Karma and Rebirth

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 20

In the Vestibules of Karma
Of the eight main types of Karma, the four jäänāvaraṇīya, darianavaraṇiya, mohaniya and antaraya are ghati Karma, as they obscure the capacity of knowledge and intuition, delude the soul into wrong ways and obstruct its inherent energy. Some of them are completely obscuring (sarvaghati) and others are partially obscuring (deśaghati). But even in this the soul still retains an element of right knowledge and intuition, as a very dark and dense cloud cannot completely cover the lustre of the sun or the moon. In that case it would mean the conversion of spirit into matter. 50 The infinitesmal part of the pure and perfect knowledge ever remains, as a rule, uncovered in any form of existence of the soul. For example, Karma which covers. Kevalajñana is regarded as sarva-ghati while other subtypes of Jnanavarantya Karma are considered as deia-ghati. Same is the case with Karma covering Kevala-darsana and that which covers other types of darsana. The predilection for untruth (mithyatza) completely obscures the desire for truth. Still the desire and capacity for knowing the truth about wordly things remains unobscured. The analogy of the cloud is useful here also. 5 The soul, thus, cannot lose all its characteristics even if it is infected by sarea-ghati Karma; otherwise it will be matter. Desa-ghati Karma obscures knowledge partially. It also obstructs in the same way intuition and energy. For instance, even the least developed organism has the minimum necessary energy for the process of metabolism and movement of individuals into different births due to antaraya Karmo.
The aghati Karma (non-obscuring) consists of all the sub-types of (1) vedantya, (2) nama (3) gotra and (4) ayu Karma. They do not obscure any fundamental quality of the soul. They only appear like ghati karma when experienced along with them, a
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Karma has also been classified into (1) auspicious (Subha) and inauspicious (Asubha) types. Those which lead to enjoyment of pleasure are auspicious and those which lead to suffering are inauspicious. However, perfect state is to be realised when all activities, auspicious or inauspicious, are stopped. Thereby both types of Karma are not accreted to the soul. Such activities lead to influx of Karmairava by which Karma matter flows into the soul,54
The Buddhists have classified Karma on the basis of different princi. ples. There are four types of Karma on the basis of the functions they
50. Karma Grantha. 2.
51. Nandy Sutra. 2.
52. Ibid.
53. Ibid.
54. Tattvärtha Sutra. VI. 1-2.