English
Although Buddhist literature does not seem to give clear, direct and detailed description of bondage and fruition of Karmas, still there are scattered passages here and there which show that the writers of the Buddhist literature had in their mind the description of karmas according to what the Jain scripture says. A metaphysician can know it by devoted and critical study. Jain authors say that there are fine karmic molecules made up of material particles floating throughout the universe. They are so fine that they cannot be known by our senses. This mundane soul attracts them according to good and bad thought-activi- 198 JAINISM AND BUDDHISM ties when performing actions through mind, body and speech. This is called dsravd or inflow. Their exis- tence with the soul for some duration is called Bandha or bondage. When these bound karmas are ripened, they give agreeable or disagreeable results. -They can be des- troyed before their ripening-time by self-concentration. When there is no inflow of karmas through passions, the soul is called Ksindsrava or destroyer of inflow. Thus by checking inflow and by destroying the old accumulated karmas, the soul attains liberation or moksa or Nirvana. Moksa has been described in Tattvartha sutra by Umaswami thus :—— . < ° TISAMAARCAL HA HATATATAT ATA: Bandha hetva bhava nirjarabhydm kritsna karma vipra mokso moksah. “ Liberation (is) the freedom from all karmic matter, owing to the non-existence of the causes of bondage and to the shedding of karmic molecules.” Before describing in detail the karmic philosophy as given in the Jain scriptures, itis advisable to let the readers know those passages in the Buddhist literature which in short give the description of karmas as is given in Jainism. (1) Majjhim nikaya ; deotia sutta savvdsava. * KARMAS AND THEIR FRUITS 199 “ dsavd samvard pahd tavva,” is a Pali ques- tion. Which dsrava should be removed by samvara ? Here both these words are the same as in Jainism. If their liberal meaning is taken into consideration, they would mean that something, which comes, is checked. “ Bhikkhu savvasava samvara samvuto vihorati.”’ This means that the monk roams while checking all the dsravas (i.e., all the karmas which had to come were checked). (2) Majjhim nikaya bhaya bhairava sutta Chatut- tham. “ Yatha kam mupage satte pajanami”’ i.e, I know the beings when they are prone to ripening of their karmas. Note. Here the word “kam mupage”’ shows that karmas are ripened ‘‘ Michchha ditthi kamme sama- ? dana ”’ (i.e.) having wrong belief karma. Note. This passage refers to a class of karma named mithyd-dristi karma which ts bound by a wrong believer. (3) Digha Nikaya Vol. III——33, Sangita Suttanta. “Tayo rasi—michchatta—niyato rasi, sammatta niyato rAsi, aniyato rasi.”’ Here the word rast means a collection or group, The passage means “the group of wrong belief only, the group of right belief only, the group of their mixed.”’ | JAINISM AND BUDDHISM These terms refer to three classes of karmic mole- cules as described in Jain scriptures :—wrong belief — deluding karma is of three kinds, wrong belief karmas, ; clouded right belief karma and mixed right and wrong belief karma. The word rasi refers to group of karmic molecules as said in the Jain scripture. (4) Buddha Charya page 370 Anguli mala sutta (M. N. 2-4.8.) ‘“O Brahmana, you are suffering the fruit of that karma (karma vipaka) in the very life, which would have to be suffered for many centuries, many millenniums in the hell by you. Then the Saint Angulimala, while enjoying the bliss of freedom in self- concentration at a solitary place said the verse which means.” ‘“ He at first collects the karmas and then destroys — them. He is shining in the universe like the moon within the clouds. His acquired bad karmas are covered with good karmas.” Note. Here the words karma vipaka, ‘ arjite’ ‘marjit’, the example of cloud and moon show that karmas are something material distinct from the pure soul ; which can be ripened, collected and destroyed and they obscure the soul in the same way as the clouds obscure the moon and when they are removed, the moon-like soul is shining forth. x a — (5) The Doctrine of the Buddha by George Grim n- : (1926.) a r| KARMAS AND THEIR FRuITS 201 Page 252. First of all, of course, \our present body, like every future one, together with all its sense- organs and mental faculties; thus what we have called before the six-sense-machine is exclusively a product of our previous action, in-as-much as it has brought about the grasping ia the material womb; This not, ye disci- ples, your body, nor the body and another, rather must it be regarded as the deed of the past, the deed that has come to fruition, the deed that is willing actualized. That has become perceptible. (S. N., II p. 64.) The eye, ye