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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
we see that a good man suffers from poverty and miseries throughout his life, while a rascal wallows in luxuries throughout his life. We cannot account for this anomaly by the seen causes. So we are left with no other alternative but to posit on the one hand a previous life before the present birth, where lie the causes (good or bad acts) of the fruits he experienced in the present birth, as also to posit on the other hand a life beyond the death of the present body, where he will enjoy the fruits of the acts performed in the present birth. And we can easily understand that that which was in the previous birth, is in the present one and will be in the next one, can be neither the body nor the sense-organs, but is something else. This something else is a sentient substance, the soul. And we should also bear in mind that all acts do not bear their fruits in the birth in which they are performed. Acts are momentary. So, how can they give their fruits afterwards when they themselves are non-existent? Acts give their fruits through their impressions which serve as a link between acts and fruits. Though acts are momentary, they leave behind their impressions on the soul. These impressions remain associated with the soul till the soul enjoys their fruits at the destined time. These impressions are ma
terial and called 'karma'.
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In this world some are happy while others are miserable, some are intelligent while others are dull, some are rich while others are poor, and some are masters while others are servants. We observe infinite inequalities and differences of this type. These differences are not possible without their causes. Again, an intelligent person does not acquire the desired object in spite of his repeated attempts and strivings, while a dullard gets the desired object even without the least attempt. Innumerable such events happen before our eyes. Twin brothers born of the same mother differ in their growth and development and their life-styles differ widely. What is the cause of these anomalies and differences? They cannot be ungoverned and causeless. There must be some cause that governs all these seemingly causeless differences. This cause is karma (material impressions of the past acts). In this way, the wise philosophers have proved the existence of karma. And the existence of karma automatically' proves the existence of soul. It is because karma (in the form of fine material particles), which causes happiness or misery to soul is associated with the soul from the beginningless time. And, because of its association with karma, the soul transmigrates from birth to birth in the world. Once we are convinced of the existence of soul and karma nothing is required to
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