Book Title: Jaina Philosophy and Religion
Author(s): Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

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Page 296
________________ 268 Jaina Philosophy and Religion law of karma, only when we are convinced of the misery-causing dreadful nature of our evil actions, just as we are convinced of the misery-causing dreadful nature of poison, cobras, etc. We cannot deny this. This is the truth. To say that the law of karma is right or true and at the same time to intentionally disregard it in practice mean that we have really no faith in the law or that we prefer immediate material gain to the prevention of the future bitter results or consequences. At times, under certain circumstances, we are constrained to disregard the law of karma and forced to do evil actions against our will. On such occasions too, we do bind karmas and as a result of it we have to experience their bitter fruits at the time of their fruition, but the duration of such karmas is short and the bitterness of their fruits is less intense. (2) It is wise to experience the fruits of karmas with equanimity, when the karmas rise to give their fruits. Karmas do not generate new karmas, when their fruits are experienced with equanimity. If man enjoys the pleasant fruits with attachment and experiences the painful ones with evil contemplations, then this way of experiencing the fruits of karmas causes the bondage of new karmas. Therefore, when the karmas rise to give their fruits, man should not be engrossed in or infatuated with the enjoyment of their pleasant fruits, that is, he should experience the pleasant fruits of karmas without attachment and with equanimity, and in his miserable state, he should experience the painful fruits of the risen karmas with courage, keeping the mind calm and unagitated; as a result of this, the risen karmas get dissociated from the soul in such a way that they could not cause the bondage of new karmas in their trail. On account of its karmas, the objects of sense-pleasures are presented to the soul. But it is left to the will of the concerned soul as to whether or not to be overpowered and subdued by them. Only those persons whose minds are not disturbed or agitated even in the presence of the causes of mental disturbances, (that is, in the presence of the objects of sense-pleasures), are really wise and steady.' The delicious food (of six 1. vikarahetau sali vikriyante yeṣām na cetāmsi ta eva dhirāḥ/-Kumarasambhava by Kalidasa, I Canto, the last but one verse, second half. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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