The Jaina Doctrine of Karma And The Science Of Genetics: ▪ Karma Vargaṇā (Groups)

There are many types of atoms in the space (lokākāśa). One type of atoms does not combine with others. These atoms fall into first vargaṇā (group). In second vargaṇā (group), two atoms combine, and onwards. Second group is subtler than first one, and third one subtler than second one. Every atom has colour, smell, taste and touch. There are eight touch qualities:

1. Rough
2. Smooth
3. Hot
4. Cold
5. Light
6. Heavy
7. Sticky
8. Dry

The stickiness and dryness are the important qualities of the touch for binding two or more atoms together. There are infinite levels (degrees) of stickiness and dryness.

1. For atoms of similar touch quality (stickiness or dryness) to bond, there should be at least a difference of two levels in their stickiness and dryness.
   
   
2. For atoms of opposite touch quality (one with stickiness and an other with dryness) they should have similar level (at least two) of touch quality or a difference of two. The quality level should be even (2, 4, 6 etc.) The atoms with odd levels (1, 3, 5 etc.) do not join with each other.
   
   
3. Therefore there are infinite number of individual atoms that don't join with others. The group of such atoms is known as first vargaṇā.
   
   
4. Similarly there are infinite numbers of 2 atoms joined (such groups are called second vargaṇā) infinite numbers of 3 atoms joined (called third vargaṇā) are going upto the group of infinite atoms joined.
   
   
5. Now we come to great group called Mahāvargaṇā. In the first Mahāvargaṇā there are infinite number of first Vargaṇās, second, third upto infinite Vargaṇās. In second Mahāvargaṇā the first group has one more atom joined than the last group of the first Mahāvargaṇā (the first row of this Mahāvargaṇā has infinite number of such groups) and the last group has infinite more atoms joined that the last group of first Mahāvargaṇā (the last row of this Mahāvargaṇā has infinite number of such groups). Similarly third, fourth and upto sixteenth Mahāvargaṇā are there in universe. The number of atoms are more and the size is finer in the second Mahāvargaṇā than in the first Mahāvargaṇā and onwards.
   
   
6. The Mahāvargaṇā with odd number has no use to the living beings. The body of human beings and Tiryanca (other than humane, hellish and heavenly beings) called Audārika śarīra, is made from second mahāvargaṇā. The body of hellish and heavenly beings called vaikriya śarīra is made from fourth mahāvargaṇā. Similarly āhāraka śarīra (special holy body - only very knowledgeable monks can have capacity to develop), Taijaṣa śarīra (body of vital energy), ānāpāna (respiratory system), bhāsā (speech), Manaḥ (mind) and kārmaṇa śarīra are made from sixth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, fourteenth and sixteenth Mahāvargaṇā respectively. All non-liberated living beings have Taijasa śarīra and Kārmaṇa śarīra in addition to their gross body.
   
   
7. The universe is full of karma particles. On the tip of a needle, there are infinite number of karma particles. The modern religious saints have exposed the fine karmas in terms of four touch energy particles spread all over the surrounding in the universe. All types of activities produce vibrations in the living being which attract the karmic particles producing a psycho-physical force called karma. Thus, karma is psycho-physical fine force. Many scholars suggest that the karmic force contributes some energy to slow down or hasten the physical and psychical processes in our body and brain. This results in reducing or maximizing the glandular secretions, hence any material or mental state taken in the body may be causing karmic inputs of course, karmas are finer than these secretions or genes of body system. The karmas, thus, form one of the finer bodies of our system.^[79]

We shall now revert to the question, how the karmas are formed and bounded with the soul. Let us assume that a soul has a karma body attached to it. The past impressions on the karma give rise to kaṣāya or passions. The passions are desires carrying feeling of love and hate or attachment and aversion. There are four main types of passions - anger, pride, illusion or deceit and greed. Based on the degree the passions can be further sub classified. These passions introduce impurities like aberration in the soul. The abilities of the pure soul in the form of infinite knowledge, perception etc. are diminished when passions are assimilated with it. Thus a mundane soul has limited knowledge, perception, vitality and pleasure. The property of pure soul is said to be obscured by karma. A karma is known by particular property it obscures. For example the knowledge of the soul is obscured by knowledge obscuring karma. More is the coverage less is the power of knowing of an individual and vice-versa.

A living being is engaged in actions all the times. The action can be performed by the body, speech or some combinations of these agencies. These actions are accompanying passions induced vibrations in the soul. The nature of vibration depends on the type of action and the magnitude of vibration depends on the degree of passion. Two things happen due to vibrations in the soul. First, the karma body vibrates on account of the principle of resonance, second the vibrating soul attracts karma vargaṇās from the surroundings. The karma vargaṇās are kind of subtle matter particles with four touch assumed to be present all over the cosmos. The karma vargaṇās are aggregates of atoms but still are invisible to eyes. An atom called paramāṇu according to Jainas, is the smallest indivisible, industructible particle of matter. There is only one kind of paramāṇu in the universe and all other material atoms and particles are aggregates of large number of paramāṇus. For example, the atoms of various elements known to science are aggregates of Jaina paramāṇus. The Jainas believe that the paramāṇu has not yet been discovered by science.

The karma vargaṇās bonding with the soul become part of karma body and are called karma. This karma is a group of specific vargaṇā having four touch only that carries the impression of a particular action and which form a part of the karma body. How long do these karma remain in the karma body? Each karma has a life and after that it separates out from the karma body. The shedding of karma from the karma body is known as nirjarā.