Theory of Karma & Nine Tattvas

The doctrine of karma occupies a significant position in Jain philosophy. It provides a rational and satisfying explanation to the apparently inexplicable phenomena of birth and death, happiness and misery, inequalities in mental and physical attainments, and the existence of different species of living beings. It explains that the principle governing the successions of life is karma. The karma that bind our soul are due not only to the actions of our body, mind and speech but more importantly, to the intentions behind them. Jainism strives for the realization of the highest perfection of the soul, which in its original purity is free from all pain, suffering and the bondage of the cycle of birth and death.

The nine tattvas or principles are the single most important subject of Jain philosophy. They deal with the theory of karma, which provides the basis for the path of liberation. Without proper knowledge of these tattvas, a person cannot progress spiritually.

The Nine Tattvas (Principles) :

1 Jiva	Soul or living being (Consciousness)
2 Ajiva	Non-living substances
3 Asrava	Cause of the influx of karma
4 Bandha	Bondage of karma
5 Punya	Virtue
6 Papa	Sin
7 Samvara	Stoppage of the influx of karma
8 Nirjara	Partial exhaustion of the accumulated karma
9 Moksha	Total liberation from karma

The first two tattvas Jiva and Ajiva comprise the physical reality of the universe. Jiva tattva refers to the soul, and Ajiva tattva encompasses karma or karmic matter in this section. The remaining seven tattvas explain the relationship between soul and karma.

A person's ignorance (Mithyatva), lack of self-restraint (Avirati), unawareness (Pramada) and passions (Kasaya) like anger, conceit, deceit and lust and the activities of mind, speech and body (yoga) are the primary causes of the influx of karma. Collectively, these causes are called Asrava.

Asrava

The Jainas hold that when the conscious principle of the Jiva becomes filled with passion e.g. attachment, envy, infatuation etc., - material particles called Karma, which are foreign to the nature of the soul, flow into it. These Karma particles limit the freedom of the soul and are of eight kinds.

The Jnavaraniya karma envelops the essentially knowing nature of the soul; the Darshanavaraniya karma envelops its native unobstructed power of immediate apprehension; the Mohaniya karma injures the purity of its faith and subjects it to the influences of various passions; the Vedaniya karma makes the soul feel the transitory pleasures and pains of the world; the Ayushya karma determines the the soul’s worldly existence in each birth; the Nam karma determines the physical frame, race etc. in each birth of the soul, in the series of existences; the Gotra karma accounts for the highness or the lowness of the family, in which the soul is born; the Antaraya karma puts the obstacles to the noble activities of the soul.

Bandha

As a result of the flow of karma into the soul, the soul loses its independence and finds itself in a state of bondage.

Samvara

A Jiva, trying to free himself from the clutches of the karma (matter) takes to various moral practices, such as three Guptis, five Samitis, etc. – as a result of which, the further flow of karma into the soul is stopped. Samvara or the stoppage of new karma is accomplished by right belief, observance of vows, awareness and control of passion. Jain literature explains 57 practical ways a person can stop the influx of karma.

Prakrit Name	Meaning	Different Types
Samitis	Carefulness	5
Guptis	Preservation	3
Yati Dharma	Religious Virtues	10
Bhavana	Reflections or Thoughts	12
Parishaha	Subduing of suffering	22
Charitra	Conduct	5

Nirjara

Then comes the stage of Nirjara, in which the effects of the already accumulated karma are gradually destroyed by moral practices or by the karma effects being experienced to their full and final extent. Thus Nirjara or partial removal of old karma is done by rigorous penance (fasting, avoiding tasty food etc.) and austerities (repentance, selfless service, before religious study and meditation). Nirjara partially removes old karma before their maturity.

Moksha

The total destruction of all karmas and the consequent installation of the soul in its state of essential purity i.e. as a being having the four Infinities of Immediate Apprehension, Cognition, Joy and Power, is its Moksha or final emancipation.

Thus the removal of all past accumulated karma is called Moksha and as a result the soul gains its original nature of total bliss. This is also known as liberation. The way to this Moksha is three-fold, - combination of Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnana and Samyak Charitra i.e. Right faith, Right knowledge and Right conduct of the last of which, Ahimsa or non-violence is the corner stone.

It will appear from what has been stated above that about each of the various problems of Indian philosophy, - naya, about which some of those of the present day speculative systems – Jainism has a definite theory of its own. The study of philosophy thus can well be supplemented by a study of the Jaina system and it can certainly be said that the study of the ancient Indian culture is bound to be incomplete without a careful study of the Jainas’ contribution to it

When karma attaches to the soul (Bandha or bondage), it obscures the soul's essential nature of infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite power, total bliss, eternal existence, non-corporeal form and equanimity. The duration, intensity, quality and quantity of karma attached to the soul are determined at time of bondage

All actions result in the accumulation of karma. The karma due to pious activities (charity, providing shelters to needy, truthfulness, purifying thoughts etc.) is called Punya or virtue. Conversely, the accumulation of karma due to evil activities (violence, theft, unchastity, anger and attachments to various objects) is called Pap or sin. Both Punya and Pap karma are manifested in the future in ways that the soul perceives as pleasure or pain (reward or punishment).

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