Philosophy In Jain Agams: 05 ►KARMA MĪMĀNSĀ (DOCTRINE OF KARMA - A Critical Probe)

An important aspect of philosophical thinking is the 'analysis of cause and effect theory'. In the field of science also, due importance is given to the cause-effect relationship, but it has limitations as, it relies only upon the direct-empirical and inferential knowledge.

Meaning of Theism and Atheism: Prominence of Karma Theory

There are two prominent words used in Indian thinking- theism and atheism. Pāṇinī, while deriving the etymological meaning of these two words defined them as those who believe in karma and its fruition are theists and those who do not, are atheists^[1] We may conclude from this definition of Pāṇinī, that out of everything mentioned in scriptures, karma and fruition of karma is prime. Most of the Indian philosophies are believers in the authority of scriptures (related to their own tradition). Besides Cārvāka, all other Indian philosophies accept the existence of karma, its fruition and also the concept of rebirth in relation to this.

Basis of Karma Theory- Validity of ancient scriptures

Indian philosophy accepts the validity of direct perception and inference with the validity of ancient scriptures. The motive behind accepting ancient scriptures to be valid is that it contains explanation about many such knowable objects, which do not become the subject of direct perception and inference. Acharya Siddhasena has divided the object of perception into two divisions-

1. Hetugamya - that object which is possible to know through the statement of proban
2. Ahetugamya (āgama gamya) - object which is known through Scriptures.^[2]

The relation of karma and its results is not the subject of direct or inferential perception. Hence it can be known only through the āgamas.

Thus, indirectly belief in karma and its results, leads to the acceptance of āgama pramāṇa.

There are two beliefs prevalent in Indian philosophy- pramāṇasamplava and pramāṇavyavasthā.^[3] The believers of pramāṇa samplava hold that 'the object known through one pramāṇa (means of valid cognition) can be known through other pramāṇas also. Contrary to this, believers in pramāṇa vyavasthā uphold that every pramāṇa has its own independent object of cognition. The object that is known through scriptures pramāṇa cannot be known by other pramāṇas like direct perception or inference. It seems that Acharya Siddhasena also had a similar opinion because he says'- that which is known through the logic is known through logic alone (hetugamya) and that which is known through āgama (Jain scriptures) is known through the āgama only (āgama gamya) - this is the assertion of Jainism and to believe in its opposition is contrary to Jain belief.^[4] Sāyaṇa has also stated that the object that is not known through the Veda (Vedic scriptures) that can be known through direct perception or inference.^[5]

In this context, it is worth-noticing that the validity of āgama in Jain tradition is dependent on special knowledge i.e. knowledge of āpta (realized) puruṣa.^[6] Nyāya tradition calls it 'yogaja pratyakṣa' i.e. direct perception through supra-sensory knowledge'.^[7] It means that the knowledge that we acquire through scriptures is known only to the omniscients or yogis, through transcendental direct perception. Hence, their statements are considered as valid, being the statements of āpta i.e. a realized person.

Although, subjects such as rebirth etc. can be known through scriptures, for people who have past-life experiences^[8], it is a matter of self-experience. Thus, people who do not believe in scriptures as a valid source of knowledge can also know about the pre birth and associated doctrine of karma through the examples of such people who have visualized their previous births. Science has not yet completely accepted the examples cited of people having knowledge of previous births. Until then scriptures remain the main source of valid cognition in this regard. From this perspective, it will be relevant to know what exactly the Jain āgamas have stated about the doctrine of karma.