Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): Jyoti Prasad Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
The remaining four are known as the aghātis, since they do not mar or obstruct spiritual qualities, but have their effect only in bodily or physical conditions. This Jaina theory of karman, is founded on the simple law of causes and effect. No effect is without a cause. One has to bear, sooner or later, the consequences of his or her acts of commission and omission, good and bad; it is not possible to escape them. You reap what you have sown. And, since the consequences of all the acts done cannot be worked out in one and the same life-time, there may positively follow a future birth to enable their fruition; and the process goes on. The obvious disparity and diversity in the mental, physical, hereditary environmental and sundry other conditions of individuals, at and since birth, which cannot be explained away as being caused by one's efforts or by chance, fully substantiate the doctrine of karman. With its help, metempsychosis or transmigration of souls becomes a proven fact, and through it their continuity and immortality is established beyond doubt. Moreover, it provides a scientific and rational explanation for the diverse phenomena and experiences of one's own life as well as of that of other fellow beings. The karman doctrine also does away with the necessity of any outside agency, a supreme being, creator, destroyer, preserver and dispenser of justice, for the purpose of punishing or rewarding living beings. They and they alone are responsible for their own actions, and themselves benefit by or suffer from the consequences, good or bad, as they may be. Moreover, it inspires the individual to fight and annihilate the karmic forces by developing will-power and putting in his own personal effort. In ordinary course, the chain of karmic bondage goes on ceaselessly developing, the older karmans dropping off after fruition and they new ones coming in and binding the soul.
But, as soon as one realises the truth and with due faith and requisite right knowledge brings his free will into play, puts