The Jaina Doctrine of Karma And The Science Of Genetics: ▪ Puṇyānubandhī Puṇya

A long time ago, a poor widow had a young son. She had to work hard to maintain herself and her son. Once there was a day of great festival and neighbouring families prepared a tasteful pudding of milk and rice called kheer in order to celebrate. The neighbourhood kids were enjoying the kheer and on seeing this poor boy went to his mother and asked her to make kheer for him too. He did not realize that his mother did not have enough money to buy the milk, rice and sugar needed for making kheer. The mother tried to explain the situation but the boy started crying for the kheer.

The mother could not tolerate his crying. So she said "Do not cry, my boy. I shall cook kheer for you". She went to the neighours and borrowed some milk, sugar and rice and made kheer. She served him in a earthen plate and told him to wait until in cooled. She then left to fetch water from the well.

While the kheer was cooling, a monk came to the boy's home to ask for alms to get a food. The boy felt very happy and invited monk to come in. He served all his kheer to the monk and felt very happy to offer food to the monk. After the monk left, he ate whatever kheer was stuck to the plate and the pot. His thoughts did not change. He had offered the kheer to the monk willingly, thereby, he earned tremendous wholesome karma or puṇya. As a result of this action, in his next life, he was known as śālibhadra born into a very wealthy family with all luxuries. During this life he realized that what life is all about? He renounced the luxuries of life and uplifted his soul by becoming a monk of Lord Mahāvīra.^[9] This is fruition of Karma.