Theory of Karman in Indian Thought

Author(s): Koshelya Walli
Publisher: Bharat Manisha

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appearing before it and attached with it-This is the origin of the sense of difference, technically known as Máyā. This would have not been possible had there been no split in the unity of Supreme Self. On the appearance of Maya producing a sense of otherness in consciousness, there appears the third impurity or Karma viewed as mcrit or demerit and producing birth in a physical body and experience of pleasure and pain through that body as a result of aforesaid merit or demcrit. This body has a limited duration based upon the nature of the Karma. This shows that Karma as fala or impurity gives rise to birth (Jati ), term of life ( Āyu ) and experience of pleasure and pain ( Bhoga ).
In view of the above it would appear that there is a possibi. lity of different categories of soul each with a distant character of its own. As a result of the above split, there appear certain souls which are distinguished from the pure Atma-for though they are absolutely of the nature of pure consciousness like the pure Atmā, they have no freedom of activity which the pure self enjoys. These souls are technically known as Vijīyānākala or Vijñānakevali. Their essence consists in pure consciousness, (Chinmatram) but they have not the consciousness of ego or Aham which means that the Supreme Self-centredness in consciousness ( Swatantrya ) is lacking. These souls are essentially of the nature of pure consciousness like the perfect-self and yet they are different from the pure-self in as much as they have not the freedom of will or action which is an essential character of the Supreme Self. Not only this, inspite of their purity in consciousness they are distinguished from the pure soul as well as from each other. They are free from the taint of Karma but each has an individual character of its own and this difference in the Vijñānākalas among themselves is really due to the supreme will of the Divine self. Besides Vijñānākala souls, there is another class of souls who are described as Pralayākala. These souls have their ego-sense which rests in pure inconscience that is pure void of Sünya (TPT). These souls are of two kinds. Their sense of I-ness rests in pure void or insentient matter or in