________________
DOCTRINE OF KARMA IN BUDDHISM
AND JAINISM
Dr. Nathmal Tatia*
1. There were six great founders of religion in Sākyamuni Buddha's times. There was Pūraņa Kassapa who did not accept any difference between good and bad action. A person can do anything he likes without good or bad result. There was again Makkhali Gosāla who did not believe in any freedom of will. A person has no control over what he does. He is bound up by his nature. The future is fixed, no person can change the future. A person lives worldly life as long as he has to do so. But a time comes when his nature is changed automatically and he gets Nirvāņa. Makkhali Gosāla was a determinist. There was another founder of religion named Ajita Kesakambala. He was a materialist. He did not believe in existence of mind or soul. There were only four material elements, water, fire and air, according to him. When a person dies, earth goes to earth, water goes to water, fire goes to fire, air goes to air, and his sense-organs go to the sky. There was another religious leader named Pakudha Kaccāyana who did not believe in any kind of change. There were seven unchanging elements according to him, viz. earth, water, fiire, air, pleasure, pain and soul. All of them were unchanging, unmade, unproductive. There was no place for moral life in his philosophy. The fifth reputed founder of religion at that time was Nigantha Nātaputta who was the last prophet of Jainism. He upheld fourfold samvara, control of sinful activities. The sixth famous founder of religion in Buddha's time was Sañjaya Belatthaputta. He was a negativist. He did give negative answer to all questions. In modern terminology he can be called an agnostic.
2. Sākyamuni Buddha gave a philosophy that rejected all the philosophies of the above-mentioned six religious leaders. His philosophy was positive. He believed in freedom of the will. A person is responsible for what he does. He has to enjoy the fruits of what he does. The Buddha gave a doctrine of karma which was very important for a good lifestyle. Karma is action of mind, speach and body. If our mind is good, the action is good, if the mind is bad, the action is bad. If there is greed, hatred and ignorance in the • Director, Anekant Shodhpeeth, Jain Vishva Bharti, Ladnun,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
