Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 52

Three Dimensional figure of Ghangati karma proposed by the Author
[14]
The karmas are grouped in two classifications namely ghatia i.e. obscuring or which to some extent affect the nature of the soul and aghatia or non-obscuring which do not affect the nature of the soul. This classification shows that ghati karmas are strongly bonded with the soul and cannot be annihilated easily. It is because, to my mind, ghati karmas are of ghan (cube) shape. Cube is three-dimensional. The atoms bonded in three dimensions form a strong network. Therefore, the geometrical configurations of Ghanghati karma are tough and are not easily breakable. This can be illustrated by a very popular example i.e. we know that the graphite and the diamond both belong to the Carbon family but diamond is very hard in comparison to graphite because in diamond bonding is three-dimensional.
We can infer that ghati karmas are three dimensional, whereas aghati karmas are either one dimensional or two dimensional. Another inference may be that ghati karmas are attached to or very near to the soul and aghati karmas are on the circumference of the field of the soul. Therefore aghati karmas can be detached easily rather than ghati karmas.
This explanation solves the difference of opinion which exists in between Swetamber Jains and Digamber Jains. Swetamber Jains believe that Karmas are bonded with the soul, while Digamber Jains believe that Karmas are not bonded with the soul but simply remain in the form of cloud.