Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
Indian philosophers have pondered over various subjects. Soul, bondage, liberation, rebirth, karma etc. have been important concepts of their speculation. This visible world is in front of us but why does it exist? Why is there so much diversity? The elements that appear as solutions to such questions are not before us. When the cause is not obvious, curiosity regarding it is quite natural. The world as an effect is directly perceived by all of us but the cause behind it is not apparent. To search out that hidden cause, new avenues were opened in the philosophical world.
The doctrine of karma emerged amidst the discussions, as the cause of divergence or diversity in universe, individualistic differences and experiences of joy and misery. Actually logical explanation of individualistic differences and diversity in the universe became a good cause for the emergence of the doctrine of karma. Indian thinkers have presented Kāla (time), Svabhāva (nature), Niyati (destiny) and other such concepts in the context of analyzing the causes of this diversity in the universe. Jain philosophy has clearly accepted Karma as the prime cause of diversity in the universe.
The general meaning of karma is action. All the activities performed by mind, speech and body can be called as karma. In Mīmānsaka tradition, yajña yāga etc., rituals, regular and special actions etc. are called as karma. In Gitā, physical activities are referred to as karma. Yoga and Vedānta philosophy also accept karma as activity with a special meaning attributed to it. In Buddhist philosophy, 'karma' word has been employed in the sense of physical, mental and verbal activities. According to Jain philosophy, every activity of mundane being and also the precursor of action are called as karma. It is defined in Jainism as Bhāva karma. By this bhāva karma (psychic karma) the material that gets attached to the soul are called as dravya karma (material karma).
ātmapravrtyākṛṣṭāsta atprāyogyapudgalaḥ karma
[The material aggregate attracted by the soul and fit for bondage are called karma.]
Jain philosophy accepts the eight kinds of vargaṇā (cluster of atomic particles with similar nature). One of them is kārmaṇa vargaṇā. Atomic particles of kārmaṇavargaṇā are fit for getting transformed into karma. Those particles are possessed of four kinds of touch, infinite in can become dravya karma. The atomic particles of other kinds of vargaṇās are impotent of becoming karma. Jain philosophy holds that Dravya karma is material in nature. This is the original acceptance of Jain philosophy. Other philosophies believe in karmas as of psychical nature only. Jainism holds karma to be both-psychical and physical.
The sense, in which the Jain tradition holds the word karma, other Indian philosophies have used different terms to refer karma such as māya, avidyā, prakṛti, apūrva, āśaya, adṛṣṭa, etc. In Vedānta philosophy- māya and avidya, in Mīmānsā-apūrva, in Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika- adṛṣṭa, and in Yoga philosophy-āśaya, in Buddhist philosophy-vāsanā and avijñapti-these terms are employed in the sense of karma. With the exception of Cārvāka philosophy, all Indian philosophies have delved upon karma. However, the subtlest and holistic description about the nature of karma, types of karma, bondage, fruition, duration etc. of karma as found in Jainism is unique and unavailable in any other philosophy.
The chapter on Karma Mimānsā in this text includes discussion on the cardinal principles in relation to the concept of karma. According to Jain philosophy, there are two types of karma
- Dravya - Material or physical karma
- Bhāva - Psychic karm
Psychic karma is an activity of soul and material karma is particles that are attracted by the actions of the soul. The relation (bond) of karma with soul is called as bondage (bandha). Bondage has four aspects - type, duration, intensity of fruition, mass of particles assimilated. Under the types of bondage, there are eight kinds of karmas. These are primary categories of karmas. There are many further divisions and sub divisions with in those categories.
According to Jain philosophy, we have to experience the results of acquired karmas in some form or other. kaḍāṇa kammāṇa natthi mokkho i.e. Karmas cannot be freed from soul without experiencing their results. According to Jain belief, some of them are niyata vipākī (definite in result-yielding) whilst others are aniyatavipākī (indefinite in result- yielding). The niyatavipākī karmas cannot undergo changes. In Jain terminology they are called as nikācita karma. Aniyatavipāki karma is that, of which type, duration, intensity etc. can be changed. In Jain philosophy, there is a mention of ten states of karmas. Among these states, udvartana, apavartana, udīraṇā, saṅkramaṇa, upaśamana, indicates the possibility of amenable fruition of karmas and other states of karma. This shows that Jain philosophy does not consider karma to be an omnipotent factor. Its powers become limited due to other factors like substance, time, place etc. Through this acceptance of the possibility of change in karma, Jain philosophy has given prominence to human efforts or courage (puruṣārtha).
According to Jain āgamic literature, karma is generated by conscious entity - ceyakaḍā kammā. Lord Mahavira was founder of puruṣarthavāda. According to Jain philosophy, soul gets bound to the karma only through its own efforts. Bondage of karma has no relation with destiny and other such factors. Soul itself is responsible for the bondage of karma. Lord Mahavira has considered pāriṇāmika bhāva (innate nature or natural transformation) of the soul is free from karma. Soul continuously gets the power by this pāriṇāmika bhāva to become free from karma. That is why the efforts of soul remain capable to bring a change in the karma.
Today's science is exploring newer studies in several fields. The technique of changing the sex of a person i.e. male into female and vice versa through medical surgery is becoming quite a popular practice. It is the transformation or interchange of the sub types of body determining (nāma) karmas. Similarly, the question of cloning, test tube baby etc. can also be solved in the light of the ancient Jain karma theory.
In the present chapter, Karma Mimānsā is confined to the philosophical dimension of karma only. In this chapter relation of soul and karma, doer of karma, vibrated and non vibrated states, karma fit for premature realization and unfit for the same, who is feeling the sorrow, whether the separation of karmic matter is of bound karma or nokarma (state of karmic matter, which ensue when the state of their udaya (rise) is over) and other such subjects related to karma have been discussed.
To uplift the self in the field of spirituality, reflection and following the directions of the doctrine of karma is essential. Spirituality cannot be explained without the doctrine of karma. One, who wants to enjoy the spirituality, must necessarily dive deep into this doctrine.
