Jaina Karma      

Specialty of the Jaina Conception of Karma: Matter (pudgala) is an insentient substance. It has infinite energy & powers. Karma is a form of matter, which is closely associated with the soul & exerts great influence on it. These traces are in the form of aggregates of material atoms. They are karmas. Good or bad actions are called auspicious or inauspicious karmas, which give good or bad fruits to the soul. Based on types of human beings there are two sub-types so there are four types as given below –

1. Auspicious karmas (AK) related to auspicious activities & resulting in auspicious karmas (punyanubandhi punya). -  All AK gives man means of happiness on their rise. He acquires wealth etc on account fruition of AK but some AK mean much more like not indulging in sensual pleasures, spending wealth in philanthropic activities, being humble and not hurting the feeling of others. Because of their nature the AK they cause the bondage of AK and make man’s life happy, righteous and auspicious. The term ‘punyanubandhi punya’ means that AK which is related to religious practice and good activities leading to a good next birth.

2. Auspicious karmas relating to inauspicious activities and resulting in inauspicious karmas (papanubandhi punya) - all AK give man means of happiness, he acquires wealth but some men go astray. They spend their wealth in luxuries & vicious activities. He indulges in sensual pleasures, does not like good activities. AK of this type are called ‘papanubandhi punya’ because on their rise they give man happiness & pleasures & at the same time degrade his life, they are related to vicious activities which cause low next birth. As AK of this type are related to inauspicious activities, they cause through them the bondage of inauspicious activities.

3. Inauspicious karmas related to auspicious activities & resulting in AK (punyanubandhi papa). - all inauspicious karmas put man miserable conditions on the rise. On account of their fruition, he becomes poor, cannot acquire means of happiness. But some inauspicious karmas are such as would not shake man’s faith in dharma. Even in adverse conditions, he practices dharma and helps others according to his capacity. They are called ‘punyanubandhi papa’ because though they cause miseries they do not degrade his life.

4. Inauspicious karmas related to inauspicious activates and resulting in inauspicious karmas (papanubandhi papa) - all inauspicious karmas cause misery to man on their rise. On account of their fruition, he is deprived of the means of happiness, cannot acquire wealth inspite of his efforts. Inspite of suffering he does not refrain from indulging in vicious activities. The inauspicious karmas of this type are called ‘papanubandhi papa’ because on their rise they cause misery to man & are associated with vicious activities which cause low next birth & bondage of inauspicious karmas.

In short, those AK accumulated through past births, which cause the bondage of new auspicious karmas at the time when the soul is enjoying their sweet fruits are called ‘punyanubandhi punya’. Those inauspicious karmas accumulated through past births, which cause the bondage of auspicious karmas through equanimity, peace, and good activities, at the time when the soul is experiencing their bitter fruits are called punyanubandhi papa. Those AK accumulated through past births, which cause the bondage of inauspicious karmas at the time when the soul is enjoying, with indulgence & infatuation, their sweet fruits are called papanubandhi punya. And those inauspicious karmas accumulated through past births, which cause the bondage of new inauspicious karmas at the time when the soul is experiencing their bitter fruits are called papanubandhi papa.

Now sometimes we see men becoming rich and enjoying all pleasures on the strength of robbery etc and we wonder how they enjoy such pleasures. A man can enjoy pleasures while indulging in the vicious activities as long as there continues the process of the fruition of the past-accumulated auspicious karmas. And one should bear in mind that the governance & rule of Nature is not so weak & disorderly that the newly bound inauspicious karmas can get destroyed without yielding their fruits. There is a reign of law & order in nature. The most intense inauspicious karmas demonstrate their inexplorable power by yielding their bitter fruits in the very birth in which they are bound through unwholesome activities.

Further the amount of wealth does not determine happiness. If a man honestly & in a just way acquires just that much of wealth as is necessary to buy the necessities of life & a residential house, remains satisfied with that only and decides to spend the excess honest earnings in philanthropic works, then he can be regarded as a really happy person. Happiness consists in contentedness.