Philosophy In Jain Agams: Īryāpathikī and Sāmparāyikī kriyā

There are two kinds of Bondage - Iryākpathika (Instantaneous) and Sāmparāyika (Long Term). The bondage which occurs due to physical act only is called an instantaneous bondage, while the bondage caused due to passions is called a long-term bondage.^[1]

Nature of Īryāpathikī kriyās

When the body is in motion, the activities undertaken by the body for motion are called as īryāpathikī actions. But its practical usage is in the sense of 'action due to pure (dis-passioned) yoga'.^[2] The commentator of Bhagavatī, has defined īryāpathikī kriyā as a physical activity in the commentary of aphorism 1/444 and in the commentary of 3/148, it has been mentioned as yoga (activities). In the two statements mentioned above, the first one holds that the bondage of karma occurs through physical activities alone (Iryapathiki kriyā). On the other hand, the second statement states that the bondage of karma occurs through yoga i.e. mental, vocal and physical activities. Analysis of these statements, proves that īryāpathikī bandha takes place only due to physical activities because a spiritual practitioner has much more control over mental and verbal activities in comparison to the physical activities. One cannot totally control or stop all the actions of the body voluntarily. Hence, here the yoga (actions) must be understood as physical actions alone. A being free from attachment-aversion (vītarāga) possesses all the three yogas i.e. physical, mental and verbal activities, however, importance seems to be laid upon physical activities only.

Through activities, beings endowed with attachment-aversion (Avitarāga) undergo Sāmparāyika bondage and beings free form attachment-aversion (vītarāga) undergo īryāpathikī bondage.^[3] A restraint-ascetic with the awakened consciousness, walks, stands, sits, sleeps, receives and keeps the necessary objects like clothes, pots, shawl and even doormats etc. but his actions are īryāpathika and not the sāmparāyika one. A Bhāvitātmā (self-engrossed ascetic) does īryāpathika actions.^[4] Similarly, ascetics who follow the scriptural descriptions with immense faith and respect also perform īryāpathika actions, though on the contrary, those who act in disharmony with scriptural writings, their activities are sāmparayikī actions.^[5]

Types of Īryāpathikīkriyās

In the Bhagavatī, there are various descriptions about the nature of the two types of kriyā. It is mentioned that there are four types of īryāpathikīkriyā.

1. Karma bondage due to physical actions alone.
2. Karma bondage of a dispassionate soul.
3. Karma bondage of an ascetic who acts strictly according to the injunction of the scriptures
4. Karma bondage of a completely restraint or self-engrossed ascetic.

Types of Sāmparāyikī kriyā

There are two types of Sāmparāyika kriyā

• Karma bondage due to passions.
• Karma bondage for not following the scriptural descipline

In the first śataka of the Bhagavatī, īryāpathika bondage has been related to the physical actions alone. The seventh śataka of the same text, is related to the dispassionate state or the absence of passions and actions of those who follows scriptural preachings. In the eighteenth śataka, there is also a mention that if a being is killed by an ascetic (whose soul is sublimated with knowledge, faith, conduct and various contemplations) while walking attentively, he will not be bound with sāmparayika bondage, but, it will be īryāpathikī action and bondage will also be of that kind.^[6]The Bhagavatī has discussed these two kinds of actions from various viewpoints.

Karmic Bondage due to Īryāpathikī kriyā

Acharya Mahapragya has presented his analytic description about sāmparayikī and īryāpathikī actions (kriyā) states^[7]: An ascetic who has eliminated his anger, pride, deceit and greed indulges in īryāpathikī actions (kriyā). However, those ascetics who continue to have these instincts, undertake sāmparāyikī kriyā.^[8]This statement highlights the fact that - vītarāgī (dispassionate) beings do īryāpathikī kriyā and avītarāgī (passionate) beings do sāmparayikī kriyā. It is for sure that the dispassionate beings undertake īryāpathikī kriyā, but whether passionate beings undertake īryāpathikī kriyā or not, is analyzable.

