The Jaina Concept of Karma
By J. C. Sikdar
Summary
Continuing from a previous issue, this article compares the Jaina concept of karma with related notions in Nyaya and Samkhya systems. It identifies raga (attachment), dvesa (aversion) and moha (delusion) as faults recognised by Jainism as bhavakarma, or karmic dispositions. In Nyaya the activity generated by faults is termed yoga; Jain metaphysics calls it pravrtti. Nyaya attributes unseen force (adrsta) or samskara to the soul, whereas Jainism posits paugalika‑karma or dravyakarma—a material karma—as the cause of merit and demerit. The author emphasises that in Jain thought both samskara and dravyakarma are non‑conscious and reside in matter (pudgala). Jainism asserts that dravyakarma originates from bhavakarma, whereas Nyaya does not. Certain samskaras in matter due to bhavakarma are real karma; this impression is non‑different from matter and is called pudgala. The article discusses the karmic body (karmanasarira) accepted by Jainism and compares it to the lingasarira of Samkhya, noting that both serve as substrates for birth but differ in detail. Jainism rejects the idea of a divine agent in the fruition of karma; karmic consequences arise solely from the law of karma. By comparing these philosophies, the article highlights Jainism’s unique view of karma as both psychological disposition and material substance that binds the soul to cycles of birth and death.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that Jainism offers a distinctive and comprehensive concept of karma that integrates mental states (bhavakarma) with actual karmic particles (dravyakarma). Unlike Nyaya or Samkhya, Jainism regards karma as a tangible, non‑conscious substance that binds to the soul, with no divine intervention in its operation. Understanding this dual nature of karma is essential for grasping Jain metaphysics and its ethical implications, highlighting that liberation requires purifying both thoughts and the karmic matter attached to the soul.