Philosophy In Jain Agams: Materiality of Karma

According to the Jain philosophy, there are two kinds of karma -physical (dravya) and psychic (bhāva). Psychic karma is indulgence of the soul in attachment and aversion. The karma particles attracted by the actions done with attachment and aversion are physical or corporeal in nature. In Bhagavatī, a question has been raised as to how many colours, smells, tastes and touches are possessed by the eighteen kinds of sin (pāpa). In response, it has been written that these eighteen sins possess five colours (black, blue, red, yellow and white), two smells (good and bad), five tastes (astringent, bitter, sour, spicy and sweet) and four touches (cold, hot, viscous and dry).^[1]  Matter in general possesses the four qualities i.e. colour, smell, taste and touch.^[2] The atoms of karma are very subtle. Only the cluster form of karma particles possessing infinite atoms can get bound to the soul.^[3] These subtle cluster forms (skandha) have only four touches, whereas, the gross cluster forms have all the eight touches. Sense organs can perceive only the gross molecular forms possessing eight touch qualities. Hence, the karma particles cannot become a subject of senses. Through extra sensory perception, one can cognize them. There is a possibility, that they could be perceived sometime in the future, through special technological assistance.