Vishva Sanchalanno Muladhar

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vishva Sanchalanno Muladhar" (The Foundation of World Management) by Ratnabodhivijay and Sanyambodhivijay, based on the provided pages:

Title: Vishva Sanchalanno Muladhar (The Foundation of World Management) Subtitle: Tamam Vishva Vichitratao nu Karan - Karma, Jain Drishtie (Karma - The Cause of All Worldly Peculiarities, from a Jain Perspective) Author(s): P.P. Munivarshree Ratnabodhivijayji M.S. Compiler: P.P. Pannasji Shri Sanyambodhivijayji M.S. Inspirational Guidance: P.P. Acharyadev Shrimad Vijaybhuvanbhanusurishwarji M.S. Publisher: Jainam Parivar

Core Concept:

The central theme of this book is the Karmic theory from a Jain perspective, explaining how karma is the root cause of all the diverse phenomena, experiences, and inequalities observed in the universe. The book aims to elucidate the complex workings of karma and its pervasive influence on the existence of every soul.

Key Sections and Themes:

1. The Nature of the Soul and Karma (Page 3):

   • The soul (Jiv) is presented as inherently possessing infinite knowledge, perception, energy, and bliss.
   • However, these qualities are obscured by the "clouds" of eight types of karma.
   • The book illustrates the soul's pure state with symbols like an unblemished crystal, infinite knowledge as the sun, and infinite perception as an untouched gem.
   • The eight karmas are depicted as covering the soul like a potter's wheel, a painter's canvas, or a treasury guard, representing their specific influences.
   • Eight Karmas:
     • Ghati (Obstructing) Karmas:
       • Gnanavaran (Knowledge-obscuring karma): Covers infinite knowledge (like a bandage on eyes).
       • Darshanavaran (Perception-obscuring karma): Covers infinite perception (like a gatekeeper).
       • Mohaniya (Delusion-causing karma): Leads to passions and perversions (like honey-coated sword or shackles).
       • Antaray (Obstruction karma): Obstructs the soul's natural abilities (like a greedy person hoarding wealth).
     • Aghati (Non-obstructing) Karmas:
       • Vedaniya (Feeling karma): Causes feelings of pleasure and pain (like pleasurable or painful experiences).
       • Ayushya (Lifespan karma): Determines the duration of life.
       • Nama (Name/Body-determining karma): Determines physical form, senses, etc. (like a painter creating a body).
       • Gotra (Status/Lineage karma): Determines social standing (like a treasury official deciding rank).
       • Agurulaghuta (Degree of power/intensity karma): Influences the extent of soul's qualities.

2. The Causation of Worldly Peculiarities (Pages 16-17):

   • The book poses a series of questions highlighting the diverse and seemingly inexplicable aspects of existence: why one person survives an accident while another dies, why one shop thrives while another fails, why one person is born rich and another poor, why one is skilled and another foolish, why one is healthy and another sick.
   • It firmly rejects randomness or divine will as explanations, asserting that karma is the sole cause of these disparities.
   • The analogy of a crystal reflecting different colors based on the paper behind it is used to explain how the soul, though one in essence, appears different due to the influence of various karmas.

3. Reasons for Believing in Karma (Pages 18-21):

   • Continuity of Existence: The existence of a youthful body before an old one points to a prior existence. The body itself is formed by the soul's inherent karmic potential (Karmic body).
   • Transmigration: Even after shedding a body, karma guides the soul to a specific rebirth location and lineage.
   • Cause and Effect of Actions: Just as farming yields specific results, actions of mind, speech, and body lead to karmic consequences, even if not immediate.
   • Justice in the Universe: The natural order implies that even extreme wrongdoings must have consequences, which karma ensures. Karmas are organized and manifest in successive lives.
   • Addressing Doubts: The text addresses the doubt about believing in unseen karma by drawing parallels with unseen forces like electricity or magnetism, which are understood through their effects. It also explains why certain things are not visible (due to proximity, distance, subtleness, lack of attention, sensory limitations, misunderstanding, etc.), concluding that karma's invisibility doesn't negate its existence, as its effects are undeniable and observable by omniscient beings.
   • It also tackles the question of how non-physical karma attaches to the physical soul, using the analogy of how non-physical intellect is affected by physical substances.

