Jain Karma Philosophy - Punya (Meritorious) and Päp (Sinful) Karma_V10

[RGM]

Introduction

In Jain philosophy, karma are classified in many different ways. They
are classified as Ghäti or Aghäti karma depending upon whether they
subdue the qualities or innate nature of the soul or create the
physical environment of a living being. The same karma are also
classified in a different way into Punya and Päp karma categories.
Also, in Jain literature we come across other types of Karma like
Dravya Karma, Bhava Karma, and Nokarma. However this article does not
discuss these three types of karma.
Acquiring Karma and their Consequences

Jain philosophy explains that Karma is a matter which is made up of
very fine and subtle particles that one cannot see or feel by any
physical means. The entire universe is filled with such particles (we
need to believe this by faith only).
When these karma particles attach (bond) to the soul it is called the
bondage of karma. In general the bondage of karma occurs due to the
soul's Mithyätva (illusion or ignorance), Avirati (vowlessness),
Pramäda (spiritual laziness), Kashäya (anger, ego, deceit, greed etc.)
and Yoga (activities of the mind, body, and speech). In other words
bondage occurs only due to the presence of Mohaniya karma.
Such bondage occurs for a certain duration only. We do not have any
karma attached to us forever. When the time of the attachment of
karma is over then these karma will create an environment surrounding
the soul and they will immediately separate from the soul. The soul
that is surrounded by such an environment may feel pleasure or pain
based on the surroundings created by these various types of karma and
hence we acquire new karma. This process occurs at every moment in
our life. This way under normal circumstances we will never be free
of karma because at every moment we remove some old karma and acquire
some new karma.
Jain philosophy states that the following karma related events occur
in the life of every living being:
· At every moment all 8 categories of karma (4 Ghäti karma and
4 Aghäti karma) together produce results and then they get separated
from the soul.
· At every moment 7 of 8 categories of new karma are attached
to the soul and only once in a life time a soul acquires all 8
categories of karma. Äyu karma of the next life is acquired only once
in a current life time.
· Only the Mohaniya karma (Mithyätva and Kashäya together) is
responsible for the bondage of new karma of all 8 categories.
· In the absence of Mohaniya karma, no new karma are attached
to the soul even though the other karma; Jnänävaraniya,
Darshanävaraniya, Antaräya, Vedaniya, näma, Gotra, and Äyu Karma are
present.
Types of Karma

Ghäti Karma

Ghäti karma subdue the innate qualities of a soul namely; infinite
happiness (rational faith and conduct), infinite knowledge, infinite
perception or vision, and infinite power or energy. They are divided
into four categories.
Mohaniya Karma
Deluding Karma obscures blissful nature or happiness (faith and
conduct) of the soul
Jnänävaraniya Karma
Obscures infinite Knowledge of the soul
Darshanävaraniya Karma
Obscures infinite Perception of the soul
Antaräya karma
Obstructs infinite Power and Energy of the soul


Aghäti karma

Aghäti karma are non-destructive to the innate qualities of the soul
but are responsible for the creation of the physical body, physical
mind, social environment, and life span for the soul. They are also
divided into four categories.
Vedaniya Karma
Creates Favorable or Unfavorable Physical Environment for the Soul
(healthy body or unhealthy body)
Näm karma
Physical Body and Physique Determining Karma
Gotra karma
Status Determining Karma
Äyu karma
Life Span Determining Karma
The above 8 categories of karma are divided into many (around from 96
to 158 depending upon author and sect) sub-categories. The same sub-
categories are also categorized differently into Punya and Pap karma
categories.

Punya or Pious Karma

We acquire Punya or pious karma when we perform or reflect upon
virtuous activity with or without a feeling of self-satisfaction and
accomplishment. When Punya karma matures they produce a favorable
environment conducive to spiritual life such as human life, healthy
body, comfort, moral family etc.

A person may use such circumstances to progress himself spiritually or
a person may use it to increase his power, fame, luxury, and/or
comfort. This depends upon the person's free will or self
determination (Purushärtha). However, if a person decides to progress
further spiritually his Punya karma have created a proper environment
for him to do so. All Tirthankars fall into this category. In
contrast however a few Chakravarti kings used this type of environment
to increase their power throughout their life and went to hell to
suffer.

Pap Karma

We acquire Pap or sinful karma when we perform or reflect on any non-
virtuous work associated with violence, dishonesty, stealing, not
behaving chastely, attachment to worldly objects, anger, conceit,
deceit, lust, revenge, and having impure thoughts. When the Päp karma
mature and the results come to fruition, they will create an
unfavorable environment which may bring misery, discomfort,
unhappiness, and dissatisfaction to the living being. Under such an
environment, one rarely progresses spiritually.

Muni Kuragudu's life is one example that comes close to this
situation. Due to Punya karma, he attained human life and became
monk. However due to some Pap karma he could not fast (Upaväs) even
on Samvatsari day. Yet he attained Keval-Jnän and liberation because
he remained equanimous under very adverse circumstances.

