________________
Preface
95
the creation or destruction of the world. The manifold conditions of sentient beings are due to fruition of Karmas acquired by the Jiva in the past.
Bondage of karma
Some think that the soul is pure and perfect; therefore it is wrong to suppose it as the reaper of the harvest of its merits or demerits. This view goes against our experience and reason. The mundane soul is impure, since it is contaminated with matter assuming the form of good or bad karmas. We see that the Jiva has been imprisoned in this body, which is a store-house of the filthiest of objects. The pure, perfect and powerful soul would never have liked to reside in such an impure tabernacle even for a moment. We, therefore, infer that the jīva is under forced servility of something, which is instrumental for such an awkward position of the soul. The main source of this downfall is the matter having assumed the form of a Karma.
This Karma is material since its effects, auspicious or otherwise, are visible either on the physical body or they are exhibited by means of association or separation of material objects.
This soul, although immaterial, is recipient of good or evil effects of the Karmas which are material. This phenomenon should not bewilder any one, for we see that the intelligent being is subject to intoxication caused by drinking wine which is non-sentient. It is to be noted that the very liquor does not cause any intoxication to the bottle which contains it. Such is the nature of things.
The mundane soul has got vibrations through mind, body or speech. The molecules which assume the form of mind, body or speech, engender vibrations in the fiva, whereby an infinite number of subtle atoms is attracted and assimilated by the Jiva. This assimilated group of atoms is termed as Karma. Its effect is visible in the multifarious conditions of the mundane soul. As a red-hot iron-ball, when dipped into water, assimilates its particles; or as a magnet draws iron filings towards itself due to magnetic force; in the like manner the soul, propelled by its psychic experiences of infatuation, anger, pride, deceit and avarice, attracts karmic molecules and becomes polluted by the Karmas. The psychic experience is the instrumental cause of this transformation of matter into a Karma; as the clouds are instrumental in the change of sun's rays into a rainbow.
When Karmas come in contact with the soul, fusion occurs, whereby a new condition springs up which is endowed with marvellous potentialities and is more powerful than infinite atom bombs. One can easily imagine the power of Karmas, which have covered infinite knowledge, infinite power, infinite bliss of the soul and have made a beggar of this very siva, who is no less than a Paramatman by its intrinsic nature. Psychic experiences of anger etc., cause the fusion of Karmas and these Karmas again produce feelings of attachment, aversion or anger etc., thus the chain of karmic bondage continues ad infinitum.
This karmas-soul-association is without a beginning. There has been no period when the fusion of Karmas took place in a pure soul. It is beyond comprehension that a perfect, pure, blissful, omniscient and powerful soul will ever enter into the folly of embracing the Karmas and thus dig its own grave by inviting innumerable and indescribable sufferings.
When the husk of paddy is removed from it, the rice loses its power of
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
