Karm Ka Swarup - Book Summary | JainGPT

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Karm ka Swarup" (The Nature of Karma) by Kailashchandra Shastri, focusing on the key arguments presented:

Overall Objective: The text aims to explain the Jain perspective on karma, contrasting it with other philosophical systems, and to clarify what constitutes karma according to Jainism.

Introduction and General Understanding of Karma:

The author begins by noting that while both theistic and atheistic schools acknowledge karma, they differ fundamentally on its nature and how it dispenses results.
Broadly, "karma" is understood as any action: eating, drinking, walking, speaking, thinking, etc.
Other philosophical traditions recognize that every good or bad action leaves an imprint or "samskara." The Nyaya and Vaisheshika schools call this "dharma" or "adharma." Yoga calls it "karmashaya," and Buddhism uses terms like "anushaya."
The core idea across many systems is that beings trapped in the cycle of birth, aging, and death are bound by ignorance, lack of true knowledge, or delusion (mithyatva). This ignorance prevents them from understanding the true nature of the world, leading their actions to be rooted in ignorance, attachment (raga), and aversion (dvesha). Consequently, every action leads to the bondage of the soul.

Perspectives of Other Philosophies:

The author cites several philosophical texts to illustrate the common understanding of karma as linked to actions and their resulting imprints:

Buddhist "Milinda Prashna": It states that those with defilements (kleshas) are reborn, while those free from them are not. Attachment to the world leads to rebirth, and detachment leads to liberation. It further explains the chain of causation starting from ignorance (avidya) leading to actions, consciousness, name-form, senses, touch, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and ultimately suffering (old age, death, sorrow, pain, etc.).
Yoga Darshana (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras): Verse 1.5 is quoted: "Vrittayah pancatayah klishtaklishtah" (There are five types of mental modifications, which are either afflicted or unafflicted). The commentary explains that "klishta" (afflicted) modifications are caused by defilements (kleshas) and become the ground for accumulating "karmashaya" (storehouse of karma). These modifications, driven by attachment or aversion to objects of knowledge, lead to the accumulation of karma.
Samkhya Karika: Verse 67 is cited, which states that even when the cause of rebirth (dharma/adharma) is removed by right knowledge, the soul remains bound by the "samskara" (imprint) like a potter's wheel continues to spin due to inertia after the stick is removed. This implies that samskaras, which are the result of actions (dharma/adharma), persist until their fruits are experienced.
Prashastapad (Vaisheshika): This text defines "dharma" as virtues like non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, etc., and "adharma" as their opposites. It states that an ignorant person, driven by attachment and aversion, performing actions with a mix of predominant dharma and some adharma, experiences pleasant life, senses, and objects in higher realms (Brahma, Indra, Prajapati, Pitru, Manusha lokas) according to their "ashaya" (tendency/storehouse of karma). Conversely, performing actions with predominant adharma and some dharma leads to suffering and unpleasant experiences in lower realms (Preta, Tiryak yonis). Actions, even with a touch of adharma, repeatedly lead to bondage in the cycle of birth and death across all realms (devas, humans, animals, hell-beings).
Nyaya Manjari: This text argues that all physical births, the arising of knowledge about objects, and the connection of the soul with the mind are all the result of "pravritti" (activity/action). Although these actions are momentary, the resultant "atmasamskara" (imprint on the soul), called dharma or adharma, persists until the fruition of karma. It asserts that no action in the world is devoid of dharma or adharma.

Summary of Other Philosophies: The author concludes this section by stating that other philosophies define karma as either the action/activity itself or the resulting imprint (samskara). While the activity is momentary, the samskara is lasting and continues until the fruit is experienced. This cycle of samskara leading to activity and activity to samskara has been going on since time immemorial, constituting the cycle of transmigration (samsara).

The Jain Perspective on Karma:

The text then introduces the fundamental difference in the Jain understanding of karma:

Two Types of Karma: According to Jainism, karma has two aspects: Dravya Karma (material karma) and Bhava Karma (mental/internal karma).
Distinction from Other Philosophies: While other philosophies might have similar divisions, the Jain concept of karma is significantly different. Jain karma is not just an imprint or mental modification; it is considered a subtle, material substance (pudgala).
Nature of Dravya Karma: This material karma, attracted by the soul's actions driven by attachment and aversion, merges with the soul just as water mixes with milk. Although it is material, it is called "karma" because it binds to the soul due to the soul's actions.
Mechanism: Where other philosophies consider the soul's action and its resulting samskara as karma, Jainism posits that with every action fueled by attachment and aversion, a type of material substance enters the soul. This substance, when influenced by the soul's mental states (raga-dvesha), binds to the soul and, over time, yields auspicious or inauspicious results.
Six Substances and Karmic Matter: Jainism recognizes six fundamental substances: Soul (Jiva), Matter (Pudgala), Dharma (medium of motion), Adharma (medium of rest), Space (Akasha), and Time (Kala). All visible matter is Pudgala. Pudgala is further categorized into 23 types of "vargas" (clusters of matter), one of which is Karmic Matter (Karmic vargas). This karmic matter pervades the universe and, when acted upon by the soul, transforms into karma.
Karmic Matter's Entry: As quoted from Acharya Kundakunda's "Pravachanasara," when the soul, filled with attachment and aversion, engages in good or bad deeds, karmic matter enters it in the form of knowledge-obscuring and other karma-types.
Murtik (Material) vs. Amurtik (Immaterial): A potential objection is raised: how can an immaterial soul (amurtik) bind with material karma (murtik)? The solution provided is that the relationship between the soul and karma is beginningless (anadi).
Beginningless Bondage: Jainism does not propose a point in time when the soul was purely spiritual and then became bound by karma. This would lead to contradictions. The text "Panchastikaya" describes this beginningless relationship as the "Jiva Pudgala Karma Chakra" (Soul-Matter-Karma Cycle).
The Cycle Explained: A soul in samsara experiences states of attachment and aversion. These states lead to the binding of new karma. Karma leads to births in different realms. Birth leads to a body, from which senses arise. Senses interact with objects, leading to attachment or aversion, thus perpetuating the cycle. This cycle is beginningless and endless for the unreceptive soul, and beginningless but finite for the receptive soul.
Bonding of Material Karma: Since the soul is bound by material karma since beginningless time, new karmas also bind to these existing material karmas within the soul. This is because material entities can only combine with other material entities. Therefore, new karmas bind with the ancient karmas already present in the soul. This demonstrates a relationship between the immaterial soul and material karmic substances through a continuous process.

Conclusion:

The essence of the Jain perspective is that while other philosophies equate karma with activity and its resulting imprint, Jainism defines karma as the material substances (pudgala) that bind to the soul due to the soul's attachment and aversion (bhava karma).

The included verses at the end, while not directly analyzed in the summary text itself, seem to be devotional songs or stanzas related to the theme of overcoming karma and seeking divine refuge, reinforcing the ultimate goal of liberation from the cycle of karma.