Siddhasenagani has classified dispassionate states into two classes:

• dispassionate (vītarāga) and
• passionate (sarāga)

Dispassionate (vītarāga) states are of three kinds-subsidence of passions (upaśānta moha), destruction of passions (kṣīṇamoha) and omniscient (kevalī). When there is an absence of agitation of passions, even a person possessing mildest degree of passion (sañjvalana kaṣāyī), can also be called as a dispassionate person. He is dispassionate due to the dormant passions. Affirming this statement, he has quoted one and half aphorism of 'Ogha Niryukti'.^[9] Dronacaraya in Ogha Niryukti has written that, an ascetic who possesses right knowledge and is completely conscious towards the self (spiritually vigilant), then in his case, even if a being is killed due to his physical activities, then he is not bound by sāmparāyika karma, but only īryāpathika karmas are bound.^[10]

The composer of the āgama has used words like 'vyucchinna' and 'avyuchinna' for anger, pride, deceit and greed. Here, 'vyucchinna' word is worth analysing. It is noteworthy that the word kṣīna (destruction) is not used. Patanjali has stated four states of kleśa as - dormant (prasupta), mild (tanu), frequently gets dissolved (vicchinna), and experience (udāra). The kleśa (passions) frequently gets dissolved. It does not always remain in active mode.^[11] Abhayadevasuri has referred to the meaning of vocchinna as anudita, i.e. a non-fruition state or an inactive state.^[12] Siddhasenagani's views and those of the author of Ogha Niryukti are analyzable on the basis of these two words i.e. vyucchinna and avyucchinna.

The īryāpathikī kriyā is not related to walking only, but with every action that is done in life and behaviour. The process of karmic bondage of an īryāpathikī action is available in the Bhagavatī Sūtra. In this process, the karma is bound or becomes unified with the soul in one instant. When the karmic particles that are capable of becoming karma, get transferred into karma, it is referred to as state of 'bandha' i.e. bondage. When those particles get into contact with the particular pradeṣas of the soul, they are called as spṛṣṭa (in touch). In the second instant of time, those bound karmas come to fruition and are experienced by the person. In the third instant, they fall off the soul. For the state of second instant, another sūtrakāra (compositor) has used two words i.e. 'udīriyā veiyā' i.e. rising and experience. This means that both the states of rising and experience happen in a single instant of time. Actually, the rising of karma cannot take place during the instant of bondage. Hence, it takes place any subsequent instants of time.^[13]

Karmas that are bound by īryāpathikī actions are bound for only two instants of time.^[14] Jayacharya has also quoted it to be of two instants.^[15] The commentator of the Tattvārtha believes its duration to be of one instant of time.^[16] The author of vṛtti holds that the instants of experience of karma are its duration.^[17]

In the view of Siddhasenagaṇi and Dronacharya, even a sarāga (passionate being) does īryāpathikī actions, when he is in a dispassionate state.
Few queries arise from the above-mentioned composition

1. Anāyukta - When an ascetic walks in a non-vigilant state, then his actions are sāmparāyika, but, a vigilant ascetic walks mindfully and even in this state, if sāmparayikī kriyā occurs, then, what is the relevance of the questions of Gautam and answers of Lord Mahavira?
2. Yathāsūtra- The actions of an ascetic who strictly follows the injunctions of scriptural discipline, are īryāpathikī and in the case of one who does not follow them, his actions are sāmparayikī, then the question arises, whether all the passionate ascetics are following the path preached by Jina or not? These questions demand analysis based on views of Siddhasenagani.

Although, Acharya Mahapragya has mentioned that the view of Siddhasenagani and Dronacharya are analyzable, he has not clearly stated his own view on them, after presenting the above mentioned two questions. However, he has presented his reflections in accordance with Siddhasenagani's view, which seem to be appropriate.

There is a clear mention in the Bhagavatī that a self- engrossed being (bhāvitātmā) and a conscious- restraint ascetic (āyukta) undertakes īryāpathikī actions. It is not necessary that the self- engrossed being (bhāvitātmā) and the conscious restraint ascetic (āyukta) must be a dispassionate one. If a restraint ascetic is always a dispassionate person, then why should the word 'āyukta' be used as an adjective in his case because a dispassionate is always āyukta (conscious) and there is no need to use this adjective for a vītarāga. Hence, the description of a restraint- ascetic is not synonymous to that of a dispassionate in this context. Out of the five kinds of bakuṣa as referred in the Bhagavatī, two bakuṣas are - restraint (samvṛta) bakuṣa and non-restraint (asamvṛta) bakuṣa.^[18] Bakuṣa is definitely a passionate person, but, even then he can be a restraint one also. Hence, the word restraint- ascetic found in the context of īryāpathikī kriyā, is different from the dispassionate beings. Similarly, even the word bhāvitātmā does not seem to be referring to the dispassionate (free from attachment-aversion) ones.

The īryāpathikī actions of a dispassionate person cause only the bondage of pleasure-producing karmas. If we believe in akaṣāyī sarāga i.e. passionate beings with subdued passions also undertake īryāpathikī kriyā, then which and how many karmas are bound to that person, again requires consideration. Here, the noteworthy fact is, that before the attainment of the state of complete dispassionateness (akaṣāya), there is an acceptance of the bondage of seven or eight karmas and the bondage of six karmas (in tenth guṇasthāna).