Jainism Eternal and Universal Path for Enlightenment

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

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Jainism : The Eternal and Universal path for Enlightenment
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one has to face the consequences of his actions, sooner or later, will refrain one from wrong-doing, even in trivial measure, and the concept that the unhappy patches in life are a consequences of the past karmas, which can not be avoided or erased" will provide him the necessary strength of facing them without suffering. The lack of causal relationship between karma and its immediate consequences in the current life is explained by eternity of soul, rebirth and fructification of karma at some later, appropriate time.
The stage or Guesthinat which the soul is located depends only on bondage of one's accumulated karmas. Souls take birth at appropriate stage determined by the karmas of the previous births. Upon death, the soul leaves the physical body, leaving all the physical objects of desire here on earth but carries with it the karmas, past and present
It immediately follows that no one, not even "God”, if He existed, can help one from going through the consequences of his karma or actions.
In this world, one can not exist without acting in some way or the other all the time. So that the key to Mok-a is to act without acquiring karma. It does not mean that one should not act but how to act so that there is no bondage? One should act without passion, attachment, expectation, but not without purpose of achieving Mokra. The path or procedure accomplishing this goal is via sa, vara (stopping to acquire new karmas), and nirjar? (shedding old karmas).
Karmas have consequences, at physical, mental, and consciousness level and binds the soul to its actions. Karmas are cumulative. Surprisingly, they do not fructify instantaneously but there is a period of dormancy before they arise. This explains the apparently different fate for different persons which seems unrelated to their deeds and efforts in the present life.
There are infinite types of Karmas but they can be classified in a few groups, mainly eight. Of these four are destructive (Gh'ti karmas) and the other four are nondestructive (Aghiti), as mentioned below, but the soul carries all of them with it at birth. Gh+ti karmas affect the soul and subdue its purity whereas Agh-ti karmas only affect the physical environment and worldly traits of a living being. These form two repositories, sanchit karma and arjit karma. Sanchit karma are accumulated over previous lives or past and Arjit karma are acquired by actions in the current life. Karma can arise when the time is ripe; in the meanwhile it remains dormant, but does not cease to exist. Why the consequence of karmas is not instantaneous? Why they