Karma Philosophy In Jainism

Author(s): Chandrashekharvijay, Chunilal Vrajlal Modi
Publisher: Kamal Prakashan

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PREFACE
Ideem it my good fortune to have the opportunity to translate this book on Karma Philosophy in Jainism written in Gujarati by Rev. Munishri Chandrashekhar Vijayji, into English. There was copious literature in Jain religion on the philosophy of Karma but much of it has been lost with the passage of time. Such elaborate description in depth on the subject as is available in Jain religion is not to be found anywhere else in the religions of the world. Karma Philosophy is thus a unique and distinctive contribution of the Jain thinkers to the religious literatues of the world.
This book packs in its small space the quintessence of Karma Philosophy in Jainism, initiating the readers in the salinet features of the mechanism of the operation of the law of Karma. The law of Karma is propounded by Lords Tirthankaras as perceived in omniscience. The last to shed light on this law is the 24th Tirthankara Bhagwan Mahavir.
It is an erroneous conception that Jainism is a religion of fatalism. On the contrary it is a religion of activism. Its cardinal theory is that man is the architect of his own destiny. Just as you sow, so shall you reap is a wise saying. Jainism is an illustrious exponent of this theory. Soul and Karma are the two pillars of Jainism. Man is his own ancestor as well as his own heir. What man reaps is the fruit of his own deeds done in the past innumerable births.
Good or bad fruits are the reward of past deeds. One cannot expect figs to grow on thistles. Wicked acts like thistles will give piercing thorns of pain.
The operation of the law of Karma is manifest in every sphere of life. At the last moment, one gets down from the plane and gives his seat to another. The plane crashes, one who was to travel is saved and one who was not to travel is killed. On a road accident, of the two men going together, one is killed and the other is saved. One intelligent is rotting in