24. Samayasar Gatha 98-108

Now the saying of Vyavahara people is told here :

Gatha 98 : Soul creates pot, cloth, chariot etc. objects in vyavahara sense. Uses senses as instrumental objects. Is responsible for dravya karmas such as Gyanavarana  and bhava karmas such as anger etc. Further he is also responsible for body etc. as nokarmas.

Commentary : For the people believing in Vyavahara sense, the reason by which the soul appears to be indulging in making of pot & other dravya form external karmas etc. by means of his vikalpas ( contemplation) and action both together; by the same reason the soul  appears to be indulging in internal karmas of the form of anger etc. which are other dravya forms. This is so since both are other dravya forms(other than self) hence there is no difference between the two – such is the delusion or ignorance of people believing in Vyavahara.

Explanation : Believing self to be the karta of other dravyas is Vyavahara, but this is ignorance from real aspect of view.

Now it is told that believing in such Vyavahara is incorrect from real aspect of view, since it is untrue:

Gatha 99: If soul indulges in acts of other dravyas then he shall also become one with them as a rule. But since he does not become one with them hence he is not karta of their activities.

Commentary : If in reality the soul indulges in acts of other dravyas then he necessarily should become one with them since as a rule the one who manifests and the manifestation cannot be different. But such is not the case. If that were true then on merging of one dravya with another dravya , the second dravya would be destroyed. Hence in the sense of pervader and pervaded , the soul is not karta of other dravya.

Explanation :  If one dravya could be karta of another dravya then how could they remain different dravyas ? One of them would perish and this would be a great fallacy. Hence one dravya cannot be called karta of another dravya.

Now if someone thinks that though one dravya cannot be karta of another dravya from the sense of pervaded and pervader , even so one could be karta in the nimitta-naimittik (causal and caused) sense. This also is negated and told that one dravya is not karta of another even from nimitta-naimittik sense-

Gatha 100 : Jiva does not make the pot nor does he make the cloth. In the same way he does not make any other dravya because the yoga and upayoga of the jiva are nimitta for  the making of the pot etc. and jiva is upadan(real cause) karta of the yoga and upayoga.

Commentary : Whatever the acts like pot etc. and anger etc. of the form of other dravyas are seen, they are not executed by the soul in the sense of pervader and pervaded. Because if he does so then he shall be one with them. Further he does not act in nimitta-naimittik sense either because if he does so then he would ever be karta for all the manifestations. 

Question : Then who is responsible for all the acts ?

Answer : The yoga of the soul i.e. the vibration of soul space due to nimitta of mind-speech-body and upayoga i.e. the engagement of knowledge in the acts of passions – both of them are temporary, and are not pervasive in all states. 

These yoga and upayoga have been called karta in the nimitta sense of the acts of pot etc. or anger etc. form of other dravyas. In these the yoga is the vibration of soul spaces and upayoga is the indulgence of the soul i.e.consciousness in the form of contemplation in raga form. Soul can also  be called karta of these yoga-upayoga in his ignorant state  but soul is never karta of other dravya form karmas(acts).

Explanation : The Yoga and Upayoga of soul can be termed as nimitta for the pot etc. or anger etc., hence they can be called nimitta karta. However soul cannot be called nimitta. Soul can be called karta for the  yoga or Upayoga  due to ignorance in the worldly state. What it implies is that from the point of view of dravya, any dravya is not karta of another dravya. However from the point of view of paryaya, the paryaya of a dravya can be nimitta for another dravya at some time. From this aspect of view only the manifestation of one is called as nimitta karta  for the manifestation of another. In reality dravya is karta of its own manifestation and manifestation  of one is never the  karta of manifestation of another. So it should be known.

Now it is told that Gyani is karta  of gyan only:

Gatha 101 : The soul which does not indulge in Gyanavarana etc. which are manifestations of pudgla and knows them only is Gyani.

