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Karma-Its Operation and an Appraisal Colour and sense qualities are associated with Karmic matter flowing into the soul Karma is a subtle type of matter, and soul is associated with it from beginningless time Karma matter produces a form of subtle body known as the 'Karma sarira' 10 We have seen that the immediate impact of Karma throws a reflection on the soul, as a coloured flower does on a crystal The colour does not form part of the crystal, so lesya is not part of the soul It may also be noted that the liberated soul is free from karmic matter and also from any form of lesya
Thus, the conception of lesya Is closely associated with the Karma theory
In Buddhism too, Karma is classified according to colours (1) Black, (2) White, (3) Black-and-White, and (4) not-black-and-not-wbite 1. Similar classification was adopted in the Yoga school We have referred to it earlier But these systems do not accept the material nature of Karma Therefore, Dasgupta suggests that the idea of the black and wbite Karma in the Yoga philosophy was probably suggested by the Jaipa view 18
It is possible to interpret the lesja theory in terms of modern psychology, especially of parapsychology The Bhava lesya has a psychological significance It is an aura created round the soul due to psychic effects and yoga It is dependent on the activity of the mind Thc six primary colours are effect of the karmic 10flux arising out of mental states and events Every psychosis brings some after-effects which are both physical and psychic It is possible to show, by proper analysis and investigation, that such psychic phenomena exist and are detectable The effects of psychic states are transformed, through some form of radiation into the aura' of colour spreadiog round the organism, like the balo surrounding a prophet We have heard that the gods and the prophets, like Jesus and the Buddha, had a halo round them The Jainas have said that the enlightened ones still living in this world get a white halo around them Such aura, or colouration may not be visible to the eye, nor discernible by the ordinary instruments of science But men disciplined in the yoga and those who have developed an extra-sensory capacity can ace it We may perhaps find some methods pertinent to parapsychology by which we may discover the possibility and existence of such phenomena, It would, therefore, be a problem for the parapsychologists' research
We may also point out that some have suggested a resemblance between losya doctrine and the theosophical view of the transcendental colours in the individual 10 We may refer to the theosophical writings of Mrs Besant, 20
16 17 18 19 20
Pravacanasāla I 55-66 II 40 Digha Nikāya III 20 Dasgupta History of Indian Philosophy, Vol I 74 Jaini (JL) Outlines of Jaluism P 45 Thought fornis by Mrs Bensant & CW Leadbeater 1906
