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Karma Philosophy
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bility of time-reduction—or kāla-mrtyu-that is, timely death. The idea is that the beings possessed of the life-quantum open to time-reduction do happen to encounter some means or other like a weapon, etc., that hastens death--with the result that they meet an untimely death. On the other hand, the beings possessed of the life-quantum not open to time-reduction never meet untimely death however powerful might be the means of hastening death that they might possibly encounter.
Soul is an eternal, indestructible substance. In its pure state, it is beyond birth and death. But in its impure mundane state, it manifests itself in any of the life-species (yoni) by assuming a physical body; this manifestation of soul through a physical body is called 'birth'. Thus its every new association with a new body is its new birth. And its separation from a physical body is called 'death'.
As already stated, the fixed due duration of life can be reduced by untimely death. But the fixed due duration of life can never be increased even by one moment in any way by any attempt. Under the chief influence of the deluding karma life-quantum of the immediately next birth is bound in the present birth. Therefore, the series of successive births and consequently the wandering in the transmigratory existence continue so long as the soul is under the influence of the deluding karma.
(12) In the Jaina philosophy 'karma' is not a mere trace or an impression of activity, but it is also a real thing, a real substance. As we have already said more than once, through the activity (of mind, speech and body) which is technically called yoga' the material karmic particles are attracted to soul, touch it and through the force of passions (attachment and aversion, i.e., kaṣāyas) stick to it. The passions (attachment and aversion) have been soiling the soul from the time immemorial, and the soul has been assuming different physical bodies from the beginningless time, so it has been caught in the cycle of influx and bondage from the beginningless time. This cycle is called samsāra-a transmigratory cycle. Thus on account of its association with material karmic particles, the soul wanders (takes births) in the various life-species (yonis). When it is ab
1. The whole universe is packed with different groups of material particles. Of them,
one group is of the type of karma'. When the material particles of this group are bound to soul, they are called 'karma'.
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