good mental states presents one with the means of spiritual welfare. Therefore, the auspicious karmic matter bound on account of auspicious activities should be regarded as praiseworthy. The auspicious karmas bring us auspicious circumstances and good and very good means of religious and spiritual culture, viz. human birth, birth in a favourable country, good family, religious and cultured parents, healthy body, good teacher, good company, etc. How important these auspicious karmas are! The auspicious karma of the highest type, viz., tīrthankaranāmakarma is highly praiseworthy because it is the cause of the attainment of tirthankarahood. In all the high and low states of living except the attachment-free state, the process of karmic bondage incessantly goes on. One should bear in mind one important point that one should assiduously avoid the bondage of evil or inauspicious karmas, whereas one should not be afraid of the bondage of good, wholesome or auspicious karmas.' Jaina and Non-Jaina Conceptions of Soul The subject-matter of the spiritual science pertains to soul. So, it mainly discusses the nature of soul. Our study of the various views regarding the nature of soul removes doubts from our mind and generates its true 1. Study the following verse by Upadhyāya Yasovijayaji.
naiva, yat punyabandho'pi dharmahetuḥ śubhodayah / vahner dāhyam vināsya eva naśvaratvāt svato mataḥ // verse 17, First Dvātrimsikā Explanation: The verse declares that the bondage of auspicious karmas has auspicious fruition and is the cause of religious practice. It is not opposed to liberation and dissociation of karmic matter. Auspicious karmas destroy themselves after having destroyed the inauspicious karmas just as fire itself gets extinguished after having burnt the fuel. While commenting on the 22nd verse of the same Dvātrimśika, Upadhyāyaji says that auspicious karmas are not an obstruction in our pilgrimage to liberation. On the contrary, they make our pilgrimage easy. The soul having auspicious or good mental states is not attached to the objects of pleasures which it has attained on the rise of auspicious karmas. So, it remains selfcontrolled, calm, unagitated; it steadily moves on the path of religion; of course, its practice of yoga or spiritual discipline is not rigorous. As it is vigilant, ardently desires liberation and has pure intellect, it adopts the great path of liberation when opportunity or occasion arises and gradually advances on it.
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