A History of Indian Philosophy Part 29

Plants in which only one soul is embodied are always gross; they exist in the habitable part of the world only. But those plants of which each is a colony of plant lives may also be subtle and invisible, and in that case they are distributed all over the world.

The whole universe is full of minute beings called _niG.o.das_; they are groups of infinite number of souls forming very small cl.u.s.ters, having respiration and nutrition in common and experiencing extreme pains. The whole s.p.a.ce of the world is closely packed with them like a box filled with powder. The niG.o.das furnish the supply of souls in place of those that have reached Moksa. But an infinitesimally small fraction of one single niG.o.da has sufficed to replace the vacancy caused in the world by the Nirvana of all the souls that have been liberated from beginningless past down to the present. Thus it is evident the [email protected] will never be empty of living beings. Those of the _niG.o.das_ who long for development come out and continue their course of progress through successive stages [Footnote ref 1].

Karma Theory.

It is on account of their merits or demerits that the jivas are born as G.o.ds, men, animals, or denizens of h.e.l.l. We have already noticed in Chapter III that the cause of the embodiment of soul is the presence in it of karma matter. The natural perfections of the pure soul are sullied by the different kinds of karma matter.

Those which obscure right knowledge of details (_jnana_) are called [email protected]_, those which obscure right perception (_dars'ana_) as in sleep are called _dars'anavaraniya_, those which

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[Footnote 1: See Jacobi's article on Jainism, _E. R.E._, and _Lokaprakas'a_, VI. pp. 31 ff.]

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obscure the bliss-nature of the soul and thus produce pleasure and pain are _vedaniya_, and those which obscure the right att.i.tude of the soul towards faith and right conduct _mohaniya_ [Footnote ref 1]. In addition to these four kinds of karma there are other four kinds of karma which determine (1) the length of life in any birth, (2) the peculiar body with its general and special qualities and faculties, (3) the nationality, caste, family, social standing, etc., (4) the inborn energy of the soul by the obstruction of which it prevents the doing of a good action when there is a desire to do it. These are respectively called (1) [email protected] karma_, (2) _nama karma_, (3) _gotra karma_, (4) _antaraya karma_. By our actions of mind, speech and body, we are continually producing certain subtle karma matter which in the first instance is called _bhava karma_, which transforms itself into _dravya karma_ and pours itself into the soul and sticks there by coming into contact with the pa.s.sions ([email protected]_) of the soul. These act like viscous substances in retaining the inpouring karma matter. This matter acts in eight different ways and it is accordingly divided into eight cla.s.ses, as we have already noticed. This karma is the cause of bondage and sorrow. According as good or bad karma matter sticks to the soul it gets itself coloured respectively as golden, lotus-pink, white and black, blue and grey and they are called the _les'yas_. The feelings generated by the acc.u.mulation of the karma-matter are called _bhava-les'ya_ and the actual coloration of the soul by it is called _dravya-les'ya_. According as any karma matter has been generated by good, bad, or indifferent actions, it gives us pleasure, pain, or feeling of indifference. Even the knowledge that we are constantly getting by perception, inference, etc., is but the result of the effect of karmas in accordance with which the particular kind of veil which was obscuring any particular kind of knowledge is removed at any time and we have a knowledge of a corresponding nature. By our own karmas the veils over our knowledge, feeling, etc., are so removed that we have just that kind of knowledge and feeling that we deserved to have. All knowledge, feeling, etc., are thus in one sense generated from within, the external objects which are ordinarily said to be generating them all being but mere coexistent external conditions.

[Footnote 1: The Jains acknowledge five kinds of knowledge: (1) _matijnana_ (ordinary cognition), (2) _s'ruti_ (testimony), (3) _avadhi_ (supernatural cognition), (4) [email protected]_ (thought-reading), (5) _kevala-jnana_ (omniscience).]

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After the effect of a particular karma matter ([email protected]_) is once produced, it is discharged and purged from off the soul.

This process of purging off the karmas is called _nirjara_. If no new karma matter should acc.u.mulate then, the gradual purging off of the karmas might make the soul free of karma matter, but as it is, while some karma matter is being purged off, other karma matter is continually pouring in, and thus the purging and binding processes continuing simultaneously force the soul to continue its mundane cycle of existence, transmigration, and rebirth.

