Samayasara

Author(s): Kundkundacharya, Jethalal S Zaveri
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 70

Samayasara
Chapter - 2
asserting that what they believe is the whole truth, they commit a gross logical fallacy.
In the above verses, Acārya Kundakunda describes some of the conceptions regarding the real nature of soul/self as asserted by various schools of thought. Later on, in this chapter, Acārya himself will concede that some of these conceptions are perfectly legitimate, if they are put forward as working hypotheses for corelation of the body and the soul and can be accepted to be valid from certain empirical aspects. However, if they are asserted as absolute truth, they certainly fall in the category of misconceptions and false beliefs.
(Mis) conceptions mentioned in the above verses are:
(i) Adhyavasaya is the self: Adhyayasāya means emotional afflictions such as attachment & repulsion. They are produced by the fruition of the deluding karma. When this karma is destroyed there is neither attachment nor repulsion. Hence emotions cannot be identical to the soul.
(ii) Karma is the self: Karma is karmic matter or the subtle body which is an appendage of the soul. It can be totally destroyed by spiritual discipline, and hence, cannot be identified with the soul.
(iii) Degrees of emotions is the self: Since the emotional afflictions themselves are the result of fruition of karma, their intensities or degrees cannot be different from them, and hence, they cannot be identified with the self.
(iv) Nokarma is the self: Nokarma is the gross physical body. On death it perishes and is separated from the soul. Hence, it cannot be the self.
(v) Fruition & intensity of fruition of Karma is self: Fruition & intensities of fruition of the karma are not basically different from karma, and hence, cannot be identified with the self.
(vi) Composite of karma and the soul is the self: This, of course, is the condition of worldly life. But since karma can be totally demolished, the composite cannot be identified with the self.
(vii) Association of karma is the self: Similarly association of karma is not identical to the self.
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