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Virtue and Vice (Punya and Pāpa)
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question, it may also be kept in mind that the soul which is bonded at present was never free from the Kārmika dust earlier. (ii) In this regard, stanzas 87, 90, and the discussion in the question-answer format in the annotation related with stanza 90 may also be helpful. (iii) Despite the above mentioned facts, for the sake of convenience in communication in the worldly life, it may be helpful to describe Pudgala as the doer of Jīva (see stanza 84) from the relative point of view. As stated by Ācārya Kundakunda, the description of stanza 83 is according to the real point of view. The apparent disagreement between these two stanzas (83 and 160) is due to the difference in the points of view: stanza 83 considers the real point of view and another uses the relative point of view. (iv) In short, the following points are worth remembering: (a) A non-omniscient soul has never been omniscient in the past. (b) A non-omniscient soul may become omniscient, and after becoming omniscient it never becomes non-omniscient in the future. (c) The omniscience does not come from outside. (d) A non-omniscient soul is non-omniscient because of its own actions. However, on many occasions, it is helpful to use the relative point of view to say that the soul is not omniscient because of the fruition of the ignorance-causing-Karma bonded by the soul itself.