Commentary : Just as milk-curd, sweet-sour etc. manifestations are pervasive in the milk of cow; in the same way in reality the Gyanavarava etc. manifestations are pervaded by pudgala dravya hence they are manifestations of pudgala dravya. Further, just as a person sitting near the milk of cow knows and observes its manifestations, in the same way the Gyani soul is knower-observer of the manifestations of pudgala but not its karta.   

Then how is it ? – Just as a person sitting next to cow milk observes the cow milk ; in the process he is observer of his own manifestation in the pervasive form which is pervaded by the manifestation in the observing form. In the same way Gyani knows his own knowledge pervaded within  self with the nimitta of pudgala manifestation. In this manner Gyani is karta of knowledge only.

In this way, instead of Gyanavarana , it should be substituted by the other divisions of karma i.e. Darshanavarana, Vedaniya, Mohaniya, ayu, naam, gotra and antaraya – these seven sutras and along with them sixteen sutras of Moha, Raga, Dwesha; anger, pride, deceit, greed; nokarma; mind, speech, body; hearing, vision, smell, taste and touch should be stated and considered.

Now it is told that even Ignorant is not karta of bhava of other dravya:

Gatha 102 : In whichever shubha or ashubha (charitable or uncharitable) bhava soul indulges in, really he himself  is the karta of that bhava and that bhava is his karma. Further that soul is vedak (enjoyer) of the same bhava form karma.

Commentary : In this world due to eternal ignorance, the soul believes self and the others as to be one. The mild or strong manifestation form pudgala karmas are really  of a singular taste form while self is  of the form of  stationary  dense knowledge  in both the states of pudgala karma. Even then the soul indulges in dividing their taste due to ignorance of shubha or ashubha form. At that moment, by being one with such bhava and being pervasive in such bhava he is the karta of that bhava. Also that bhava is pervaded by the soul being one with the soul, and therefore that bhava is his karma.

Further the same soul, being one with that bhava at that moment, is the bhavak of that bhava, therefore he is the enjoyer experiencing it. Also that bhava also being pervasive with the soul at that moment is eligible to be enjoyed by the soul i.e. worthy of being experienced. In this way even ignorant is not karta of others’ bhavas.

Explanation : The ignorant one , in his ignorance, is karta of shubha or ashubha bhavas which are ignorant form bhavas. Still he is never the karta of other dravya bhavas.

Now it is told that no one is capable of doing bhava of other dravya- such is the rule:

Gatha 103 :    The dravya that is manifesting in its own dravya  nature and its own qualities, that dravya does not transform into another dravya and qualities i.e. it does not change into another dravya. Then how can that dravya, without changing into another, can manifest other dravya ? – it can never do so.

Commentary : In this universe whatsoever substances are there, they manifest in their own way in their forms of sentient  or insentient dravya forms and their properties from eternal times. Definitely they are unable to change their unchangeable  boundaries of their nature. Therefore they manifest within their own nature. They do not transform into other dravya or their qualities. Therefore how can the soul without changing into other dravya or other qualities can make another substance manifest? Can never make others manifest. Therefore no one can make other’s bhava to manifest.

Explanation : Whatever is the nature of dravya – it can never be changed. This is the sacrosanctity of dravya.

Now it is told that soul is definitely non karta of pugala karma due to this reason – that is established.

Gatha 104 : Soul does not indulge in the acts of the Dravya or their qualities of the pudgala form karmas. Without undertaking these two how can he be karta of them?

Commentary : First an example is quoted – Just as a mud form pot is the act, which exists out of the mud dravya and the qualities of mud within itself; in which the potter has not mixed his own dravya or qualities, because one dravya and its qualities cannot be transformed into another dravya and its qualities since that is negated by the sacrosanctity of dravya.

  One dravya without transforming into another dravya, one substance cannot cause manifestation of  another substance. Therefore in reality, without transforming into another dravya and their qualities, the potter does not appear to be the karta of the act of  mud form pot  definitely. In the same way the Gyanavarana etc. karmas are pudgala form existing in their own self of the nature of pudgala dravya and their qualities. The soul does not transform his own dravya and qualities into them definitely because one dravya does not have the capability to transform into another dravya and their qualities.

