Philosophy In Jain Agams: Experiencing of the Fruition of Karma

There are three ideas about experiencing the results of karma in the philosophical field.

1. ajñeyavāda - Doctrine that upholds - nothing can be known
2. īśvaravāda - under the control of īśvara
3. karmavāda - Doctrine of Karma.

Some philosophers are of the opinion that we can never know the cause as to why we experience the miserable and favourable conditions. So, it is called Ajñeyavāda. Nyāya philosophy states that, the soul experiences the results of its own karma with the assistance of God.^[1] Karmas are material, so, they themselves cannot yield results, like an axe can no cut anything by itself.^[2] It needs a conscious being behind it, in order to use its power of cutting. So, God is the controller of all the results or fruition of karma. Someone is needed to provide the results of karma. As a thief does not take the punishment for committing the theft by himself, a judge or a person authorized to give punishment, only can give the appropriate punishment for the criminal deeds. Similarly, God is that authority who provides the results of good and bad actions, to the soul, according to one's own accumulated karma.

Potency of Experiencing the Results of Karma in Soul

Jain philosophy believes in the doctrine of karma. It holds that both sorrow and joy are experienced due to our own past deeds or karmas. The soul has both the abilities of bondage of karma and experiencing its results. This is the doctrine of karma. Jain philosophy believes that there is no need of any external assistance in order to experience the fruition of already acquired karmas.

Karmas are material, how can they provide appropriate results? This is a question. It is true that material karmas can never know that particular soul has done this particular deed, so, it must be given such and such results, but, auspicious or inauspicious material aggregates get attracted by the activities of the soul. By the bonding of those karmas, the soul undergoes such transformations, that it experiences the appropriate results accordingly.

Determination of the Result-yielding Power in Karma

According to Jain philosophy, the determination of the result yielding power (intensity of fruition) in karma takes place during the time of bondage itself. That power itself causes the good and bad experiences to the soul. Soul is independent in accumulating the karmas but it is not free in experiencing the results out of its own volition or there is no choice for not experiencing the results of karma. As a person is free to climb up a tree, but while falling due to a slip, he has no choice.^[3] He has to fall down. It is also true that sometimes karmas are under the control of soul and some other times soul is under the control of karmas. While lending debts, the lender is powerful but while returning debts, receiver becomes more powerful.^[4] While experiencing the results of karma, the soul is under the control of karma. Auspicious and inauspicious karmas accumulated by the soul, possess the power of yielding good and bad results due to its inherent potency of yielding results (vipāka).

Question of Kalodāi Anagāra

To satisfy his query on the results of inauspicious karma and auspicious karma, a monk by the name of Kalodāi asked the Lord, ''Oh Lord! how are the inauspicious karmas bound by the soul, made productive with the fruition of inauspicious results by the soul?''^[5] Lord Mahavira replied, 'Kalodāi! As a person eats delicious varieties of food that is well prepared in earthen pots, enriched with the eighteen varieties of dishes, but mixed with poison; that food seems beneficial at first, good in appearance and taste, but, after its consumption, in the course of its transformation, it turns insalubrious, bad in colour, bad in smell, bad in form, bad in taste, undesirable, unpleasant, inauspicious, disagreeable, unwanted, unattractive, mean i.e. not for spiritual elevation and conducive to suffering i.e. not reaping joy. Kalodāi! Similar are the eighteen kinds of sinful deeds conducted by soul viz., from injury of life up to the thorn of perverted belief, which seem beneficial in appearance (while being committed), but later, in the course of their transformations, they turn faecal, of bad colour, of bad taste, of bad smell, of bad shape, undesirable, unpleasant, inauspicious, disagreeable, unwanted unattractive, mean i.e. not for spiritual elevation and conducive to suffering i.e. not reaping joy. Kalodāi! In the same way evil karmas bound by the soul are made productive with the fruition of evil results.

Similar is the process of the results of auspicious karmas, bound by soul, are made productive with the fruition of good result by the soul. As good, well cooked food provides good health, good karmas result in producing favourable conditions for the soul.^[6]