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The Doctrine of Karma in Jainism
Y. Krishan
The Jainas postulated a doctrine of karma which is unique in many respects, especially in regard to the genesis. But it is more or less. similar to the classical doctrine of karma in its operation.
Nature of Karma and its Genesis
According to the Jainas, karman is a form of matter, pudgala, and atomic in its nature. It has the property of downward gravi gurutya. The Uttarādhyayana Sūtral 33 17-18 states that "the number of atoms of every karman is infinite" and is to be found in all the six directions of space. It is this atomic matter which binds all souls. In contradistinction to karman, soul has the property of upward movement, ürdhagurutva,
In the same Sütra 33 1-15, the karman are said to be of eight kinds :
(i) Jñānävaranīya, those which act as an obstruction to right knowledge.
(ii) Darśanāvaraņiya, those which act as an obstruction to right faith.
(iii) Mohaniya, those which cause delusion.
(iv) Vedaniya, those which lead to experience of pain or pleasure.
(v) existence
Āyuh karman, those which determine the gati or the form of in hell, as brute creation, as human being or as god.
(vi) Nāma, those which determine the individuality, the specific form of existence, which distinguishes one being form another of the same specie.
1 Hermann Jacobi (tr), Jaina Sutras, S.B.E. XLV pt. II, Delhi, 1964. 2 Jacobi, Encyclopaedia of Religion & Ethics, Edinburgh, 1954, Vol. IV, 484 b.
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