In this way without one dravya transforming into another dravya , it does not have capability to make another substance manifest. Therefore how can soul be karta of pudgala dravya ?- It definitely can never be. Thus is establishes that soul is non karta of pudgala karmas.

Now it is told that besides this, on observing the nimitta-naimittik bhavas in another, saying anything is just casual.

Gatha 105 :  On observing the bondage of karma with the nimitta of Jiva, it is said that Jiva has indulged in karmas but that is just a casual statement.

Commentary : In this world, in reality the soul is not causal agent for pudgala karmas by nature. Even then with the nimitta of eternal ignorance resulting in ignorant manifestation, soul causes bondage of pudgala karma with its nimitta. This has been carried out by the soul – such a vikalpa(thought) is generated within the ignorant people who are corrupted from the nirvikalpa ( thought free) dense knowledge state and engaged in thoughts. Therefore this pudgala karma has been carried out by the soul – such a statement is merely casual one and not real.

Explanation : Stating karta-karma relationship in nimitta-naimittik bhavas is merely casual statement.

Now why is that casual?– it is explained with example :

Gatha 106 : Just as on seeing warriors fight a war, people say that the king has engaged in war. This statement is from aspect of vyavahara naya only. In the same way “ the Gyananavarana karmas are bonded by the Jiva” , such a statement is also from aspect of vyavahara naya only.

Commentary : Just as with the warriors manifesting in acts of war, while the king himself is not engaging  in the war, people say that “ king has engaged in war”. Such a casual statement is not real. In the same way the pudgala dravya only manifests in the forms of gyanavarana etc. karmas while soul has not manifested himself into the forms of gyanavarana etc. karmas. Even then in Vyavahara (casually) sense  it is said that soul has bonded gyanavarana etc. karmas. Such a statement is casual and not real.

Explanation : Just as on warriors engaging in war, “ the king is engaged in war”  - this is stated casually ; in the same way, “ Jiva has indulged in pudgala karma” – this a casual statement.

Now it is told that this reasoning  establishes the following:

Gatha 107 : Soul generates pudgala karmas, indulges in  them, bonds with them,  manifests them,  receives them- all these are vyavahara statements.

Commentary :  Definitely the soul does not have pervader-pervaded relationship with pudgala karmas. Due to this he does not receive-modify-create, these three types of karmas. He does not  accept, manifest, create, indulge or bond with them. In spite of lack of such relationship, the vikalpa that soul accepts, manifest, create, indulge or bond with the three types of pudgala dravya karmas in the forms  of receive-modify-create, is only vyavahara (casual) statement.

Explanation: Due to the lack of pervader-pervaded bhava, calling soul as karta of karma is merely vyavahara.

How is this casual ? – This question is replied with an example:

Gatha 108 : Just as “ King is responsible for the qualities or defects of the subjects” – such a statement is made in Vyavahara; in the same way the Jiva is called responsible for the dravya and qualities of pudgala dravya in Vyavahara sense.

Commentary : Just as in the world, the qualities-defects are of the nature of  pervader-pervaded bhava of the subjects, while they are devoid of pervader-pervaded bhava of the king. Even then the world hold the king responsible for the qualities-defects of the subjects in Vyavahara sense. In the same way the qualities-defects generated due to pervader-pervaded nature of pudgala dravya  does not have presence of pervader-pervaded nature of Jiva. Even then Jiva is responsible for the qualities-defects of the pudgala dravya – this is a casual statement.

Explanation: There is a saying in the world  that “ just as the king is , so are the subjects” – by saying so the king is held responsible for the qualities-defects of the subjects. In the same way the Jiva is held responsible for the qualities-defects of  the pudgala dravya. However from the aspect of real view, it is vyavahara only.

Now it is enquired that if Jiva is not karta of the pudgala karma then “who is?”. This question is posted in the next kalash : 

Shloka 63: If Jiva is not responsible for the pudgala karmas then who is? For clarifying such doubt and removing the strong delusion-ignorance of the karta-karma , the karta of pudgala karma is stated. Hence O people, desirous of wisdom , listen carefully!