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THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF JAINISM
(iii) the time to decay of fused karmons, and (iv) the number of karmic components of the karmic force
The karmic components are the antithesis to the four basic soul elements and thus defile the bliss element, obscure the knowledge/ perception element or obstruct the energy element of the soul. Further discussion is given in Ch. 3.
2.3.3 Long-term Equilibrium State
We have described above the short-term state of the soul. We now describe the long-term equilibrium state of the soul. When all the karmic matter is removed from the soul through the emission of karmons, what is left is the pure soul, that is, it has infinite levels of the four elements of the soul described above in See. 2.2.2. There are two stages in the attainment of this state. Firstly, karmic influx is stopped by creating a karmic force shield which implies the totalend of the inflow of new karmons. The next stage is the total dropping of the accumulated karmic matter, i.e. total karmic decay/fission. When all the karmons have been emitted, the soul no longer has a karmic field and thus has attained its full potential: this is the liberated state. Thus there is everlasting karmic fusion and fission except under the liberated state. (How these are achieved in practice will be left to Chs. 5-7). Fig. 2.6 illustrates this mechanism with a representation similar to that of Fig. 2.5. Fig. 2.6a is the soul with karmic matter, and Fig. 2.6b shows influence of incoming karmons on the karmic force. Fig. 2.6c shows the karmic force shield to cease the karmic influx and Fig. 2.6d indicates karmic decay of the last karmon under the karmic force shield. Fig. 2.6e shows the liberated soul, with the release of infinite energy etc. indicated by the emanating rays.
The idea of karmons is profound. One can compare the concept with that of psychological responses under different circumstances, but these responses, of course, do not explain the psychology of other living beings nor the inner mechanism.
2.3.4 The Nine Reals We have described the concept of non-sentience which includes:
(1) karmic matter, (2) karmic bondage/fusion, (3) karmic force/influx, (4) karmic force-shield, (5) karmic decay/fission, and
(6) liberation. With (7) soul,
