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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
ure). The mukta jiva is free from this bondage. It is pure consciousness. It has no element of jaḍatva. The soul that is in bondage in this wheel of transmigration attracts the particles through the activities of speech, body and mind and the fusion' of the karmic particles with the soul takes place just as water mixes with milk. In this way, there is the synthesis of the consciousnes elements and the materiality of the body.
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A further question arises regarding such synthesis of the material and the consciousness elements in the empirical jiva and also in the karma. If both have the same forms of combination, what is the difference in between the karma & the empirical soul? Answer to this may be given with reference to the nature of karma & jiva. The empirical jiva with reference to karma as jaḍatva, but same jiva with reference to the conscious aspects is consciousness. There is no possibility of pointing out the extent to which the jivatva and the karmatva could be distinguished in measureable distinctions. It is not possible to say that the jīvatva and the jaḍatva are to be distinguished separately in the empirical existence. The distinction is not primary. But the fusion as apparent. The empirical soul is always engaged in activity and when it is free from empirical activity, it sheds off the karmic particles accruing to it. In such cases, the absolute distinction between kärmic matter and the pure soul and consciousness, we can point out that there is absolute distinction. In the mundane soul and in the phenomenal existence these absolute distinctions are not amenable to empirical investigations. But in the highest stage of perfection, there is this distinction, between the pure jiva and pure karma as matter. Therefore, we can mention the three stages of the soul and pudgala karma: 1. suddha pudgala (pure karmic matter), 2. Suddha atman (pure soul) in the state of perfection and 3. the co-mingling of the karmic matter and the atomic element in the samsārī jīva. The empirical nature of the individual soul has been referred to as having the characterisation of kart ṛtva aud bhokt ṛtva.
RELATION BETWEEN ATMAN AND THE KARMAN
Jain Education International
Atman or soul is immaterial while karma is material in nature. How can there be relation between them? This is a natural question
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