Selected Speeches of V R Gandhi

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi Godiji Jain Derasar Mumbai

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Karmas in the Jaina philosophy. The word "Karma" has an interesting history. In the Vedas it means the performance of sacrifices, offering of oblations to nature-gods and manes or deceased ancestors. Karma-mārga--the path of worksmis nothing but ritualistic Brahmanism. In the words of Sir Monier Williams: "Not even Jewish literature contains so many words relating to sacrifice as the literature of the Brahmins. The due presentation of sacrificial offerings formed the very kernel of all religious service. Hymn, praise and prayer, preaching, teaching, and repetition of the sacred words of scripture were only subsidiary to this act. Every man throughout his whole life rested all his hopes on continually offering oblations of some kind to the gods; and the burning of his body at death was held to be the last offering of himself in fire (antyești).” In later literature, Karma, in addition to the above meaning, also meant duty and good and bad actions. In the Jaina literature we have a fuller meaning. It is any energy which an embodied being generates-be it vital, mental, or moral—and which keeps him in the mundane world --the Saṁsāra. Karma, in short, is the whole Saṁsāric make-up of an embodied being. It is entirely divested of the sacrifice idea. Karmas which keep the individual in a backward condition are known as Pāpa, those which help him in advancement are Punya. The Jaina philosophy gives a detailed enumeration of Karma, and explains, how they are attracted (Aśrava), how they are assimilated with the individual (Bandha), how their inflow
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