Book Title: Law of Karma
Author(s): Nirmala Jha
Publisher: Capital Pubishing House Delhi

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Page 139
________________ Conclusion 129 Karma which reduces their philosophy to escapicism. They do not care even for moral values. As they reject every other source of knowledge other than perception and all moral values of life, 'Agnosticism' and `Escapicism' are the necessary outcome of the philosophy of Cārvākās. The Buddhists hold that every one in the universe is subject to the influence of cause and effect. "What is that which sets the phenomenal world into motion in order to come into existence from the unknown and again, to disappear into the unknown to reappear again, as before, without ever stopping the continuity coming and disappearing ?”:13 The only answer to this is that it is due to the saṁskārās, the result of our own day-to-day actions, that the continuity of the samsāra is maintained. This leads us to conclude that all that exists and happens in the phenomenal world is the outcome of our own deeds. So, if our deeds are good, the results are also good and if they are bad, they lead to bad results. Thus it may be said that all our miseries as well as happiness are due to our own Karmas. So, it is certain that the performance of good Karmas alone can put an end to all our miseries and bring to us the highest happiness. In other words, according to Buddha also, a man along with all his characteristics is the product of his own Karmas of the past birth or births and he alone is responsible for his future birth or births. Karma, according to Jainās, is of material nature. Karma. for them, is a substantial force, matter in a subtle form. It has the property of developing the effects of merit and demerit. The soul, by its dealings with the outer world, becomes associated with the particles of subtle matter. These become karma and build up a special body called karmanaśarīra, which does not leave the soul till its final emancipation. Jainās distinguish between Bhāvakarma and Dravyakarma. Bhāvakarma is related to the jivās, while dravyakarma belongs to the body. Karma works in such a way that every change which takes place leaves a mark on our character. According to Jainās, there are five classes of karmic conditions which determine its corresponding bhāva or mental state. In the usual course of things, Karma takes effect and produces

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