Chapter 4 : Asrava Adhikar

30. Samayasar Gatha 164-172

Now Asrava (influx of karmas) enters:

Just as on stage the dancer appears in a disguise, here asrava enters the stage in a disguise. The right knowledge identifies the disguise correctly, hence its glory is praised by the following kalash:

Shloka 113: Now (this word is used to denote auspicious beginning). Here it is told that ‘ the one who is unconquerable ’ – such a warrior armed with bow and arrow of knowledge which can be experienced , conquers the asrava.

How is the knowledge form warrior? – Vast without any limitations, deep whose depth cannot be gauged by the chhadmastha(belonging to 1-12 gunasthana) , such great power which has fructified.

And how is the Asrava ? – Which is filled with great pride to the brim hence is slow, is like a maniac, and which has entered the battle ground of stage.

Explanation : Here Asrava has entered the dance stage. In a dance different shades of emotions are described. Here metaphor of shades of emotions is used to describe the shades of peace in which the shades of bravery are prominent; that the warrior of the form of knowledge conquers the Asrava. When this Asrava, who has conquered the entire world and filled with great pride it enters the stage of world for battle, there even more powerful warrior knowledge defeats him immediately , and within antarmuhurta ( less than 48 minutes) it destroys karmas and reveals Keval Gyan– such is the capability of knowledge.

Now nature of Asrava is described:

Gatha 164 : Mithyatva, Avirati, Kashaya, Yog -  these four are divisions of Asrava. Each of them are of two types each with the divisions of sentient i.e. perversions of conscious and insentient i.e. perversions of non conscious matter. There the corruptions (Mithyatva etc.) of sentient  are of several types in the Jiva; those are manifestations of Jiva and not different from him, they are one with him.

Gatha 165 : The corruptions ( Mithyatva etc ) of the pudgala are the cause for bondage of gyanavarana etc. karmas. The cause for Mithyatva etc. bhavas is the Jiva indulging in raga-dwesha (attachment-aversion) bhavas. 

Commentary : The raga-dwesha-moha bhavas of Jiva are the asravas.

How are these? – In these the own manifestation of Jiva is the nimitta(cause), hence they are not insentient. Therefore they appear to be sentient i.e. they are seemingly conscious.

Since Mithyatva, avirati, Kashaya and yog are manifestations of pudgala, and are nimitta for the asrava (influx) of gyanavarana etc. pudgala karmas; hence they are clearly asrava. Further the nimitta for the influx of gyanavarana etc. karmas is Mithyatva , for which itself the nimitta are the raga-dwesha-moha form manifestations of the  ignorant soul. Therefore Mithyatva etc. are nimitta for the influx of gyanavarana etc. karmas, and raga-dwesha-moha are nimitta for Mithyatva; thus raga-dwesh-moha themselves are asrava which are assimilated by ignorant ones – this can be concluded from this gatha although it is not clearly mentioned but such meaning can be derived.

Explanation : The cause for influx of gyanavarana etc. karmas are the fruition of pudgala manifestations of Mithyava etc. karmas.  The nimitta for the nimitta of the influx of those karmas are the raga-dwesha-moha manifestations of Jiva which are known as corruption of consciousness; which manifest in the ignorant form of the Jiva. Samyakdrishti is not ignorant because knowledge laced with Mithyatva is called ignorance.  Since Samyakdrishti is Gyani(wise) hence those corruptions of consciousness are not existing in the knowledge. Although Avirat Samyakdrishti etc.( 4^th gunasthana and above) do indulge in raga etc. due to fruition of charitra moha but they do not have ownership of them. Those are fructified on account of fruition of karmas. They consider them as disease and wish to get rid of them. Hence from that point of view they do not have raga. Thus the raga etc. laced with Mithyatva alone are the ignorant form raga-dwesha-moha which do not belong to  the Samyakdrishti – Know thus.    

 Now absence of those asravas is demonstrated for Gyanis :

Gatha 166: Samyakdrishti does not have asrava-bondage. Instead he has absence of asrava. He is knowing the presence of the karmas bonded previously, but he knows them without bonding newly acquired karmas.

Commentary : Definitely the Gyani does not indulge in bhavas of the nature of ignorance, in fact he is devoid of them. The knowledge form bhavas block the ignorant form bhavas since they are mutual opponents and mutual opponents cannot coexist. The bhavas of raga-dwesha-moha are of the nature of ignorance, hence of the form of asrava. The Gyani does not indulge in them hence it prevents influx of karmas. Therefore Gyani does not suffer bondage with gyanavarana etc. pudgala karmas  due to nimitta of asrava since he is always non karta of those karmas. Therefore without bonding with new karmas , he just knows the previously bonded karmas present with him. This is so because the nature of Gyani is knowing only and not doing ; the one who is karta only bonds with karmas.

