________________
228 :: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
condition for liberaton. Hence to hold that the mere termination of the existence of the karmas by their fruition is a sufficient proof for the total expulsion of karmas from the soul is wrong.
One more argument is advanced by Samantabhadra in support of the possibility of liberation. He says. “The destruction of the obscurations and the obscuring karmas must be complete on account of its causes, because there are rising degrees of such a destruction.”. Again, just as the rising degrees of destruction of karmas are noticeable, so also the rising degrees of their effect are also noticed. Hence on the ground of the above argument it also follows that at some moment of time the effects of karmas must be complete so as to destroy the faculties of the soul totally. At this point the argument may seem to lose its force. But it may be supplemented by the fact that what is connected with a substance as an attribute cannot be totally destroyed. Knowledge, etc., are connected with the soul in the aforesaid manner, and so the karmas cannot destroyed them totally. On the other hand karmas are substantially distinct from the soul, and, therefore, they can be severed from the soul. Samantabhadra's argument gains in force when it is conssidered along with the Jaina theory of attributes.
It may also be said that the beginninglessness of the karma-association is a obstacle in the way of liberation. When this association as extended in the past has never been broken, it may continue eternally in future in the same way. The oft quoted example of the ore and the dross does not necessarily imply the beginninglessness of their association. So the argument based on this example stands only as a weak analogy which does not yield the necessary support we expected from it. The idea behind the example may be taken to suggest that the beginninglessnes of the karma-association has nothing to do with the end of this association. It is brought about by some causes, while its end, by others different from the former ones. So wherever
fara
1. Samantabhadra: Āptamīmāṁsā, verse 4
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