Relationship among Ghäti, Aghäti, Punya and Pap karma

All Ghäti karma subdue the innate qualities of the soul and hence all
four categories of Ghäti karma and all their sub-categories are
classified as Päp or sinful karma.
Only Aghäti karma that are responsible for the physical environment of
a living being are classified as the result of Punya karma or Pap
karma.
· Certain sub-categories of Aghäti karma that produce a human
life, a healthy body, high social status, and a longer life span are
considered the result of Punya or virtuous karma.
· Certain sub-categories of Aghäti karma produce an unhealthy
body, a shorter life span, low social status, poverty, birth in hell,
or as an animal, insect, or in a vegetative state or similar
categories. These are considered the result of Päp or sinful karma.
In summary all Punya Karma are Aghäti karma while Pap karma belongs to
both Ghäti and Aghäti karma.
Discussion on Ghäti, Aghäti, Punya and Pap karma

Under normal circumstances, the environment created by Päp or sinful
karma are not conducive to the spiritual progress of a soul because it
produces an unhealthy body, a shorter life span, low social status,
poverty, birth in hell, or as insects, animals etc.
Only the environment created by Punya karma are conducive to attain a
higher spiritual state because they can result in human birth, healthy
body, spiritual education, a longer life span and so on. Without a
human life and spiritual environment one cannot attain a Vitaräga
state (a spiritual state beyond attachment and aversion) and hence
Keval jnän (infinite knowledge).
Also Jain philosophy states that all worldly souls (except very high
spiritual state souls - Vitaräga state and Keval-Jnäni) are under the
influence of Mohaniya karma meaning under Mithyätva and Kashäya.
Since we are under this influence at every moment, we always acquire
some Pap karma at every moment.
Now if we think in terms of Punya and Pap karma, we can conclude that
at every moment a person, who is always under the influence of
Mohaniya karma, may acquire either all Pap karma or both Punya and Pap
karma by reflecting and doing non-virtuous or virtuous activities.
Under no circumstances, will a person acquire only Punya karma and no
Pap karma.
This process occurs at every moment until one attains a very high
spiritual state known as Vitaräga state and higher (Spiritual state of
12th Gunasthänak).
Therefore; at every moment, we should be very alert and try our best
to acquire maximum Punya karma and minimum Pap karma. Under such
effort a net reduction in Ghäti karma will occur because all Ghäti
karma are Pap karma only.
This can be accomplished by continuously reflecting on to the
reduction of our Mithyätva and Kashäya (reduce Karta Bhava or ego)
while continuously reflecting and doing pious and virtuous activities
of body, speech and mind.
The highest pious activities of body, speech and mind are the six
Abhyantar Tapa (internal austerities): Präyashchitta (repentance for
bad deeds), Vinay (humility towards all living beings), Vaiyävruttya
(rendering selfless service to all living beings), Swädhyäy (study of
the spiritual literature), Dhyäna (meditation on the nature of the
soul), and Käyotsarga or Vyutsarga (remain in a complete state of
equanimity).
In practicing these activities one eliminates all Ghäti karma and
attains Vitaräga state and Keval-jnän. After the attainment of Keval-
jnan, a person will have only Aghäti Punya karma and Aghäti Pap karma
left to shed. This will happen at the end of current life and results
in the person attaining liberation.
A Word of Caution with Regards to Punya Karma

While doing virtuous activities, many times, due to our ignorance of
reality (Mithyätva) and ego (Kashäya), a person feels (reflects) that
because of his good effort or action people are being helped or that
because he is a big donor, a temple or hospital was able to be built.
In doing such deeds, he receives a high social status and he takes
great pride of this status.
But in acquiring these valid Punya or virtuous karma for his good
deeds, he at the same time acquires maximum Pap karma because he has
done the good work under the very high influence of Mohaniya karma to
gain power and fame (Karta Bhava).
Hence Jainism warns that any virtuous activity done under Mithyätva
and Kashäya state ultimately results in a sinful activity to that
person even though other people and animals, and environment are being
helped.
Only Ghäti karma and in particular Mohaniya karma hinders the soul in
acquiring the Vitaräga State. Once one attains a state of Vitaräga by
removing all Mohaniya karma, the other three Ghäti karma become
powerless and they are destroyed within 48 minutes without any effort
and a person attains Keval-jnän. A Keval-Jnäni person attains
liberation at the end of the current life and no fallback occurs
during this time.
In the absence of Mohaniya karma, all other karma become totally
powerless even though their presence exist. None of them can provide
any obstacle in the attainment of the soul's liberation. Now
theoretically one can say that any karma is a hindrance to the
attainment of liberation, but it has no spiritual value.
Are We Capable of Removing Aghäti Karma before their Maturity?

