Mundane souls are those souls which are in bondage of karmic matter. It is
on account of this matter that they exist in the universe, in different
conditions of life, and experience innumerable kinds of pain and pleasure.
These souls are so avaricious, that their worldly wants are never
satisfied. Whatever pleasures they enjoy, are sensual, so they cannot
satisfy their desires. It is a matter of daily experience that the more
the desires of a mundane soul are satisfied, the more they are multiplied
in every direction. On one side these souls experience the fruits of their
past karmas, which shed off after fruition; on the other side, at the same
time, they bind fresh good or evil karmas, on account of their
multifarious impure thought-activities. This process has been going on
�since� eternity and will go on as long as the soul does not identify and
realise itself and does not adopt proper measures to walk on the path of
liberation. It is due to these simultaneous operations of fruition and ,
bondage, that souls transmigrate from one condition of life to the other.
It should be noted, that there are 8 main kinds of Karmas:-
(a)
Knowledge-
obscuring Karma ( Jnana-varniya Karma ) is that matter which obscures the
knowledge-attribute of the soul.
(b) Conation obscuring Karma (Darshana-varniya Karma ) is that matter
which cbscures the conation attribute of the soul.
(c) Feeling Karma ( Vedaniya Karma ) is that Karma, by the operation of
which,� mundane souls come in contact with agreeable or disagreeable
objects, which in their turn cause the feelings of pleasure or pain in the
Soul, according to their various degrees of attachment and aversion
therein.
(d)
Deluding
Karma ( Mohaniya Karma ) is that karma which obscures tne attributes-of
right-belief and right conduct of .the� soul.
(e)
Age-Karma
( Ayu Karma ) is that karma which causes and determines the sojourn of a
soul into a particular body.
(f)
Body-making Karma (Nama Karma) is that karma, the operation of which
cause condition of existence, formation of different (kin4s
of bodies and the change from one to another condition of existence.
(g)
Family-determining Karma (Gotra Karma) is that karma by operation of which
a soul ; is to take birth in a high or a low family.
(h) Obstructive karma ( Antaraya Karma ) is that karma which- obscures the
infinite power of the soul.
Out of these 8 karmas Nos. [a], [b], [d] and [h] are known as the
destructive ( ghatiya ) karmas; because they destroy the manifestation of
the real and essential attributes of the soul The manifestation of these
attributes in mundane souls varies inversely to the proportionate decrease
,of the forces of these four destructive karmas.
The remaining four, i,e., [c], [e], [f] and [g] are called
non distinctive karmas ( Aghatiya Karmas ). They are so called, because
they do not obscure the real attributes of the soul; but effect only the
external environments of the soul. As mundane souls are in bondage of
these 8 karmas, they forget their real flutter And never realise their
true-self and wander in different conditions of existence, distressed,
discontent and yearning for sensual pleasures.
In order
to avoid all this worry and to obtain real and eternal peace and
happiness, it is necessary to get rid of the fifth of these karmas.
Thus It is necessary for a mundane soul, longing for eternal; happiness
and salvation, that it should identify and realise itself. Identification
means, knowing the true nature of itself and the karmic matter, which are
two substances entirely different from each other.
Real point of view is that Which deals only with the true and pure aspect
of a substance respective of its relation with other substances.
Practical point of view is that which deals with a substance, having
regard to its relations with other substances.
When we. look at mundane souls from the practical point of view, various
kinds of conditions and
modifications are found in them; but when we think Of, them from the real
point of view, we find that there is no distinction at all between them
and the liberatedsouls, i.e. the mundane souls are in reality as free as
the liberated souls from all these conditions which arise from, and depend
upon the bondage of karmic matter with soul. Whenever any mundane soul
taking the real point of view into consideration identifies itself as
juice free and Separate from matter, and realises itself as such,
passions decrease and peacefulness increases. By this process of self
identification and self-realization, the past-karmas already in bondage
with the soul, shed off without fruition and before due time, and the
inflow and bondage fresh karmas gradually stop. Thus
the soul
following this path, gradually improves all round and sometime is able to
ultimately, free itself from these : worldly conditions and it self
becomes pure arid perfect (Siddha Paramatma ).
Gatha 39 � Impure thought-activities, Swabhava Sthana here means all the
thought-activities of except the real and the pure thought-activities.
Gatha
40. 1. Stages of Duration bondage, Sthiti bandha
Sthana.
2.
Stages of karmic nature, Prakriti Sthana.
3.
Degrees of molecular bondage,
Pradesha Sthana.
4.
Degrees of operation of karmas,
Anubhaga Sthana.
Bondage of karma is of 4 kinds, having reference to�
1. Prakriti, the nature of the karmic matter, whether it is
knowledge-obscuring, or conation-obscuring etc.
2. Sthiti, the duration of the bondage, within which period they will
gradually shed off.
3. Anubhaga, the mildness or intensity of fruition, at its maturity within
its duration.
4. Pradesha, the quantity of the karmic molecules drawn towards, and bound
to the soul.
The first and fourth, i.e. the Prakriti and Pradesha are determined by
soul vibrations caused by their actions of mind, body and speech.
Thus the nature and the quantity of the karmic molecules bound to the
soul, vary according to the quality and intensity of the soul-vibrations
and so there are different stages of karmic nature ( Prakriti Sthana ) and
different degrees of the molecular bondage ( Pradesha Sthana. )
The remaining two, i.e. the �Duration� and the fruition of karmic bondage
are determined by passions, anger, pride, deceit and greed, etc.
Thus the duration and fruition off karmic molecules bound to the soul vary
according to the mildness or intensity of; the passions and so there are
different stages of duration bondage ( sthiti bandha Sthana) and
various grades of fruition bondage ( Anubhaga Sthana ).
Udaya Sthana. When the karmic molecules already bound to the soul come
into operation, they manifest their mild or strong fruition, i.e..
the effect. So there are different degrees of the operation of the karmas
( Udaya sthana ) as well.
Gatha 41. Thought-activities of soul caused by operation of Karmas are of
four kinds:-
1. Subsidential thought-activity. (Aupashamika Bhava). This arises by the
subsidence of the deluding ( Mohaniya ) Karmic matter.
2. Destructive-thought-activity ( Kshayika Bhava ). It arises from the
destruction of any of the four destructive ( Ghatiya ) Karmas.
3. Destructive-subsidential thought-activity ( Kshayopashamika Bhava ). It
arises by the partial destruction, partial subsidence and partial
operation of any of the destructive Karmas.
4. Operative thought-activity (Audayika Bhava). It arises by the operation
of any of the Karmas.
In reality, the thought-activities of a soul are innumerable, so naturally
there are various gradations in all the above-mentioned
thought-activities, according to the subsidence, destruction and
operation, etc., of the Karmas.
Gatha 42. 1. Nucles (yoni) is the place whereto the mundane souls
transmigrate, after leaving the previous body. The process of formation
and development of the new external body begins there. Nuclei are of
various kinds, according to their nature, structure, etc.
They are eighty-four lakhs in number.
