Karma is the root cause for the transmigration of souls. There are eight types of karmas in Jain philosophy. Mohaniya karma is one of them. It is known as the Vikarak karma i.e. it distorts the faculties of faith and conduct. It is the root cause of demerit, sin or binding inauspicious karma. When fruition of inauspicious karma takes place them, the soul indulges in inauspicious physical, vocal and mental activities. These inauspicious deeds (paap) are of eighteen types. They cause defilement of the soul. These eighteen kinds of sins are:
- Pranatipat Paap:
"Prana" means living being and "atipat" means to kill. To kill living organism through any activity of mind, speech or body is called pranatipat paap. Killing is a great sin. No one has the right to kill anyone through any means.
Killing takes place in various forms, one kind of it is the use of cosmetics and perfumes that use extracts of animals as their ingredients. At times these products are also tested on animals, such as rabbits or mice, as a result of which these innocent living creatures are killed or suffer severe ailments. By using these products we are encouraging these heinous acts and hence become part of the violence.
- Mrishavada:
"Mrisha" means lie and "vada" means to tell or to speak. To tell a lie is called mrishavada. There are four causes of lying: anger, greed, fear and fun. Deliberately spreading falsities, revealing others' secrets, making false documents etc. fall under falsehood/knavery.
Speech is a necessary medium of communication. Also it is through speech that one makes friends as well as foes. So one should be very careful about what to say. One should always remember that firm faith in truth always yields good results in the long run.
- Adattadana:
"Adatta" means given without consent and "adana" means to take or accept. To take a thing that has not been given by the owner or without the permission of the owner is Adattadana. Stealing others property is a sin. Condoning or encouraging theft, receiving stolen property, use of false weights and measures, not paying taxes, smuggling, adulteration and soon are the various forms of Adattadana.
In aspiring to become a millionaire, a man may indulge in the acts of theft and exploit others. This is an obstacle in the way of spiritual development. One should respect the rights and ownership of all living beings including humans, animals, insects and vegetation.
- Maithuna:
Maithuna means to indulge in sexual activities, to fulfill one's sexual desires. Lust creates encumbrances to spiritual development. A man who craves for sexual pleasure will not be able to resist his temptations. He is sure to stray from a blissful life.
In the Jain agamas, a simile is given to understand the evil consequences of kambhoga (sexual disposition). Kambhoga is like the "Kimpak" fruit, which is very beautiful in appearance and tastes sweet. People are attracted by its colour and taste and devour it. But as soon as they eat it, they die because it is a poisonous fruit. In the same way, we get happiness in fulfilling the carnal desires of the senses, but they yield inauspicious karmas.
- Parigraha:
"Parigraha" means attachment to possessions. Unlimited acquisition and hoarding of wealth, beyond basic requirements, leads to the sin of parigraha. Accumulating things beyond one's needs demonstrates the greedy nature of man. But extreme attachment to materialistic things makes a man restless.
Modern man is prone in accumulating more and more for his comforts and luxuries. Typically he is engrossed to acquire money by any means. He forgets that money is not the ultimate aim of life, nor is it the source of peace and happiness. It is rightly said, "Money can give you books but not knowledge, medicine but not health, material (corporal) comforts but not peace." Even them, people hanker after it, and this craving is a great hurdle in attaining spiritual purity. Contentment is the best way to live a spiritual and peaceful life.
- Krodh:
- Mana:
- Maya:
- Lobha:
- Rag and
- Dvesh:
- Kalah:
- Abhyakhyan
- Paisunya:
- Parparivada:
- Rati-Arati:
- Maya - Mrishavad:
- Mithya Darshan Shalya:
"Mithya darshan shalya" means the thorn of perverted faith. Perverted belief is compared to a piercing thorn because it is the cause of excruciating pain for the spiritual aspirant who ceaselessly struggles to get rid of it by spiritual exertion. The practice of right faith removes mithya darshan shalya.
