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themselves that is after experiencing the consequences of karmas, (b) avipāka, before maturing in natural course with efflux of time. These are karmas which are exhaused or annihilated before their due time, that is prematurely by purificatory practices. As the Tattvärtha, 10.2 emphasises, release from karmas is obtained through the absence of bandha (bandhahetu abhäva) and nirjarā.
Karma as a Causative Force
The Jaina Angas, sacred texts, treat karma as the motive force of the cycle of existence.
The Uttaradhyayana Sutra 3.3-4 observes as under :
egaya devaloesu naryesu vi egaya
egayā asuram kāyam ahākammehim gacchai
The jiva or soul sometimes is born in devaloka (the world of gods), sometimes in hell. Sometimes it acquires the body of an asura, all this happens due to karmas.
Again, egaya.....
too kiḍapayango ya tata kunthu piviliyā
(This jiva sometimes takes birth) as a worm, as an insect, as an ant.
Again the Uttaradhyayana, 32.7 states "kammam ca jāimaraṇassa mülam: Karma is the root of birth and death. In Uttaradhyayana, 33.1 it is said jehi baddho ayam jivo samsare parivattae.
The souls bound by karman go round and round in the cycle of existence (see also Uttaradhyayana, 10.15)
The Sutrakṛtānga, 1.2.3.18 observes :
sarve sayakamma kappiyā avivattena duheņa pānine hindati bhavāulā saddhā jai-jārā maraṇehi abhiddută
All living beings owe their present form of existence to their Own karman; timid, wicked, suffering latent misery, they err about (in the circle of births) subject to birth, old age and death.
7 Ghasilal (ed & tr), Sutrakrtanga Sutram, Rajkot, 1969, in Hindhi & Gujarati ; Jacobi (tr), Jaina Sutras.
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