After the death of each individual his soul, together with its karmic body ([email protected]'arira_), goes in a few moments to the place of its new birth and there a.s.sumes a new body, expanding or contracting in accordance with the dimensions of the latter.

In the ordinary course karma takes effect and produces its proper results, and at such a stage the soul is said to be in the _audayika_ state. By proper efforts karma may however be prevented from taking effect, though it still continues to exist, and this is said to be the _aupas'amika_ state of the soul. When karma is not only prevented from operating but is annihilated, the soul is said to be in the [email protected]_ state, and it is from this state that [email protected] is attained. There is, however, a fourth state of ordinary good men with whom some karma is annihilated, some neutralized, and some active ([email protected]'amika_) [Footnote ref 1].

Karma, asrava and Nirjara.

It is on account of karma that the souls have to suffer all the experiences of this world process, including births and rebirths in diverse spheres of life as G.o.ds, men or animals, or insects.

The karmas are certain sorts of infra-atomic particles of matter ([email protected]_}. The influx of these karma particles into the soul is called asrava in Jainism. These karmas are produced by body, mind, and speech. The asravas represent the channels or modes through which the karmas enter the soul, just like the channels through which water enters into a pond. But the Jains distinguish between the channels and the karmas which actually

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[Footnote 1: The stages through which a developing soul pa.s.ses are technically called [email protected]_ which are fourteen in number. The first three stages represent the growth of faith in Jainism, the next five stages are those in which all the pa.s.sions are controlled, in the next four stages the ascetic practises yoga and destroys all his karmas, at the thirteenth stage he is divested of all karmas but he still practises yoga and at the fourteenth stage he attains liberation (see [email protected]@rtti, 13th verse).]

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enter through those channels. Thus they distinguish two kinds of asravas, bhavasrava and karmasrava. Bhavasrava means the thought activities of the soul through which or on account of which the karma particles enter the soul [Footnote ref 1]. Thus Nemicandra says that bhavasrava is that kind of change in the soul (which is the contrary to what can destroy the karmasrava), by which the karmas enter the soul [Footnote ref 2]. Karmasrava, however, means the actual entrance of the karma matter into the soul. These bhavasravas are in general of five kinds, namely delusion (_mithyatva_), want of control (_avirati_), inadvertence (_pramada_), the activities of body, mind and speech (_yoga_) and the pa.s.sions ([email protected]_). Delusion again is of five kinds, namely _ekanta_ (a false belief unknowingly accepted and uncritically followed), _viparita_ (uncertainty as to the exact nature of truth), _vinaya_ (retention of a belief knowing it to be false, due to old habit), [email protected]'aya_ (doubt as to right or wrong) and _ajnana_ (want of any belief due to the want of application of reasoning powers).

Avirati is again of five kinds, injury ([email protected]_), falsehood ([email protected]_), stealing (_cauryya_), incontinence (_abrahma_), and desire to have things which one does not already possess ([email protected]@sa_).

Pramada or inadvertence is again of five kinds, namely bad conversation (_vikatha_), pa.s.sions ([email protected]_), bad use of the five senses (_indriya_), sleep (_nidra_), attachment (_raga_) [Footnote ref 3].

Coming to dravyasrava we find that it means that actual influx of karma which affects the soul in eight different manners in accordance with which these karmas are cla.s.sed into eight different kinds, namely [email protected], [email protected], vedaniya, mohaniya, ayu, nama, gotra and antaraya. These actual influxes take place only as a result of the bhavasrava or the reprehensible thought activities, or changes ([email protected]_) of the soul.

The states of thought which condition the coming in of the karmas is called bhavabandha and the actual bondage of the soul by the actual impure connections of the karmas is technically called dravyabandha. It is on account of bhavabandha that the actual connection between the karmas and the soul can take place [Footnote ref 4].

The actual connections of the karmas with the soul are like the sticking

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[Footnote 1: [email protected]_, S'I. 29.]

[Footnote 2: Nemicandra's commentary on [email protected]_, S'I. 29, edited by S.C. Ghoshal, Arrah, 1917.]

[Footnote 3: See Nemicandra's commentary on S'I. 30.]

[Footnote 4: Nemicandra on 31, and [email protected]_ XVI. 44, quoted by Ghoshal.]

