Jain Darshan Ka Karmsiddhant Jivan Ka Manovaigyanik Vishleshan - Book Summary

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Book Title: Jain Darshan ka Karmsiddhant Jivan ka Manovaigyanik Vishleshan (The Theory of Karma in Jain Philosophy: A Psychological Analysis of Life) Author: Prem Suman Jain

This document delves into the fundamental concept of Karma in Jain philosophy, presenting it as a sophisticated psychological framework for understanding life.

1. Three Streams of Karmavada (The Theory of Karma):

The author begins by situating the theory of karma as the bedrock of Indian thought, akin to the pinnacle of liberation. Indian thinkers primarily debated karma in three ways:

Atheistic Traditions (Jainism, Buddhism, Mimamsa): These schools believe karma is inherently powerful and operates independently, without the need for a divine controller.
Theistic Traditions (Vishishtadvaita, Shaivism): These traditions posit a divine overseer or God who dispenses the appropriate fruits of karma to the soul.
Non-Dual Vedanta and Sankhya: These schools do not consider karma to have ultimate reality; it is believed to vanish with the eradication of ignorance.

Despite these differences, all traditions agree that actions (karma) must yield results, whether good or bad.

Jainism's Unique Approach to Karma:

The text highlights Jainism's exceptionally deep, detailed, and scientific contemplation of karma. No other tradition offers such a nuanced analysis. Jainism's unique contribution is its assertion that the theory of karma is so potent and autonomous that it doesn't require an external regulator to dispense karmic fruits. This is described as the governance of the non-sentient (karma) over the sentient (soul), a concept the author finds initially surprising but ultimately a testament to the brilliance of Jain thinkers who simplified life's complexities with scientific clarity.

2. The Origin and Foundation of Jain Karma Theory:

The text poses the questions of how and when the theory of karma began in Jainism. While other philosophies searched for the causes of the world's diversity, Jainism didn't accept easy answers like divine will. Instead of attributing the world's varied forms to God's wish, Jainism's introspection led to a more profound understanding.

Jain philosophy's foundational principles are presented as four states:

Two Fundamental Elements: The universe is composed of two primary substances: Jiva (soul/sentient) and Ajiva (non-soul/non-sentient).
Interaction and Diversity: The contact between the sentient and non-sentient causes the soul to undergo various transformations, leading to the world's diversity.
The Soul's Power: The soul possesses the inherent capacity to cease and completely destroy this contact.
Liberation: Upon severing this contact, the soul becomes pure and immaculate, achieving liberation.

These four states give rise to four core Jain principles:

Tattvajnan Nirupan (Explanation of Truths): Analysis of creation.
Karma-Siddhanta (Theory of Karma): A psychological study of life.
Jainachar (Jain Conduct): Discipline and ascetic practices.
Mukti (Liberation): The highest achievement in life.

The Jain explanation of these principles is further elaborated through the Seven Tattvas (Principles). The first principle deals with Jiva and Ajiva. The second focuses on Asrava (Influx) and Bandha (Bondage), which are central to the karma theory. The third relates to Samvara (Stoppage) and Nirjara (Shedding), and the fourth to Moksha (Liberation). This section aims to examine Asrava and Bandha, highlighting how Jain thinkers anticipated modern psychology's insights thousands of years ago.

3. The Soul's Contact with Karma:

The text explains that for karma to bind the soul, there must be an influx of karmic particles (karmapudgala) into the soul. This influx is termed Asrava, the "doorway" through which karma enters. This doorway is the soul's own power called Yoga, which encompasses mental, verbal, and physical activities (thoughts, speech, and actions). Therefore, the mind and the five senses are the primary causes of karmic influx. The interaction of the soul with karmic atoms through these activities is what constitutes "karma."

The mind plays a crucial role in this karmic bondage. All life's activities, thoughts, desires, affections, and aversions are governed by the mind, which also controls the five senses. The soul's development and downfall depend on the mind. While Jainism describes the mind as restless and difficult to conquer, it also provides methods for its control, such as Samvara (restraint) and dhyana (meditation). By controlling the mind and the senses, desires are naturally extinguished, leading to a balanced dynamism in life. Thus, the mind is the principal cause of karmic bondage.