Krodh refers to anger which may be caused by external stimuli or it may be generated by karmic bondage. It is the root of most evils. It is mainly manifests due to the absence of tolerance. In anger, a person cannot distinguish between good and evil. Sometimes they are even ready to commit suicide. Anger causes one to lose physical, mental and emotional health and therefore is a great impediment to spiritual progress. One should practice the contemplation of forgiveness to exercise control over one's instincts of anger.
"Mana" means conceit. As long as there is ego, one cannot get rid of pride. Bahubali, the youngest son of Lord Rishabha, the first Tirthankar, had false pride about his sadhana. Though he meditated for twelve months in a standing posture of kayotsarg (meditation), he could not achieve kevalgyana omniscient knowledge because of his pride. Mana is an obstacle in acquiring a higher state of spirituality. One can control this emotion of conceit by practising the contemplation of mriduta (modesty).
"Maya" means deceit. In order to gain profit, we cheat others without any hesitation. The illustration of Ravana can be cited here. Ravana disguised himself as a saint and kidnapped Sita. The result was that a fierce war took place between Rama and Ravana. Ultimately Ravana was killed. It was the victory of truth over evil. One who is straightforward and truthful can get rid of his instinct of deceit.
"Lobha" means greed. Due to greed, a person has the desire to accumulate more and more wealth. He makes efforts to fulfill his desire, but his longing for money can never be satisfied. Take the example of Mammana, who had an ox made of gold. Though he was wealthy, he desperately wanted another ox strewn with diamonds and so he worked hard without taking care of his health. Even at midnight he used to collect wood to earn more money. A man who has the instinct of lobha cannot lead a contented life. Contemplation of contentment can help to overcome greed.
"Rag" refers to attachment and "Dvesh" refers to aversion. Both are the root causes of the bondage of karma. To see and to know is the nature of pure consciousness. We always see an object with a feeling of attachment or hatred. The reality is that nothing in this world is good or bad by itself. It is only our thinking which makes it so. Rag and Dvesh are the root causes of inauspicious activities. So long as Rag and Dvesh are in a man's heart, he cannot make spiritual progress. To get rid of them, one should cultivate the feeling of complete detachment and equanimity, only then one can attain peace.
"Kalah" means to indulge in quarrelling. Kalah destroys peace in all walks of human life. Where there is a group of people, there will be some difference of opinion and interests. This may give rise to quarrels. Kalah is a big hindrance in the attainment of spiritual elevation. To refrain from worldly quarrel, one should observe the vow of silence.
Deliberately making false accusations about someone is called "Abhyakhyan". For example, one student excels in his studies and always receives the highest grades. The other students, out of jealousy, accuse this student of cheating. Such false accusations are responsible for the bondage of inauspicious karma. Refraining from false accusations makes one's life free from unnecessary tension.
"Paisunya" means backbiting. Man indulges in such practices to earn praise and favour from others. One may reveal the secrets of others to flatter someone. Backbiters always try to get information about others’ weaknesses and try to achieve success.
"Par" means others and "Parivada" means to indulge in defamation. Engaging in condemnation of others is called parparivada. Ultimately this practice results in one's own misery. Instead of defaming others, one should try to appreciate the virtues of others.
"Rati" means attraction to unrestrained sensual pleasure, and "arati" means apathy to self-restraint. Absence of right knowledge leads to rati-arati. One should have the right attitude towards sensual objects, which are only a source of transitory happiness and in return bring pain and suffering.
Telling a fraudulent lie coupled with deceit is known as Maya-Mrisha and is an immoral activity. In ancient times, the status of man solely depended upon his character. But today, unfortunately, the status of a man is determined by the amount of wealth he possesses. In order to get wealth, his selfish thought forces him to commit unimaginable acts of sin. To save one's soul, one should never indulge in maya-mrishavad.
All these sins are hindrances in the path of emancipation. One can eradicate them by practising contemplation, meditation and swadhyaya of agamas (reading and understanding the holy scriptures).
