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The Doctrine of Karma in Jaina Philosophy
111 Karma, and therefore cannot bring about the results accruing to Karma. It only means that unwilled actions do not modify character.6 Karma theory has been expressed in a variety of ways ‘from the most extreme realism which regards Karma as a complexity of material particles infecting the soul to the most extreme idealism' where it is a species of newly produced invisible force, in its highest unreal The Jainas give a realistic view of Karma. It has existed from the pre-Buddhistic time. The idea of the pollution of the soul due to Karma has been largely allegorical in other religious philosophies in India, while the Jainas have adopted it in the real sense of the word' and have worked out into an original system.?? The Jaina conception of Karma must have been completely developed after a thousand years of Mahavira's nirvāņa. The Sthânănga, Uttarādhyayanasūtra and the Bhagavatīsūtra contain general outline of the doctrine, and the details have been worked out in the Karmagrantha, Pañcasamgraha and the Karmapraksti. In working out the details, there have been two schools of thought : i) Āgamikas and ii) Karmagranthikas.
Jainism is, in a sense, dualistic. The universe is constituted of the two fundamental categories : jiva (living) and ajiva (non-living). Soul (java) has been described from the noumenal and the phenomenal points of view. From the pure and ultimate point of view, jiva is pure and perfect. It is characterised by upayoga the hormic energy. It is simple and without parts. It is immaterial and formless, 18 It is characterised by cetana. It is pure consciousness. From the phenomenal point of view Jiva is described as possessing four prāņas. It is the lord (prabhu), limited to his body (dehamatra), still incorporeal and it is ordinarily found with Karma.18 The Jiva comes in contact with the external world, Ajiva. The Jiva is active,
16. The Aryan Path: April 1961: The Buddhist Doctrine of Karma by
Bhadanta Bhikshu Sangharakshita : p. 152. 17. Glasenapp. Von. H : The Doctrine of Karma in Jaina Philosophy
p. 13. 18. Dravyasamgraha, 2 19. Tattvārtha-sūtra, 6. 1.
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