Uniqueness of jain Spirituality

Author(s): Ramjee Singh
Publisher: Z_Sumanmuni_Padmamaharshi_Granth_012027.pdf

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Glory of Jain Culture
possible to alter and avert the consequences of our past deeds through spiritual sadhana.
The law of Karma in its different aspects may be regarded as the law of conservation of moral values, merits and demerits of actions. Nothing befalls a man except as the result of his own actions and nothing merited by a man by his actions is lost unto him. As 'religion' is said to be 'faith in the conservation of value' (Harold Hoffding. The Philosophy of Religion, p.6-12), the law of Karma may be defined as faith in an eternal moral order that inspires hope and confidence in many and makes him the master of his own destiny. The human will stands beyond all circumstances. Before it, the strong, gigantic, infinite will and freedom in man, all the powers, even of nature, must bow down succumb and become its servants.
in the relation of beginningless conjunction. The soul by its commerce with the outer world become literally penetrated with the particles of subject matter. The Karmic-matter mixes with the soul as milk mixes with water. Thus formless Karma is affected by the Karma with form as consciousness is affected by drink or medicine. Logically, the cause is non-different from the effect. The effect is physical- Hence the cause (Karma) has indeed a physical form. But unless karma is associated with the Jiva (Soul) it cannot produce any effect because karma is only an instrumental cause; it is the soul which is the essential cause of all experiences. This explains the theory of the soul as the possessor of Karma. A question may arise as to why the conscious soul is associated with unconscious matter ? The Jainas reply that the Karma is a substantive force or matter in a subtle form, which fills all cosmic space. It is due to Karma that the soul acquires the conditions of nescience or ignorance. The relation between soul and non-soul is beginningless, and is due to nescience or avidyã, which is responsible for worldly existence or bondage The soul takes matter in accordance with its own Karmas and Passions. This is our bondage, the causes of which are delusion, lack of control, inadvertence, passions, and vibrations.
Not only the modern man in the search of a soul, the first requisite for any philosophical adventure is the recognition of the idea of the Self. This is the spiritual basis of our ethical life which can be traced in the endeavour of man to find out ways and means by which he could become happy. Hence, Alexis Carrel has dwelth upon the "Science of Man" in his famous book 'Man, the Unknown'. The Jainas subscribe to the doctrine of constitutional freedom of the soul and its potential four fold infinities meaning thereby that the soul is intrinsically pure and innately perfect. But the soul and Karma stand to each other
Moksa or liberation is the total deliverance of the soul from the Karmicveil or Karmic-matter. Influx of Karmicmatter into the soul is caused by the
The Uniqueness of Jain Spirituality
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