Samayasara

Author(s): Kundkundacharya, J L Jaini
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 45

THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS.
जीवकर्मोभयं द्वे अपि खलु केचिज्जीवमिच्छन्ति । अपरे संयोगेन तु कर्मणां जीवमिच्छन्ति ॥४७॥
47. Others believe soul to be both the soul and Karmas combined together, and some believe the soul to be the result of the combination of Karmas.
एवं विहा बहुविहा परमप्पाणं वदंति दुम्मेहा । ते ण दु परप्पवादी णिच्छयवादीहिं णिदिहा ॥४८॥ एवं विधा बहुविधाः परमात्मानं वदंति दुर्मेधसः। ते न तु परात्मवादिनः निश्चयवादिभिः निर्दिष्टाः ॥४८॥
48. Thus, in many ways, (persons) of perverse intellect call the soul other (than itself). (Such persons) are therefore classed by the knowers of Reality as (those who) describe the non-soul as soul.
Commentary. Gathas 44 to 48 describe a few wrong and perverse views about the nature of soul. Practically all that is said in these views can apply to a mundane, imperfect, impure soul, while as a matter of fact this weak deluded embodied soul is a miserable shadow of the great Life which the SOUL in reality is.
Karmas are matter made up of very fine Karmie molecules. Physical bodies are formed of physical or Áháraka molecules, and are also matter. Attachment, etc., all passionate thought-activities and their mild or strong characters are due to the effect of deluding Karma, which is also matter. The operation of all Karmas or its mild or strong fruition is also material.
Thus, he who believes these matter-born and material causes and effect to be of the essence of soul cannot be a true knower and seer of the reality of the SOUL.
The object of emphasising the reality of the soul is that if we clearly understand our true nature, much of the bitterness, selfishness, cruelty, injustice, narrowness, crime, immorality, sin and suffering will be removed ; we shall rise high above our impure and contaminating surroundings, and in our daily worldly lives shall be enabled to conduct ourselves so that ultimate liberation will be assured, and the world will be turned into a stage for the attainment of Godhood.