Jethalal S. Zaveri
Prof. Muni Mahendra Kumar
jā esa payaḍῑyaṭṭhaṃ cedāgo ṇa vimuñcadi.
ayāṇago have tāvaṃ micchādiṭṭhῑ asaṃjado..7
jadā vimuñcade cedā kammaphalamaṇaṃtayaṃ
tadā vimutto havadi jāṇago pāssago muṇῑ..8
aṇṇāṇῑ kammaphalaṃ payaḍisahāvaṭṭhido du vededi.
ṇāṇῑ puṇa kammaphalaṃ jāṇadi udidaṃ ṇa vededi..9
(Jā esa cedago payaḍiyaṭṭhaṃ ṇa vimuṃcadi) So long as the soul docs not transcend the auxiliary causal force exerted by the (eight main) species of karma on its own psychic states, (tāva ayāṇago micchādiṭṭhi asaṃjado have) it continues its perverse cognition, perverted world-view and inabstinence; [that is, it remains unenlightened].
(Jadā cedā aṇaṃtayaṃ kammaphalaṃ vimuṃcade) But when the soul is able to transcend (renounce) its beginningless desire for enjoying the fruition of karma, (tadā) then and only then (vimutto jāṇago passago muṇῑ havadi) it can cut across the bondage and becomes the knower, the seer and the true ascetic; [that is, it acquires right belief and right knowledge].
(Aṇṇāṇῑ du) The unenlightened soul, (payadisahāvaṭṭhido) establishing himself in the nature of karma-prakṛti [karmic species], (kammaphalaṃ vededi) enjoys or suffers the fruits of karma; (puṇa ṇāṇῑ) and the enlightened one (udidaṃ kamnuiphalaṃ jāṇadi) [only] remains aware of the fruits of karma (ṇa vededi) [but] does not enjoy or suffer them.
Annotations:
In these verses, the author lays down a practical criterion for a true ascetic (muni). As stated in the preceding verses, entanglement of the Self with various species of karma has no beginning and could also be endless if the soul is unable to acquire the ability to transcend the force exerted by the potency of the karma for determining the psychic states of the self. The inter-determination of the two substances, as explained in the preceding verse, creates a powerful vicious circle and the soul is unable to escape from the wheel of uninterrupted cycles of rebirths.
The ajñāni, i.e., the unenlightened soul without the true knowledge of its own pure nature, believes the self and the non-self to be the same and identifies itself with the body and the karma. Consequently, it continues to enjoy (or suffer) the fruits of karma. Ultimately, the soul itself has to endeavor to escape from the vicious circle by increasing the centrifugal force which can overwhelm the centripetal force which does not allow it to escape. The centrifugal force is provided by the inherent purity of the soul and when it is powerful enough, the soul transcends the interaction with the fruition of karma and becomes enlightened. This enables it to discriminate between the self and the non-self. It renounces its interest in the non-self and stops enjoying the fruits of karma. Being uninfluenced by the causal potency of the karma, it does not enjoy the fruits of the karma but remains merely aware of their existence.
