Karm Ke Adharbhut Siddhant - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Karm ke Adharbhut Siddhant" (Fundamental Principles of Karma) by Shiv Muni:

This excerpt from Shiv Muni's work delves into the foundational principles of karma (action and its consequences) within Jain philosophy. The core idea presented is that knowledge is an inherent treasure within us, but it is obscured by coverings that Jainism identifies as karma. These coverings are inert substances that veil our true selves.

The author emphasizes that numerous saints and sages have strived to remove these karmic coverings, with some achieving success and others continuing their efforts. The ultimate goal for all is to be liberated from these obscurations. However, liberation is not possible without aligning one's actions with the genuine desire for freedom.

A crucial step towards this liberation is the awakening of true knowledge. Without this awakening, questions about what to shed, and from whom, remain unresolved. This is why Lord Mahavir's dictum, "Pratham gnanam" (First, knowledge), is so significant. Understanding what karma truly is, and the nature of this understanding, is what Mahavir defines as knowledge. Those who lack this understanding are considered ignorant, their knowledge veiled by these karmic coverings. As long as these covering atoms remain attached to the soul, the soul remains subservient and bound. The "web of karma" surrounding us is formed by these atomic structures, and only one who understands its root cause can escape it.

The text then explains that karmic atoms possess their own inherent power. When actions are performed, these atoms begin to act according to their nature from the very beginning of the karmic process, and their results are the fruits of those actions. The author refutes the idea that God is responsible for distributing karmic fruits, citing Bhagavad Gita's verse stating that the Lord does not create actions, nor the world, nor the union of souls with the fruits of actions. Rather, everything happens by its own nature.

The fundamental principle is that karma is a form of energy, and the soul is also a form of energy. The soul performs karma, and the karma undertaken gives fruits according to their respective natures, without the need for any external judge. Within the soul's substance, turbulence arises from five factors: mithyatva (false belief), avirati (non-restraint), pramad (negligence), kashaya (passions), and yoga (activity of mind, speech, and body). In the areas where these soul-substances exist, karmic matter (pudgals) binds with the soul. This union is likened to milk and water.

The text defines karma as that which is done by the soul through the causes of passions. There are two types of karma:

Bhava Karma (Psychic Karma): These are the non-natural dispositions of the soul like attachment and aversion.
Dravya Karma (Material Karma): This is the subtle modification of the karmic matter (karm vargana) particles.

The soul is the intrinsic cause of bhava karma, and the instrumental cause of dravya karma. Consequently, the soul is also the instrumental cause of dravya karma. Bhava karma acts as an instrument for dravya karma, and vice versa. This creates a cause-and-effect relationship between the two, akin to a seed and a sprout.

The author addresses the apparent paradox of why souls, identical in their essential nature, manifest in diverse forms, situations, and conditions (rich/poor, learned/unlearned, strong/weak). Even siblings born from the same mother exhibit differences. This variation is attributed to karma. While the experience of happiness and sorrow is visible, the karma itself is not. Jain philosophy considers karma to be material (pudgal), hence it is concrete and has form. The effects of karma are also concrete, just as a pot (effect) made of clay (cause) are both concrete. Similarly, for formless (amurta) cause-and-effect relationships, the cause is formless, and so is the effect (e.g., the soul as the cause of knowledge, both being formless).

The question of how formless happiness and sorrow arise from concrete karma is explained by stating that happiness and sorrow are inherent qualities of the soul, and the soul is their primary producer. Karma acts merely as an instrumental cause in experiencing happiness and sorrow.

The crucial question of how concrete karma can affect the formless soul is answered by analogy to how alcohol (concrete) affects the formless qualities of the soul like knowledge. This principle of karma holds a significant place in Indian philosophy, with most schools of thought accepting it, except for the Charvakas. The influence of karma is evident in Indian philosophy, religion, literature, art, and science.

The soul has been transmigrating through innumerable lives since time immemorial, bound by karma. Both birth and death are rooted in karma, and this cycle of birth and death is the greatest suffering. The principle of "as you sow, so shall you reap" applies, and one soul's karmic consequences do not affect another. Karma is self-connected, not connected to others.

While all thinkers acknowledge karma, Jain scriptures provide an exceptionally detailed exposition, making karma an integral part of Jain philosophy. The fundamental principles of karma are summarized as follows:

Every action yields a result; no action is fruitless.
If the fruit of an action is not received in the current life, a future life is necessary for it.
The soul, as the performer of karma and the experiencer of its fruits, moves from one life to another due to the influence of karma. Through its various lives, it experiences the fruits of past deeds and binds new karma within a specific time frame. Importantly, the ability to break this cycle of karmic bondage also lies within the soul's power.
Innate individual differences and inequalities are caused by karma. The soul's infinite potential is obscured by karmic coverings, preventing us from realizing our true selves. Liberation from these karmas is possible only when we gain full knowledge and confidence in our own inherent power.