Jainism the Creed for All Times

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 34

four types of destructive karma (Ghātiyā Karma) that destroy the soul's capacity to attain enlightenment and four types of nondestructive karma (Aghātiyā Karma) that, though, do not hinder enlightenment but keep it tied down to the worldly life.
The four former types (destructive or Ghātiya types) of karma are shed by the Arhantas before they attain enlightenment. They are - 1. Deluding (Mohanīya) karma that distorts the view or
perspective of the soul, 2. Knowledge obscuring (Iñānāvaraṇīya) karma that bars
the soul from gaining right-knowledge, 3. Vision obscuring (Darśanāvaraṇīya) karma that bars the
soul from gaining right view or perspective on things and
thoughts, and 4. Obstructive (Antarāya) karma that bars the soul from
realising its true potential.
On destroying these four Ghātiyā or destructive types of karma the soul becomes enlightened and potent Arhanta but it is still confined to the physical body with which it was born. It is only on shedding the remaining four types (non-destructive or Aghātiya types) that it becomes perfectly pure and ultimately accomplished or Siddha. They are - 5. Feeling producing (Vedanīya) karma that makes one to
feel pleasure and pain, 6. Life-span deterinining (Ayusya) karma that decides the
longevity of a living being when it is born in a particular
life, 7. The physique or personality determining (Nāma) karma
that decides the type of body or personality a living being
will have during a particular birth and 8. The status determining (Gotra) karma that decides his
place in the hierarchy of his fellow beings in a particular birth.
6: JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES