Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
There is a mention of fifty two names of mohanīya karma in Samavāyāṅga.[1] Basically, there are four pillars of mohaniya karma-anger, pride, deceit and greed. Considering the parts as the complete form and units as the whole, these four are called as mohanīya themselves. In this way, there is a count of fifty two names of mohanīya karma including ten forms of anger, eleven forms of pride, seventeen forms of deceit and fourteen forms of greed. Altogether, they make fifty two forms or names of mohanīya karma [2]-
Anger: Anger, wrath, rage, irritability, flaming up, quarrel, nature of circumcision, mischief, dispute
Pride: Pride, intoxication, hauteur, pretentiousness, self-praise, arrogance, blaming others, excessive exaggeration or sense of false elevation, sense of inferiority, lofty-ness, sense of rising
Deceit: Deceit, act of putting to, low conduct, valya, inexplicable, num, wickedness, kuruk-crooked, hypocrisy, forgery, jaihy, faultyness, misconduct, hiding, wile, parikunchan and sachiyoga
Greed: Greed, desire, infatuation, wish, greediness, strong desire, improperly, longing desire, lust for sex, lust for worldly happiness, lust for life, lust of death, Nandī (indulgence in false joy) and attachment. These are different forms and intensities of the four main passions like anger, pride, deceit and greed. Here, the types and subtypes of deluding karma that are mentioned, are the forms of deluding karma themselves.
Three Types of Delusions
Jñāna moha (delusion of knowledge), darśana moha (delusion of faith) and cāritra moha (delusion of conduct) - these three types of delusions have been mentioned in Sthānāṅga.[3] The commentator of this text, has described that delusion of knowledge means the rise of knowledge obscuring karmas where as delusion of faith is due to the rise of right faith deluding (samyaktva-mohanīya) karmas.[4] Here, moha (delusion) does not mean obscuration or veiling but it refers to perversion. Due to Jñāna moha, the knowledge of the person gets perverted. Darśana moha deludes one's faith and cāritra moha deludes one's conduct. Delusion in consciousness is caused by the deluding karma and knowledge obscuring karma has no role in it.[5] Deluding karmas are of two types -faith deluding and conduct deluding.[6] Darśana moha is caused by the rise of faith deluding karmas and cāritra moha is caused by the rise of conduct deluding karmas. Knowledge-obscuring karmas are responsible for Jñāna moha. The word moha, is normally used with the faith and the conduct both, but, the use of this word with knowledge, is something unique here. Due to delusion in faith and conduct, one's faith perverts and conduct regresses. He can neither know the truth, nor is his conduct able to take him to his goal or final destination i.e. salvation. The reason for using the word Jñāna moha with the other two (i.e. darśana moha and cāritra moha) seems that -'knowledge of reality is essential for having right faith.' If knowledge about reality is perverted, then faith cannot be the right one. Knowledge-delusion seems to be preceding factor for faith delusion and its elimination is prior condition for elimination of faith-delusion. When knowledge is right, faith will also become right and accordingly, then the conduct becomes right and perfect, for attaining salvation. It seems possible that the composers of āgamas have viewed all the three in a chain, linking each other as complementary factors. There is also a cause and effect relation between them. Right knowledge begets right faith and right faith begets right conduct. At some another place in Sthānāṅga there is a mention of two kinds of delusion - Jñāna moha and darśana moha i.e. knowledge delusion and faith delusion.[7] Here also the composers of āgamas have left the cāritra moha, but, have mentioned Jñāna moha. This implies that there is some relation between the delusion of knowledge and delusion of faith. If knowledge is not right, faith also can never be right. The traditional belief is that 'only right faith begets right knowledge'. Prior to the attainment of the right faith, even knowledge cannot become right'- This statement is also relative. After achieving specific spiritual growth, right faith begets right knowledge- this statement is true, but, in order to achieve this state, simultaneous elimination of delusion of knowledge (partial) appears to be essential. Lord Mahavira has laid importance on knowledge in Daśavaikālika. There, the conduct is regarded as based on knowledge.[8] Although there is no mention of faith over there, but, in the field of conduct, prominence of knowledge is apparently stated. Similarly, in the purity of faith, the elimination of faith deluding karma is essential cause and elimination of knowledge obscuring karmas is the supportive one.
