Life and Death: Prevent the Influx of Karma Particles

By KAILASH VAJPEYI

The word Jain has been derived from Jina, which means conqueror, implying one who has overcome all human passions. The Tattvarth Sutra, a book of supreme wisdom, was written by Umaswati, Kundkundacharya's disciple.

The opening aphorism of Tattvarth Sutra talks about enlightened faith, knowledge and conduct leading to final emancipation. The enlightened faith comprises Jiva or life, Ajiva or non-life, Asharva or flow of karma, Bandha or bondage of karma, Samvar or shedding of karma-particles and Moksha.

The enlightened faith is an awareness of reality or truth. It also means having unwavering faith in the words of Jainas. In certain cases enlightened faith is also obtained by intuition. So is the case with knowledge which includes scriptural knowledge as well as knowledge obtained by intuition. Enlightened conduct means a determined effort towards spiritual life-journey.

Jainism has its own unique theory of conduct and karma. Our good or bad deeds generate minute particles or atoms which bind themselves to and pollute the soul. The influx of these karmas can be stopped only when we prevent the influx of temptation. This is enlightened conduct. The shedding of karma is wiping clean old accumulated particles of previous deeds.

Bondage explains the mechanism and arithmetic of karma particles. Moksha requires not only the complete wiping out of one's karmas, but also the acceptance of suffering to attain kaivalya. Knowledge is divided into five categories - sensory or empirical, verbal or articulate, clairvoyance, telepathy and omniscience.

The second aphorism is explained by Umaswati - that consciousness distinguishes between living and non-living, emancipated and 'bound' souls. Plants, animals, humans and other life forms fall in the category of bound souls.

The third and fourth chapters describe Jain cosmology: The shape of the universe resembles the three-dimensional figure of a man standing with his feet apart. The central cylindrical part is the dwelling place of all 'mobile life'. The peak of the universe is the abode of liberated souls or Siddhashila, below which lie abodes of celestial beings. The central hemisphere is the living place of all living beings. The Meru mountain lies at the centre; the lower part is inhabited by hellish beings.

The fifth aphorism says that within the universe, both space and matter are non-sentient entities. Matter is governed by the law of motion and the law of rest. The universe itself has no motion and neither medium has any knowledge or consciousness.

The sixth aphorism says the activity of the body, speech and mind is yoga which includes the joining of karma with the soul. All deeds and thoughts, negative and positive, result in the influx of karmic particles. So Jain yoga is more difficult to observe and maintain. The influx is of eight types: jealousy, withholding knowledge, obscuring influx with vision or view (asrava), state of happiness induced by material circumstances, craving for beauty or fame, prestige, imbalance in daily conduct.

Chapter seven deals with five vows: Shunning violence, lying, stealing, incontinence and possessiveness. A strict observer of these five vows often wishes for death during meditation or sanlekhana.

The eighth aphorism enumerates the causes of bondage: Wrong faith, non-abstinence, carelessness, passion and activities of body, speech and mind.

Once all obstructive karmas are destroyed, liberation can be attained. Then the soul goes straight to the top of the loka (space occupied by the cosmos) and rests in eternal bliss.

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See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul

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