The Jaina Doctrine of Karman

Summary

The paper discusses the Jaina doctrine of karma, positioning it within the broader context of Indian philosophy. It contrasts the Jaina view with other schools of thought, particularly Buddhism and the Mimamsa, regarding the origin and effects of karmic actions. 1. Karma and Transmigration: All Indian philosophical schools, except materialists, accept the idea of worldly bondage and the path to liberation. Karma, as a law of moral causality, is integral across philosophies, with differing views on its nature. Buddhism, for instance, attributes karma to consciousness (cetana), while Jainism posits a more concrete relationship between the soul and karmic matter, influenced by delusion (mithyatva) and passions (raga, dvesa, moha). 2. Nature of the Soul: Jainism views the soul (jiva) as a conscious substance subject to change but always retaining its inherent consciousness. This idea, attributed to Acarya Kundakunda, emphasizes that the soul’s consciousness manifests through modes such as knowledge, intuition, and power. The soul's vicissitudes during transmigration are guided by this continuous consciousness, as opposed to an external personal god or force. 3. Mithyatva and Its Consequences: The fundamental condition of worldly existence in Jainism is mithyatva, or perverted perception of reality, which results in aimless, misguided actions (mithya-caritra). This perversion also distorts the soul’s knowledge and intuition, but there is no direct causal link between mithyatva and mithya-caritra. Instead, these are concurrent factors that allow karmic matter to bind the soul. 4. Types of Karma: Jainism recognizes eight types of karma that influence the soul’s attributes. These include: o Jnanavaraniya: Obstructing knowledge, o Darsanavaraniya: Obstructing intuition, o Mohaneya: Obstructing right conduct and view, o Antaraya: Obstructing spiritual energy, o Vedaniya: Obstructing bliss, o Ayuh: Limiting the soul’s longevity, o Nama: Attaching the soul to a physical body, o Gotra: Determining social status. The first four are termed ghati karma as they “kill” the soul’s fundamental qualities, while the remaining four are aghati karma, which only distort them. 5. Karma and Its Inflow: The inflow of karmic matter (asrava) is conditioned by physical, vocal, or mental activity. The soul attracts karma based on its passions and delusions. Once bound, karmic particles settle in the soul and manifest at a later time (vipaka), leading to the soul’s physical or spiritual consequences.