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APPENDIX
AGURULAGHU
The term 'agurulaghu' is technical in Jain philosophy. It seems to have been used in more senses than one.1
Firstly, it is used in the karma-sastra in two ways--one, one of the varieties of Nama-karma (a) which itself is one of the kinds of eight basic Karmas viz. Jñanavaraṇiya etc. and the other, as an attribute of the soul, obscured by the Gotrakarma. On account of the 'agurulaghu-karma' the soul comes to possess a body which is neither too heavy nor to light to do anything, i.e. a normal body, capable of carrying on the requisite functions in life.
Next, the attribute agurulaghu' is regarded as one of the eight attributes of the soul viz., jñāna, darśana, caritra, etc. which are supposed to be obscured or veiled by the respective karmas viz., Jñānāvaraṇīya etc. This particular attribute is said to be obscured by the gotra-karma as a result of which the soul comes to be looked upon as high (T) or low () as regards its birth, family etc. In reality, however, all the souls are alike, neither high nor low. When the gotra-karma is annihilated, this attribute "agurulaghu' of the soul manifests itself." Thus, the 'agurulaghu' here indicates the inherent similarity of all the souls."
1
cf. Tsu. VIII. 12. Gujarati edition by Pt. Sukhalalji. p. 335. 2 The eight attributes, on the annihilation of the eight kinds of karmas, fully manifest themselves in a soul. These are then called the eight attributes of a siddha.
3
Cf. Tattvärtha Sutra - Gujarati Edition, p. 400. It may be noted that the term 'agurulaghu' is also used in a purely spiritual sense with reference to Jiva. That soul who is engrossed in sinful activities, viz. violence, falsehood, stealing etc., is called 'guru-karma', while
