Karan Siddhant Bhagya Nirman Ki Prakriya - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Karan Siddhant: Bhagya Nirman ki Prakriya" (The Process of Destiny Creation through the Principle of Action) by Kanhaiyalal Lodha, based on the provided pages:

Core Tenet: Karma as Destiny, Action as the Creator

The central argument of this Jain text is that karma is destiny. The principles of karma, not fate or a divine creator, dictate one's fortunes. The book elaborates on the intricate process of karmic bondage and the experience of karmic fruits. Crucially, it emphasizes that while bound karma will eventually yield its results, there are also established principles and processes (called "Karan") that can modify and alter these karmas and, consequently, one's destiny. The text asserts that understanding and applying these "Karan" is the pathway to actively shaping one's future.

Karma as the True Creator ("Brahma")

The text directly equates terms like "Vidhi," "Srishta," "Vidhaata," "Daiv," "Purakritam," and "Ishwar" with "Karma" itself, declaring that karma is the true Brahma or the ultimate creator. This highlights the agency and power individuals possess in shaping their lives through their actions.

The Eight "Karans" (Actions/Processes of Karmic Modification)

The book systematically introduces and explains eight specific "Karans," which are the mechanisms through which karmas are influenced and destiny is altered. These are explained with analogies from botany, medicine, psychology, and everyday life.

Bandhan Karan (Bonding Action): This is the initial process of karmic atoms forming a connection with the soul. It's described as the formation of a "seed" or a "knot" in psychological terms. The quality of these "seeds" (good or bad karma) directly determines whether one experiences happiness or suffering. The text strongly advises avoiding negative activities (violence, falsehood, theft, lust, greed, anger, pride, deceit, avarice) to prevent suffering and to embrace positive actions (service, benevolence, compassion) for good fortune, emphasizing that "as the seed is sown, so is the fruit." It also highlights that attachment (Raga) and aversion (Dwesha) are the root causes of karmic bonding, and reducing them leads to less karmic bondage.
Nidhattha Karan (Immovable/Fixed Action): This is a state where karma becomes so firmly bound that its duration and intensity can be slightly altered, but it cannot be transformed into another type of karma or prematurely activated. This happens through excessive engagement or repeated indulgence in a particular activity or desire. Analogies include a plant repeatedly harmed becoming weak, or addiction to substances like opium or alcohol becoming deeply ingrained. The advice is to avoid repeated indulgence in sensory pleasures to prevent such strong karmic bonds.
Nikachit Karan (Unalterable Action): This is an even more potent state than Nidhattha, where karma becomes so unchangeable that it must be experienced. It's described as resulting from extreme attachment and greed, akin to an incurable disease like cancer. Just as prevention is key for such diseases, avoiding extreme attachment is crucial to prevent this state of karma. This state prevents transformation, premature activation, or any other modification of the karma.
Udvartana Karan (Augmentation Action): This process involves the increase in the duration and intensity (Rasa) of already bound karma. This happens when one engages in activities that are consistent with past karmas but with greater intensity, passion, or attachment. For example, a petty thief graduating to armed robbery due to increased greed. This is likened to a plant receiving more fertilizer and water, growing stronger and yielding more fruit. The key is that increase in passions (Kashaya) leads to the augmentation of karma, while purity of thought (Vishuddhi) augments meritorious karma.
Apvartana Karan (Diminution Action): This is the process of reducing the duration and intensity (Rasa) of previously bound karma. This can occur when one engages in virtuous activities after having committed negative ones. The example of King Shrenik is given, whose karma for the seventh hell was reduced to the first hell due to developing right faith and remorse. This is compared to adverse conditions reducing a plant's life and fruit-bearing capacity. The text emphasizes that reducing passions (Kashaya) and increasing purity of thought (Vishuddhi) leads to the diminution of karma.
Sankraman Karan (Transformation/Transmutation Action): This is the process where a bound karma transforms into another of its own kind. Analogies from horticulture and medicine are used, such as cross-breeding plants to produce different fruit varieties or transplanting healthy organs. In the context of karma, it means a karma of one type changing into another of the same broader category (e.g., pleasurable feeling karma turning into painful feeling karma, or vice versa), but not across different primary karmic categories (like knowledge-obscuring karma transforming into perception-obscuring karma). The text notes exceptions, like the immutability of lifespan karma (Ayush Karma), which dictates the realm of rebirth. It also links this to the psychological concept of sublimation, where negative mental energy is channeled into constructive activities. The text stresses that transforming negative tendencies into positive ones is beneficial, while the reverse is detrimental.
Udirana Karan (Premature Fruition Action): This is the process where a karma ripens and yields its fruit before its scheduled time. This is compared to picking fruits early to ripen them or taking medical interventions like vaccinations or emetics to bring out latent bodily disorders prematurely. Similarly, karmic "knots" can be brought forth and experienced earlier through specific efforts, often through ascetic practices (Tapa). This process is supported by modern psychology through psychoanalysis, where repressed psychological issues are brought to consciousness to be resolved. The text suggests that confessing past wrongdoings (Pratikraman) is a form of Udirana, helping to mitigate karmic accumulation.
Upashamana Karan (Suppression Action): This is the process where a karma is suppressed and prevented from manifesting its effects, even though it might still exist. This is like seeds buried too deep in the soil to sprout due to lack of water or sunlight. It's achieved through spiritual knowledge and self-control. This provides immediate peace and helps in revealing one's true self-power. Analogously, pain medication suppresses the experience of pain from a wound without healing it immediately. The text states that Upashamana primarily applies to the Delusory Karma (Mohaniya Karma).

Interplay of Karmas and Present Actions

A crucial principle highlighted is that current actions and thoughts significantly influence previously bound karmas. The "Karans" explain how present tendencies can transform, augment, diminish, or transmute past karmic imprints. The text uses the example of Prasannachandra Rajarshi, whose initial anger at hearing about his kingdom's plight led to binding karma for hell, but his subsequent realization and control over his emotions transformed these bonds, reducing his karmic destination gradually to higher celestial realms before he attained omniscience.

Conclusion: Agency in Destiny Creation

The book concludes by empowering the reader, stating that individuals have the complete freedom and capacity to alter their destiny through their present actions. Whether one creates good fortune or misfortune depends on the judicious use or misuse of their current life. By understanding and applying these "Karans," one can reduce the intensity and duration of past negative karmas and transmute them into positive ones, or conversely, by engaging in negative actions, turn fortunate past karmas into unfortunate present experiences. The ultimate message is one of self-responsibility and the power of conscious action in shaping one's life.