Dr. N.L. Kachhara
A crucial question is: how are karma in fruition and the body related? This is a subject of research, but some speculations can be made based on the available evidence. The following appear to be the primary ways in which karma interacts with the body.
1. Bio-photons. It has been found in laboratory experiments that all living systems emit a weak current of photons, which provide the energy for chemical reactions in cells and regulate the whole biochemistry and biology of life. The source of this light is said to be a coherent photon field whose source is not known with certainty. The bio-photon emission is indicative of an endogenous, innate, electromagnetic field that pervades the entire organism. Bio-photon emission is thus seen an evidence for a physical basis of life. According to Jain philosophy, naama karma is responsible for the structure, design, development, maintenance and other activities of the body. Thus, a relationship between bio-photon emission and naama karma and other biological karmas must be speculated. These karmas may be connected with the functioning of DNA, which is the basis of life.
2. Conscious mind. Psychologists believe in the existence of a conscious mind different from the brain. On the other hand, many scientists are of the view that the brain itself acts as the conscious mind. The brain receives and sends signals to every part of the body and thereby controls the activities taking place in the body. In our model above, the conscious mind (dravyamanah) is formed by the fruition of psychical karmas and is connected to the brain for functioning. Therefore, it must be envisaged that psychical karmas also play a great role in controlling the activities and functioning of the body system.
The following briefly presents the possible roles of different karmas in the body systems.
1. Jnanavaraniya and Darshanavaraniya Karma. These two types of karma are responsible for cognition. As this activity is assigned to the brain and nervous system in medical science, these two karmas may be related to the functioning of the brain and nervous system through the conscious mind.
2. Mohaniya Karma. Perception is supposed to be a mental phenomenon in medical science. Therefore, the perception-deluding karma that determines our belief system should be related to the functioning of the brain. Emotions are closely related to the secretion of hormones by the endocrine glands. Hencethe conduct-deluding karma that determines our desires and emotions must be related to the functioning of the endocrine gland system. The pituitary and pineal glands and the hypothalamus located in the brain have been found to control the functioning of other glands in the body. Therefore, the perception-deluding karma, through its influence on the brain, is also expected to affect our emotions and desires.
3. Antaraya Karma. Our willingness or resistance to perform an act is assumed to be governed by the conscious mind. The antaraya karma therefore is expected to influence the function of the brain.
Please note that the four obstructing karmas listed above operate through the conscious mind. When these karmas are eliminated in the omniscient state the conscious mind becomes redundant. In this state, the psychical mind and the unconscious mind cease to exist; the physical structure of dravyamanah or conscious mind continues to exist but is rendered functionless, as the jiva no longer needs it. Perception and cognition is made directly by the jiva, and the conscious mind or brain has no role in it.
4. Vedaniya Karma. The production of pain in medical science is found to be related to the state of tissues in the body and the experience of pleasure has some connection with the secretion of hormones. The state of the tissue is connected to local chemical activity and the performance of genes. So, it can be speculated that vedniya karma influences the functioning of the genes, local chemical activity and the secretion of hormones by the endocrine glands. As the secretion of hormones also depends on the state of the conscious mind, vedaniya karma and the conscious mind together must produce the pain and pleasure that the jiva experiences.
5. Naama Karma. Biological science believes that genes carry the code according to which the design, construction, structure, growth and development of the body takes place. Naama karma therefore provides the essential ingredient for this function. Different subtypes of naama karma describe in detail how the architecture of the body is decided; the parts, organs and organ-systems are built to develop the body structure in a systematic and predetermined way. This karma also decides the growth, maintenance and other activities of the body.
6. Gotra Karma. The quality of the body system's performance is also ascribed to the behaviour of the genes. Therefore, gotra karma must play an important role in the performance of genes. The way the genetic code controls the anatomical and physiological functions, performance of body parts, and functioning of the living system is therefore also dependent on gotra karma in addition to naam karma.
7. Ayusya Karma. Naama karma is believed to have a master code for the design, construction and actions of all kinds of species found in loka. The ayusya karma taps into a specific code from this pool and allows the design and construction of one particular form as specified by naama karma. Another important aspect of life that is particularly emphasized in Eastern philosophy is prana. In biology, the blood is supposed to be the lifeline of a living system. Therefore, ayusya karma may be related to the production and circulation of blood and the role of prana in the body. Pranayama has been found to increase blood circulation in the body, suggesting a relationship between prana and blood supply. On death, prana leaves the body and the production of blood stops. Death in Jainism means prana leaving the body.
Besides the creation of the structure and maintenance of bodies, the system also has arrangements for the defense of the body against possible dangers from the environment, bacteria, viruses, or other harmful organisms as well as from internal malfunctioning and disorders in the system. The body has inbuilt self-healing mechanisms to cure and protect itself from these dangers and to survive against all odds. The body is a wonderful system that creates structures and maintains and protects the system with minimum input in an optimum and versatile manner. The body has several levels of operation that are activated according to internal conditions, the environment and available resources. The structure of the body depends on the development of consciousness; the activities of consciousness are a function of the structure of the body, the brain in particular. This is because the soul and body are connected. So versatile is the design of the human body that it is impossible for the human mind to design and build even a small part of this system: the entire system is far beyond the comprehension of the human mind.
