1.5. Soul and Karma

‘The soul exists in contamination with karmic matter and it longs to be purified.’^[1]

One may wonder why all of us seek happiness all the time. There is no one on the planet who does not want to be happy within. Even the people involved in crime, despite of their wrong ways, eventually seek happiness. Happier people are the satisfied people, they are the creators of newer ideas and thoughts. Inner happiness attracts lighter karmic matter that helps purifying the soul. Many philosophers have believed that we have lived each life, we have travelled all the possible distances of the universe and we are here again to discover more, to know more.

In terms of understanding karma we must understand that:

‘Everyone is an embodied soul, encased in karmic matter. Every one may speak an aspect of our own soul’s past or conceivable future.’^[2]

Isn’t it amazing that how we can explore our lives further by observing each personality in a unique way.

As mentioned earlier, in Jain philosophy soul is one of the six substances that constitute the universe. Hence it is the opposite of ajiva i.e. jiva.

‘One of the chief words utilized for soul in Jainism, which means the 'living part'. The spirit subsequently speaks to the part of the universe that is really alive and cognizant.’^[3]

‘Living creatures contrast because of the fluctuating thickness and kinds of karmic matter. Higher methods generally fit for intuition and acting independently, settling on moral decisions, just as having the limit with regards to profound understanding and the quest of knowledge.’^[4]

According to Jainism only humans, and not even deities, can get rid of their karma completely and are capable to attain emancipation because deities, being residing in heavens can only lead a life of enjoyment, and are unable to shed karma, the way humans can; hence no matter how highly intellectual and spiritual a deva is, he has to take birth as a human to attain the account balance of Karma as zero. This even clarifies our view of looking at the deities as the supreme beings.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid. pp. 58

[2]:

Ibid. pp. 63

[3]:

Ibid. pp. 68

[4]:

Ibid. pp. 84