Philosophical Writings

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 32

Freedom. Obligations and Rights: A Jaina Perspective
inherently able to choose an act or a path that will bring a partial or complete freedom from karma. In fact, in Jainism “the real freedom (moksha) is the freedom from karma."10 What is significant is the fact that according to Jainism the soul is able to increase or decrease the duration and intensity of karma. Moreover the soul can also restrict the influx of new karmas. In short, according to Jainism a soul is free to act or not to act. Thus in spite of the law of karma in operation we find in Jainism a room for freedom and scope to release the soul from the bondage of karma. It is true that life according to Jainism is karma-oriented. If karmas are good, life is good and there is happiness; if karmas are bad, life is bad and there is suffering. But here also we should remember that the soul has freedom of choice to do or not to do karma, be it good or bad. The intensity of karma restricts the soul in its exercise of the power of freedom and so to that extent freedom becomes limited. “The total destruction of all karmas, and the consequent installation of the soul in its state of essential purity is its moksha or final emancipation."11 There is freedom in Jainism. This freedom for a worldly soul is limited; and the degree of freedom in accordance with one's own karmas differs from individual to individual.
As stated earlier, freedom, obligations and rights are interlinked and inseparable. In Jainism there seems to be no direct mention or a categorical statement for obligations and rights especially with reference to social or political freedom. But then Jainism prescribes a way or a path-to attain higher and higher degrees of freedom. It is a three-fold combination of (1) right faith (samyak darsan), (2) right knowledge (samyak jnana), and (3) right conduct (samyak charitra).12 In Jainism some moral practices which are recognized to be of special merit are prescribed to attain the three-fold combination of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. The Jaina philosophy being spiritual in nature, the aim of such practices is to annihilate karma and thus to attain higher spiritual development. “Absolute freedom is absolute spiritual development."13 The Jaina moral code prescribes various vows and sub-vows which are called 'Vratas. “According to Jainas a vow