4. Types of Karmic Influx:

Karmic particles approach the soul in two ways:

Marganugami (Path-following) Asrava: This occurs through ordinary activities of the body, speech, and mind. It doesn't create a stable bond, as karmic particles enter and leave quickly, like dust on clean cloth. This type of influx is constant for all worldly beings and doesn't have a significant lasting impact on the soul.
Sakashaya (With Passion) Asrava: This happens when mental, physical, or verbal activities are accompanied by intense emotions like Krodha (anger), Mana (pride), Maya (deceit), and Lobha (greed), collectively known as Kashayas. These Kashayas create an affinity in the soul for external substances, causing karmic particles to adhere strongly and not separate easily. The term "Kashaya" itself signifies a sticky, adhesive quality, like tree sap. In psychological terms, Kashayas are mental states that corrupt the soul and create distortions. Karmic influx in this state leaves a lasting impact on the soul.

5. Karma's Relationship is Beginningless:

A natural question arises: since karma is non-sentient and the soul is sentient, how do they interact and form a bond? Jainism, like other Indian philosophies, considers the relationship between the soul and karma to be Anadi (beginningless). This is necessary because if karma were to bind a pure soul for the first time, it would raise problematic questions about how purity can be corrupted and whether liberation is even possible.

The beginningless nature of the bond means that as long as a soul exists in the cycle of birth and death, it will inevitably experience some attachment or aversion. These subtle passions, however, do not diminish the soul's inherent consciousness. The analogy of milk with a small amount of water is used: it is still called milk. These subtle attachments and aversions bind new karma, leading to rebirths in various forms. This cycle of attachment-aversion and karma is the cycle of Samsara.

The exact nature of the soul-karmic atom combination is not precisely defined, but it's more than a mere conjunction. It's a Bandha (bondage), implying a chemical-like transformation where both elements lose their original state and merge into a new composite, similar to how milk and water blend, affecting each other.

6. Types of Karma:

Jainism further categorizes karma into eight fundamental types, known as Karma Prakriti (Natures of Karma), each with numerous sub-types:

Jnāvaranīya Karma (Knowledge-obscuring Karma): Veils the soul's innate knowledge.
Darshanāvaranīya Karma (Perception-obscuring Karma): Veils the soul's innate perception.
Mohanīya Karma (Delusion-inducing Karma): Creates delusion, mistaken beliefs, and contrary inclinations, affecting the soul's conduct.
Antarāya Karma (Obstruction Karma): Hinders the soul's ability to give, gain, enjoy, derive pleasure, and utilize its strength.
Vedanīya Karma (Feeling Karma): Causes the experience of pleasure and pain from existing conditions.
Āyu Karma (Lifespan Karma): Determines the duration of life in different realms (heavenly, hellish, human, animalistic).
Nāma Karma (Name/Form Karma): Determines the physical form, including beauty or ugliness.
Gotra Karma (Status Karma): Determines one's birth into a high or low social status.

7. Causes of Karmic Bondage:

While general causes of karmic bondage are the mind-speech-action tendencies driven by Kashayas, Jainism provides a detailed breakdown:

Obstructing or criticizing someone's knowledge leads to Jnāvaranīya Karma.
Hindering someone's right perception results in Darshanāvaranīya Karma.
Criticizing virtuous individuals and generating intense anger and other Kashayas causes Mohanīya Karma.
Interfering with charitable acts, gains, enjoyments, or powers leads to Antarāya Karma.
Causing suffering to oneself or others leads to Asāta Vedanīya Karma (unpleasant feeling karma), which leads to suffering. Showing compassion and kindness to beings results in Sāta Vedanīya Karma (pleasant feeling karma), leading to happiness. These pleasant and unpleasant feelings contribute to states of merit and demerit, although both bind karma.
Excessive attachment to worldly affairs and possessions leads to Naraka Āyu (hellish lifespan). Deceit leads to Tiryañcha Āyu (animalistic lifespan). Minimal worldly involvement, mildness of nature, and controlled desires lead to Manushya Āyu (human lifespan). Restraint and asceticism lead to Dev Āyu (celestial lifespan).
Criticizing others and praising oneself leads to Nichagotra (low status). The opposite qualities, like humility and respect, lead to Uchagotra (high status).
Crookedness and wicked actions in mind, speech, and body lead to Ashubha Nāma Karma (inauspicious name karma), resulting in an unattractive form. Conversely, virtuous conduct leads to Shubha Nāma Karma (auspicious name karma), leading to a beautiful form and even the potential to become a Tirthankara.

