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THE DOCTRINE OF KARMA & LEŚYĀ - THE JAINA
PERSPECTIVE
KOKILA H. SHAH
There is a saying: "As man sows, so does he reap”.
The doctrine of karma has been widely accepted in ancient Indian thought. Almost all the religions and systems of philosophy talk about 'karma' The Jaina doctrine has no exact parallel in any other system of thought. The Jainas have an altogether different conception of karma and their doctrine is unique with its emphasis on human freedom and responsibility.
Human beings experience suffering and happiness. What is the original root of happiness and misery, progress, fall and other diversities found in the universe? A man working hard gets less return while another man earns crores of rupees with slight effort. The individuals differ in their personal characteristics. One man is prosperous, the other is not. What is the cause of similar and other differences ? The doctrine of karma is the key that unlocks all the riddles of apparently unintelligible world. It explains all these problems scientifically and rationally and reveals mysteries. There are no miracles. Karma is the cause for the variety and disparity that are discernible in the universe. Universe is a system in itself subject to the laws inherent in its very nature. There is no chaos, no disorder.
The present paper attempts to explore many diverse aspects of the Jaina doctrine of karma. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the karma theory, while in the second part, an attempt is made to highlight in brief, the relation between Karma and Leśyā.
There is universal law of causation. As applied to the sphere of actions, it means every action must be followed by its proper effect. It is this universally acknowledged law of retribution that is the doctrine of karma. A deed can not die but must necessarily lead to its legitimate results. The doctrine is centered round the concept of moral order in the universe variously called rta, dharma or karma.
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