4. The Mechanism of Karma (Pages 20-24):

   • Karma Bandha (Bonding of Karma): Karma is formed when the soul, through deluded attitudes (Mithyatva), lack of restraint (Avirati), passions (Kashaya), and activity of mind, speech, and body (Yoga), attracts karmic particles (Karmic Vargana) from the external universe and binds them to the soul.
   • Causes of Karma Bandha: Detailed explanation of the five main causes:
     • Mithyatva (False Beliefs): Five types are listed.
     • Avirati (Lack of Restraint): Relates to violence and sensory indulgence.
     • Kashaya (Passions): Anger, pride, deceit, greed (with further classifications).
     • Yoga (Activity): Mental, verbal, and physical activities (with classifications).
     • Pramada (Carelessness/Laxity): Includes intoxication, sensory indulgence, passions, sleep, and idle talks (with further classifications).
   • Types of Karma (Pages 35-59):
     • Detailed breakdown of the eight main karmas (Gnanavaran, Darshanavaran, Vedaniya, Mohaniya, Ayushya, Nama, Gotra, Antaray).
     • Each main karma is further divided into numerous sub-types (Uttar Prakriti), totaling 158 in scope (though some texts mention variations). Each sub-type's function and the specific actions leading to its bondage are described.
     • Ghati vs. Aghati Karmas: The text categorizes the eight karmas into Ghati (obscuring the soul's true nature) and Aghati (affecting the physical and temporal aspects). Ghati karmas are further divided into Sarvghati (completely obstructing) and Deshghati (partially obstructing).
   • Karma Vargana and their Granulation (Pages 24-31): The text elaborates on the different types of subtle karmic particles (Pudgal Vargana) and how they are classified based on their size (pradesh) and potential for bondage. This includes Audarik, Vaikriya, Aaharak, Tejas, Bhasha, Shwasochwas, Mano, and Karmic Vargana, detailing their granular structure and potential for binding.
   • Punyakarma vs. Papkarma (Pages 59-62): A detailed classification of actions leading to meritorious (Punya) and demeritorious (Papa) karma, with a breakdown into 42 Punya and 82 Papa karmas based on the eight main types.
   • The Fourfold Classification of Karma (Pages 62-64): Explains the concept of 'Anubandh' (continuity) in karma, leading to four types of karma-binding:
     1. Punya-nubandhi Punya: Meritorious actions that lead to further meritorious actions.
     2. Papa-nubandhi Punya: Meritorious actions done with negative intent or followed by regret, leading to future negative actions.
     3. Papa-nubandhi Papa: Demeritorious actions done with strong negative intent, leading to further demeritorious actions.
     4. Punya-nubandhi Papa: Demeritorious actions done with regret or a desire for good, leading to future meritorious actions.
   • Bonding of Karma (Pages 69-77): Explains the four aspects of karma bonding:
     • Prakriti Bandha: The type of karma being bound.
     • Sthiti Bandha: The duration for which the karma remains bound (measured in Palopam and Sagaropam).
     • Rasa Bandha: The intensity or potency of the karma's effect.
     • Pradesh Bandha: The quantum or amount of karmic matter bound.
     • Detailed tables of Sthiti Bandha and Abadha for various karmas are provided.

5. The Stages of Karmic Transformation (Pages 77-78):

   • Abadha: The period during which bound karma does not produce its effects. This "golden period" is crucial for spiritual practice.
   • Nishek Rachna: The arrangement of karmic particles over time, determining when they will manifest their effects.
   • Udaya: The manifestation of karma's effects.
   • Udherana: The premature manifestation of karma's effects.
   • Upa-shama: Suppressing karma temporarily.
   • Kshaya: Complete eradication of karma.
   • Kshayo-pashama: Partial eradication and suppression of karma.

6. The Path to Liberation: Samvara and Nirjara (Pages 93-100):

   • Samvara (Stopping Influx of Karma): The 57 methods to prevent new karmas from binding to the soul. This includes:
     • Five Samitis: Careful conduct in walking, speaking, eating, handling objects, and disposing of waste.
     • Three Guptis: Control over mind, speech, and body.
     • Twenty-two Parishahs: Enduring hardships like hunger, thirst, cold, heat, bites, nudity, lack of restraint, women, wandering, harsh living conditions, sleep deprivation, abuse, violence, begging, non-receipt of alms, illness, mosquito bites, dirt, disregard, ignorance, and doubt in Jain principles.
     • Ten Pratimas (Yati Dharma): Principles of asceticism like patience, humility, simplicity, contentment, penance, restraint, truthfulness, purity, non-possession, and celibacy.
     • Twelve Bhavanas (Meditations): Contemplations on impermanence, suffering, transmigration, solitude, non-attachment, impurity of the body, influx of karma, stopping influx of karma, cessation of karma, the nature of the universe, rarity of attaining right faith, and the glory of Dharma.
     • Five Charitras (Conduct): Stages of spiritual progression leading to liberation, from partial to complete detachment.
   • Nirjara (Shedding of Accumulated Karma): The two main ways to shed existing karma:
     • External Austerities (Bahya Tap): Fasting (Anashan), eating less (Unodari), limiting possessions (Vritti Sankshipt), abstaining from desired foods (Rasatyag), enduring physical hardship (Kayaklesh), and controlling senses and activities (Salleenta).
     • Internal Austerities (Abhyantar Tap): Penance for faults (Prayashchitta), respecting the learned and elders (Vinaya), serving the needy (Vaiyaavachcha), self-study (Swadhyay), and meditation (Dhyana).