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of dust on the body of a person who is besmeared all over with oil. Thus Gunaratna says "The influx of karma means the contact of the particles of karma matter, in accordance with the particular kind of karma, with the soul just like the sticking of dust on the body of a person besmeared with oil. In all parts of the soul there being infinite number of karma atoms it becomes so completely covered with them that in some sense when looked at from that point of view the soul is sometimes regarded as a material body during its [email protected] stage [Footnote ref 1]." From one point of view the bondage of karma is only of [email protected]_ and _papa_ (good and bad karmas) [Footnote ref 2]. From another this bondage is of four kinds, according to the nature of karma ([email protected]_) duration of bondage (_sthiti_), intensity (_anubhaga_) and extension (_prades'a_).

The nature of karma refers to the eight cla.s.ses of karma already mentioned, namely the jnanavaraniya karma which obscures the infinite knowledge of the soul of all things in detail, [email protected] karma which obscures the infinite general knowledge of the soul, vedaniya karma which produces the feelings of pleasure and pain in the soul, mohaniya karma, which so infatuates souls that they fail to distinguish what is right from what is wrong, ayu karma, which determines the tenure of any particular life, nama karma which gives them personalities, gotra karma which brings about a particular kind of social surrounding for the soul and antaraya karma which tends to oppose the performance of right actions by the soul. The duration of the stay of any karma in the soul is called sthiti. Again a karma may be intense, middling or mild, and this indicates the third principle of division, anubhaga. Prades'a refers to the different parts of the soul to which the karma particles attach themselves. The duration of stay of any karma and its varying intensity are due to the nature of the kasayas or pa.s.sions of the soul, whereas the different cla.s.sification of karmas as jnanavaraniya, etc., are due to the nature of specific contact of the soul with karma matter [Footnote ref 3].

Corresponding to the two modes of inrush of karmas (bhavasrava and dravyasrava) are two kinds of control opposing this inrush, by actual thought modification of a contrary nature and by the actual stoppage of the inrush of karma particles, and these are respectively called [email protected] and [email protected] [Footnote ref 4].

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[Footnote 1: See [email protected], p. 181]

[Footnote 2: _Ibid_.]

[Footnote 3: Nemicandra, 33.]

[Footnote 4: [email protected]_ XVI 67-68, and [email protected]@rtti_ S'I. 35.]

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The [email protected] are (1) the vows of non-injury, truthfulness, abstinence from stealing, s.e.x-control, and non-acceptance of objects of desire, (2) samitis consisting of the use of trodden tracks in order to avoid injury to insects (_irya_), gentle and holy talk ([email protected]_), receiving proper alms ([email protected]@na_), etc, (3) _guptis_ or restraints of body, speech and mind, (4) _dharmas_ consisting of habits of forgiveness, humility, straightforwardness, truth, cleanliness, restraint, penance, abandonment indifference to any kind of gain or loss, and supreme s.e.x-control [Footnote ref 1], (5) [email protected]_ consisting of meditation about the transient character of the world, about our helplessness without the truth, about the cycles of world-existence, about our own responsibilities for our good and bad actions, about the difference between the soul and the non-soul, about the uncleanliness of our body and all that is a.s.sociated with it, about the influx of karma and its stoppage and the destruction of those karmas which have already entered the soul, about soul, matter and the substance of the universe, about the difficulty of attaining true knowledge, faith and conduct, and about the essential principles of the world [Footnote ref 2], (6) the [email protected]_ consisting of the conquering of all kinds of physical troubles of heat, cold, etc, and of feelings of discomforts of various kinds, (7) _caritra_ or right conduct.

Next to this we come to nirjara or the purging off of the karmas or rather their destruction. This nirjara also is of two kinds bhavanirjara and dravyanirjara. Bhavanirjara means that change in the soul by virtue of which the karma particles are destroyed. Dravyanirjara means the actual destruction of these karma particles either by the reaping of their effects or by penances before their time of fruition, called savipaka and avipaka nirjaras respectively. When all the karmas are destroyed [email protected] or liberation is effected.

Pudgala.

The _ajiva_ (non-living) is divided into _pudgalastikaya, dharmastikaya, adharmastikaya, akas'astikaya, kala, [email protected], papa_. The word _pudgala_ means matter [Footnote ref 3], and it is called _astikaya_ in the sense that it occupies s.p.a.ce. Pudgala is made up of atoms

[Footnote 1: _Tattvarthadhigamasutra_.]

[Footnote 2: _Ibid_.]

[Footnote 3: This is entirely different from the Buddhist sense. With the Buddhists _pudgala_ means an individual or a person.]

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