Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 45

rabbit was under it and immediately stopped from crushing it to death. The rabbit remained there for two days and you kept your leg stationary for two days as well. Soon after the rabbit left and as you began to place your foot back down, you lost control and fell to the ground and died. The good deed that you did in your past-life migrated your soul from an elephant to a king and finally to a monk. Megh Kumar realized the power of the righteousness and stayed as a monk thereafter.
(v) Story in Upnishads In the Upanishads there is a story. Svetaketu, a young boy came back from his master to his home. He had passed all the examinations but became very egoistic, when he reached his father's house the first thing the father said, you seem to be too filled with the knowledge, and your knowledge is making you egoistic - the way you walk, the way you have entered the house, I have only one question to ask you. Have you known that by knowing which everything is known? Have you known yourself? The son replied - there was no such course in the school - the father sent him back to the school.
2. Concept of Karma
(i) Introduction The principle of Karma, called karmavad, is the backbone of entire Jain philosophy. Its understanding prompts a human to practice spiritualism. One's Karmas are the blueprint of one's past deeds on which the edifice of the present can be constructed and the future course can be charted.
There is a dire need of confluence between the karma philosophy and the human psychology. A correlation between the two can open the flood-gates of exploration of new capabilities and strengths a human mind can possess. Saints have tried to associate the theory of karma with not only psychology but with yoga and genetics too.
Due to lack of proper explanations and half-truths prevailing about the theory of Karma, a vast majority has presumed it to be an inevitable destiny. They have marginalized the role of decisions and dexterity and have heavily banked on the doctrine of fate. For them, everything is predestined. A few others have termed the worldly happenings to be the game plan of Supreme God leaving little space for human endeavour. Jain literature describes that Karmas are not all that powerful; they can be reined in and altered by the right conduct and efforts. Their effect can be preponed, enhanced, worsened or transformed.
Karmavad is a powerful tool to root out the wide spread immorality. It is neither an escapist theory nor does it call for resignation; it's actual, deep and practical meaning is to employ our efforts to modify our present and future for the better. In all philosophies based on the reincarnation, theory of karma is well established and widely accepted.