7. The Fourteen Guņasthānas (Stages of Spiritual Evolution) (Pages 104-118):

   • The book details the 14 stages of spiritual development, from the lowest (Mithyatva Drashti - false belief) to the highest (Siddha - liberated soul).
   • For each stage, it explains the characteristics, the duration, and importantly, the karma bonding (bandha), manifestation (udaya), premature manifestation (udirena), suppression (upasham), destruction (kshaya), and partial destruction/suppression (kshayo-pashama) of various karmas. This is a crucial and detailed part of the book, showing the progressive purification of the soul.

8. Karma and Other Religions/Philosophies (Pages 155-156):

   • The text briefly touches upon how other philosophical systems (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Buddhism, Mimamsa) and religions (Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism) also acknowledge a concept similar to karma, even if termed differently (e.g., 'Adrishta,' 'Klesha,' 'Avidya'). It emphasizes that Jainism provides the most precise and comprehensive understanding of karma.

9. The Golden Period (Abadha Period) (Pages 135-138):

   • This section highlights the importance of the "Abadha Period" – the time between karma bonding and its manifestation. This period is presented as a "golden period" or an "opportunity" to perform spiritual practices (like austerities, meditation, righteous conduct) to either weaken (reduce intensity and duration) or completely destroy (Nirjara) the bound karma before it bears fruit. It strongly advocates for proactive spiritual effort rather than passive acceptance of fate.

10. The Accurate Justice of Karma (Pages 161-163):

    • Karma is presented as a perfectly just and impartial system, unlike worldly justice which can be flawed. Every action, whether good or bad, has a corresponding karmic consequence that will inevitably be experienced by the soul, though the timing might vary across lifetimes. The example of Lord Mahavir's life and the karmic consequences faced even by him underscore this principle.

11. The Play of Karma (Pages 164-168):

    • Through numerous life stories and examples from Jain scriptures (e.g., Lord Rishabhdev, Lord Mahavir, King Sagara, King Sannat, Ravana, Rama, Sita, Krishna Vasudeva, Pandavas, Draupadi, Nala, Harishchandra, etc.), the book illustrates how karma dictates the fortunes and misfortunes of beings, causing immense suffering or granting great prosperity. These stories highlight the inescapable nature of karma and the consequences of both virtuous and sinful actions.

12. The Power Dynamic: Karma vs. Soul's Effort (Pages 171-172):

    • The text discusses the interplay between karma and individual effort (Purushartha). It concludes that while karma provides the circumstances, it is the soul's effort (particularly during favorable times like the Charamavarta - the final cycle of existence) that ultimately leads to liberation. It advises against blind reliance on fate (karma) and stresses the importance of proactive spiritual exertion.

13. The Purpose of Understanding Karma (Pages 176-178):

    • Understanding karma leads to:
      • Equanimity: Remaining balanced in happiness and sorrow, knowing they are temporary results of karma.
      • Non-attachment: Avoiding excessive attachment to pleasant circumstances or aversion to unpleasant ones.
      • Ethical Responsibility: Recognizing that one's actions directly shape one's future.
      • Detachment from External Objects: Understanding that external people or events are mere triggers, and the real cause of suffering lies within one's own karma.
      • Motivation for Dharma: Encouraging righteous actions (Dharma) to generate merit and reduce negative karma.
      • Reduced Suffering: Leading a life free from anger, regret, or blame, fostering a peaceful existence.
      • Vairagya (Dispassion): Cultivating detachment from worldly pleasures and pains.
      • Fearlessness of Death: Understanding the cyclical nature of birth and death governed by karma, and the possibility of liberation.

Overall Aim:

The book serves as a comprehensive guide to the Jain understanding of karma, providing detailed explanations of its types, causes, effects, and the mechanisms of its bondage, manifestation, and eventual eradication. It aims to instill a deep sense of responsibility, promote righteous conduct, and motivate spiritual practice towards liberation (Moksha) from the cycle of birth and death.