Human being is capable of removing only Ghäti Karma before their
maturity by performing Nirjarä. No human being is capable of removing
any Aghäti karma before their maturity. At the most we can modify
them from one sub-category to another sub-category within the same
major category. Hence everyone has to complete these karma. Even
after the attainment of Keval-jnän, a person is not capable of
removing such karma. They all have to wait until the completion of
Äyu karma, because Äyu karma is the only karma cannot be even modified
in the last life.
In case of a kevali person (which is his last life), if his time of
Äyu karma is less than the maturity time of the remaining three Aghäti
karma, then the kevali performs Samudghat near the end of his life.
He expands his soul and spreads it across the entire universe (spreads
throughout the 14 Rajlok area). This way he forces the remaining
three Aghäti karma to mature earlier and produce their result in a
very short time. After the completion of the three Aghäti karma, he
withdraws his soul into his body. Then he withdraws his activities of
body, speech, and mind. Now his spiritual state is considered 14th
Gunasthänak. He stays in this state for a few seconds and attains
Nirvana.
In conclusion, we can say that we have to complete the maturity cycle
of all Aghäti karma. Only Kevali can force the Aghati karma to mature
earlier to coincide with the maturity time of the Ayu karma. However
no one can force Ayu Karma of the last life to mature earlier.
Discussion of Two Important Questions

1. Sometimes people argue that "pap karma is an iron chain and
punya karma is a golden chain for the soul”. Since both are ‘matter’,
neither can liberate the soul. The soul is liberated by becoming free
of ‘matter’; both punya and pap.
Spiritually the above logic is not correct because when a person
removes all his Ghäti Pap Karma he attains Keval-jnän. All his Punya
Aghäti karma and Aghäti Pap karma are still attached to him, but those
karma cannot stop him in the attainment of liberation.
However, the above logic has created an incorrect perception in our
community’s mind that Jainism is a selfish religion and hinders the
people from doing virtuous work.
2. In my teaching of Jain religion, I generally ask the following
question:
Mahävir swämi attained Keval-jnän at the age of 42 and then he
travelled for 30 years to preach the truth he had realized to the
people. At the age of 72 he attained nirvana or liberation.
Why did he travel for 30 years to preach? He could have stayed at one
of the caves in meditation and still attained liberation.
I get only one answer - Because of Tirthankar Näma Karma
In my opinion this is an incorrect statement, and here is my logical
explanation:
Keval-Jnäni possesses "Yathäkhyäta Chäritra"; meaning his conduct is
natural and according to the innate nature of the soul. In this
state no karma can influence him. Karma has maximum influence on the
people who are at Mithyätva state (1st Gunasthänak) and have no
influence on those who are in a Keval-Jnäni state (13th Gunasthänak).
So the answer does not fit the Jain philosophy of logic at all.
The correct answer is that the Tirthankar possesses unconditional
compassion towards every living being of the entire universe. This
unconditional compassion is the innate nature of the soul and hence
Mahävir Swami preached two or three times a day every day and
travelled for 30 years. To indicate that "because of näma karma" he
traveled and preached does not fit into the definition of what is
natural conduct for a Keval-Jnäni.
Summary

Spiritually Jainism is a very simple religion to understand and
practice.
The Mohaniya karma is the single most dangerous karma because due to
this karma we acquire all 8 types of karma and hence we cannot attain
Vitaräga state and in result, Keval-jnän.
Hence in order to reduce/eliminate Mohaniya karma, initially we need
to attain the followings:
1. Human life, spiritual education, and healthy body. (These are
the fruits of Punya karma)
2. Continuous effort and awareness to reduce Mithyätva
(illusionary knowledge of soul and its association with matter) and
Kashäya (vices such as anger, ego, deceit, and greed) from our human
life. Which will ultimately remove Mohaniya karma.
In other words, in order to attain liberation we continuously need to
do virtuous activities like helping others, showing compassion to all
beings, following a strict vegetarian (Vegan) diet, studying and
discussing of religion (Svädhyäya), and protecting the environment.
Such activities will assure us a human life in next birth.
However, while doing virtuous activities, we should remain very alert
and should not get trapped by fame, power, high social status or
frustration of not accomplishing the result. In other words, do not
expect any fruits of our virtuous work. Such reflection will reduce
and at the end will eliminate our Mohaniya karma.
Without the presence of Mohaniya karma, all other karma become
powerless and person attains liberation at the end of current life.
Never think that Jainism teaches that Punya is a karma that hinders
the soul in attaining liberation. Punya is a good Aghäti karma and no
Aghäti karma hinders any innate qualities of the soul and hence
Vitaräga state and Keval-jnäna. On the contrary Punya karma provide a
human life and spiritual education for the soul in the next life to
attain Keval-jnän. It is our free will or determination
(Purushärtha) that determines our use of the favorable environment
created by Punya karma.

by-
Pravin K Shah
Jaina Education Committee
Raleigh, NC USA
February 20, 2011