8. Karma's Duration and Potency:

The duration for which bound karma remains in the soul's possession and then sheds its fruits is determined by the intensity or mildness of the soul's Kashayas. This is termed Sthiti Bandha (duration of bondage), which can be of three types: inferior, medium, and superior. Along with duration, karma also develops the potency to yield fruits intensely or mildly.

9. The Fruition of Karma:

A crucial aspect is how karma yields its fruits. While other philosophies often see humans as free in action but bound in consequence, with God as the dispenser of fruits, Jainism asserts that karma yields its own fruits. No judge is needed. Karmic particles that are attracted to the soul through mind, speech, and actions, and then bound by attachment and aversion, possess the inherent power to produce good or bad effects, like wine or milk. This power manifests through the soul's consciousness, influencing the soul's actions, leading to happiness or suffering. If the soul's intentions are good during karma formation, the bound karmic particles are positively influenced, leading to good fruits later. Bad intentions have a negative impact, leading to bad fruits. Therefore, the soul is as free in experiencing the fruits of karma as it is in performing actions.

10. Transformation of Karma:

The text addresses the question of whether karma, constantly binding and yielding fruits, should always be the same. How can a soul that binds bad karma also bind good karma? Jainism explains this through the interplay of Yoga and Kashaya.

Yoga (mind-speech-body activities) governs the influx of karmic particles and the variety and quantity of karma bound.
Kashaya (passions like attachment-aversion) determines how long karma stays with the soul and the intensity of its fruit-bearing capacity.

Therefore, the type of karma bound and its fruition depend on an individual's Yoga and Kashaya. Jainism outlines ten main activities of karma, including binding, yielding fruits, yielding before time, not allowing decrease or increase, increasing or decreasing potency, remaining stable, yielding definitively, and merging with similar karmas.

Crucially, if a soul that binds bad karma begins to cultivate good intentions, the duration and fruit-bearing potency of the previously bound bad karma are reduced. Conversely, if the soul continues to bind bad karma with increasingly corrupt intentions, the duration and potency of prior karma are further enhanced. This continuous modification explains why some karma yields fruits quickly and others slowly, and why the intensity of fruition varies.

11. Liberation from Karma:

The final and most significant question is how to achieve complete freedom from this vast cycle of karmic bondage. Jainism's ultimate goal and supreme achievement lie in answering this question.

The process of liberation involves two key actions:

Samvara (Stoppage of Influx): Preventing new karma from entering the soul.
Nirjara (Shedding of Karma): Separating the already bound karma from the soul.

When both Samvara and Nirjara are accomplished, the soul attains the state of liberation. The efforts made in the Jain tradition for liberation are embodied in Jain Dharma, which has two components:

Achara Mula Dharma (Conduct-based Dharma): Rooted in Ahimsa (non-violence). This is practiced by householders (Shravakas and Shravikas) who strive to stop new karma and practice Samvara.
Charitra Mula Dharma (Character-based Dharma): Based on Samyam (restraint) and Tapas (asceticism). This is followed by ascetics who strive to completely separate accumulated karma from the soul, practicing Nirjara. The culmination of this practice is Moksha (liberation).

Responsibility and Power:

The text concludes by emphasizing how the theory of karma scientifically and subtly illuminates every aspect of life. Understanding karma places responsibility on humans for their actions but also awakens the power to change their circumstances through their own efforts. The objective of Jainism's theory of karma is to present this beautiful synergy of responsibility and creative power.