monks, is to be recognized and regard- ed as determined through former action, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind, ye monks; to be recognized and regarded as formed and determined through former action (S. N. II. p. 72.) P. 256. These, ye disciples, a man has won insight with the body, has practised himself in virtue, has developed his mind, has awakened knowledge, is broad-minded, magnanimous, dwelling in the immeasura- ble. In sucha man, ye disciples, the same small crime which he has committed ripens even during his life-time. Note. In the above passage, the word kama is translated by deed while it really means karmic mole- cules. (6) Manuscript Remains of Buddhist literature in - Eastern Turkestan by A. F. R. Hoernl (1916). Sata-pancha sika stotra by Matricheta. Its 73rd 26 202 JAINISM AND BUDDHISM verse has the words “ Raga renam prasam ayati” means—‘‘ subsiding the ashes of affection.” Note. Here the word ‘ raga’ shows that affection producing karma is a material like ash. Part I] Vajra Chhedika : “gerard cat water aaa: waa ai faataary aaa warrata a: ta ae SIH ATA aariar eater aut aaa qf Aras AG: AAT Wat AMSAT ATA. ” “ Prajna para mitam etim sankalita van—sarevay- nah bhagawan tam tri satikam vachayati prakasayatt yah eva vajra chhedikam nama sarvant karmani tatha- dvarnasya pdpdnt samyak vajra yutha tena vajra chhedika nama.’ “This Prajnd pdramita sutra has been declared by the omniscient ford. It has three hundred verses. He who reads and expresses it, for him its tame is assigned “ vajra chhedika i.e., it cuts off all the karmas and obscuring demerits like adamant, therefore it is named such.” Note. This statement very clearly shows that karma is a material thing which obscures and which ¢an be cut and broken. Fage 289. Apari mitayuh sutra. It has twenty verses. “qq antag: aa fetaat faa sala acer Gareacraner Haravitta Tears Teste.” KARMAS AND THEIR FRuits 203 “ Ya tdam apari mitdyuh stitram ltkhhi syati, likhe paytsyati, tasya panchantara yant karma varnani partksayam guchchhanti.”’ ‘ He who writes this apari mitayuh sutram or makes another write it, his five obstructive karma-obscurings | are destroyed.” Note.—Here the obscuring of karmas and _ their destruction is described just like what the Jain scripture Says. Jain literature describes antaraya karma or obstructive karma to be of five kinds :—Danantaraya (obstructing charity), Labhantaraya (obstructing gain), Bhogantaraya (obstructing the use of once-enjoyables) Upa bhogantaraya (obstructing the use of many-times- enjoyables), Viryantaraya (obstructing power). They are material molecules, which are collected and destroyed. (7) “Some sayings of the Buddha” by Woodward | (1925).’ Page 196. Then make thyself an island of defence, Strive quick ; be wise: when all thy Taints of dirt and dust are blown away, the saints shall greet thee entering the happy land (Dhammapada).” Note.—Here the words ‘taint,’ ‘dirt’ and ‘ dust ’ refer to some fine matter which can be blown away. (8) Sacred books of the-East Vol. X 188] Dham- mapada. Cha. XVIII. Impurity. ti 204 JAINISM AND BUDDHISM Page 243. “But there is taint worse than all taints, ignorance is the greatest taint. O mendicants, throw off that taint and become taintless.” Note. Here the word ‘taint’ refers to some ‘material thing which is dirty. Page 369, Cha. XXV. The Bhiksu. “© Bhiksu! empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly, having cut off passion and hatred, thou wilt go to ‘ Nirvana.’ Note. Here the passage shows that the boat is heavy on account of some matter which should be thrown off and the boat should be emptied. (9) Sacred books of the Buddhists Vol. III by T. W. Rhys Davids.. Dialogue of the Buddha from Digh Nikaya (1910). Page 148 Chap. IV. Mahdparinibban suttanta. “There has heen laid up by Chunda, the smith a karma redounding to length of life, redounding to good birth, redounding to good fortune, redounding to good fame, redounding to the inheritance of heaven and of sovereign power. Note.—This statement clearly shows what the Jains say. His deed has collected karmas which would be ripened into all the merits said here. (10) “ Sansara or Buddhist philosophy of birth and death” by Bhiksu Narada, published by P. D. M. Perera, Post Master, Talavakele (16-10-1930). KARMAS AND THEIR FRUITS 205 Page 5. Buddha tells us that the coming into being of the linking consciousness (Pati sandhi-vinnana) is dependent upon the passing away of another con- sciousness in a past birth, and that the process of coming into being and passing away is the result of the powerful force known as kamma, Page 10. The multifarious forms are merely the manifestation of kamma force. It is common to say after witnessing’ an out-break of passion or sensuality in a person whom we deemed characterized by a high moral.