Religion and Philosophy of the Jainas

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Jain International Ahmedabad

Page 18

INTRODUCTION
once without it, will always thereafter henceforth be without, perfect and liberated."
By the threefold activity of body, speech and mind these karmic particles rush towards a soul and bind it. These material particles influxed by a particular act obstruct a certain capacity or faculty of soul. They obstruct it for a certain period of time. Their effects have different degrees of intensity. They have certain fixed quantity. But there arises a question as to what are the factors that determine the spiritual quality to be obstructed by karmas as also the quantity and duration of karnas and the intensity of their fruits. It is the nature of soul's activity (which causes influx of karmic particles) that determines the quality to be obstructed by them. For instance, an act of destroying books, despising the learned, etc. causes the influx of karmic particles which obstruct the faculty of knowledge. The quantity of karmic particles influxed by a soul depends on the intensity of activity. The more intense the activity of soul, the greater is the influx of kammic matter. The duration of karmas and the intensity of their fruits depend upon passions. The stronger the passions, the longer is the duration of karmas and the greater is the intensity of their fruits. From this it naturally follows that Jainism puts stress not so much on the renunciation of activity as on the renunciation of passions. In fact, this point or Jaina karina theory comes very near to the Bhagavad Gītā doctrine of anāsakta karma (disinterested activity).Gandhi observes : "It is not under all circumstances that a person's action or word or thought would be the cause of the karma, it is oniy in certain circumstances. That is to say, when the exercise of the different faculties of the person is preceded by certain impellent forces, or in other words, when by reason of certain impellent forces in him a person says something or does something or thinks something, then he generates the karma."
It is passions that blur the vision and obstruct the capacities. This is the fact recognised by almost all the religions and philosopliies of India. The uniqueness of the Jaina theory of