Explanation: Once a Jiva is Gyani , it prevents the ignorance form raga-dwesha-moha bhavas. The prevention of raga-dwesha-moha bhavas prevent the asrava bhavas of Mithyatva etc. The prevention of asrava prevents bondage of new karmas. The previously bonded karmas which are existent with him, he just remains knower of them, not doer because once someone is gyani then his nature is manifesting in gyan form alone.

Although Avirat Samyakdrishti etc. does indulge in raga etc. on account of fruition of charitramoha, even so they are aware that it is due to force of fruition. They consider it as disease and try to eliminate them with their capability , therefore in spite of indulging in ragas , it is treated as non indulgence in them. They do not suffer bondage of the future worldly transmigration and they only undergo mild bondage of less duration and intensity. Hence they are not treated at par with ignorant ones. In the case of ignorant ones , it is the bondage due to nimitta of Mithyatva and Anantanubandhi alone which are treated as bondage. Therefore the gyani does not suffer from asrava-bondage.

Now raga-dwesha-moha alone are defined as asrava :

Gatha 167: The bhavas indulged into by Jivas which are conjoined with ragas alone are cause for bondage of karmas, and the bhavas devoid of ragas are not cause for bondage, they are of  knowing nature  alone. 

Commentary : Definitely the bhavas which are generated out of interaction with raga-dwesha-moha in the soul are of the nature of ignorance only. Just as the bhava generated out of interaction with a magnet persuades an iron needle to move; in the same way the bhavas of ignorance persuades the soul to indulge in karmas.

Further the bhava generated out of differentiating knowledge of the ragas is of the nature of knowledge. Just as a needle is not perturbed without the interaction of magnet , in the same way the bhavas of the nature of knowledge discourage the soul to indulge in karmas and establish him into his own nature.

In this manner the ignorant bhavas mixed with ragas encourage the soul to indulge in karmas resulting in new bondage while the bhavas devoid of ragas reveal his own nature since they are knowing only and do not accrue any bondage of karmas in the least.

Explanation : the ignorant bhavas born mixed with ragas alone are cause for bondage while bhavas of the nature of knowledge devoid of ragas do not cause bondage- such is the rule.

Now the nature of knowledge based bhavas devoid of ragas is described:

Gatha 168 : Just as the fruits flowered onto trees and creepers do not rejoin with the branches after getting separated due to ripening; in the same way the pudgala karma was existent in bhava  form in the jiva which gets separated on fruition. That karma does not result in fruition again once  it has been fructified as Nirjara.

Commentary : Just as it is clear that the ripe fruit once detached from the branch does not rejoin with the branch; in the same way bhava of the jiva resulting due to fruition of karma, does not become bhava of the jiva again once  fructified as jiva bhava. Therefore knowledge based bhavas devoid of ragas are feasible.

Explanation : After fruition of karma – Nirjara, the same karma cannot come in fruition again. The only knowledge based bhava is left out. When the Mithyatva karma of the jiva along with Anantanubandhi is destroyed from existence then it cannot fructify again. At that moment the Jiva manifests in the Gyani form and does not indulge in karmas, then the karmas of Mithyatva do not bind again and other karmas also are not generally  cause of transmigration. They are similar to the green leaves of a tree which have been cut and are going to dry up soon. In this manner the knowledge based bhavas are generated which are devoid of ragas in the gyani jiva. The raga which is fructified due to charitra moha is not counted as ignorance since samyak drishti does not have ownership of them.

Now the same is described by the following kalash:

Shloka 114: The bhavas generated in  the Jiva in the absence of raga-dwesha-moha are born out of knowledge only. This bhava blocks all the dravya asrava ; hence it is described as devoid of all bhava asravas.

Explanation : The meaning of this kalash should be understood in conjunction with the previous gatha. Here the lack of all bhava asrava is told since the cause for transmigration is Mithyatva alone.  Therefore the absence of Maithyatva related raga etc is deemed  to be as absence of all the bhava asravas – so it is said.

Now absence of dravya asravas for gyani is described:

Gatha 169: The karmas bonded by the Gyani in his ignorant stage previously are called “pratyaya”.Those are bonded with the karmic body and in the absence of raga etc bhavas of the Jiva they are inactive like a lump of earth. Just as mud etc. other pudgala lots are different , in the same way these too are different .

Commentary : The dravya asrava form pratyayas of Mithyatva, Avirati, Kashaya and yoga bonded earlier in ignorant stage, are like a lump of earth for the gyani since they are manifestations of insentient pudgala dravya different from self. Those being of pudgala nature are bonded with karmic body together and not bonded with the Jiva. Therefore the gyani does not have dravya asrava by nature itself.

Explanation: After a soul has turned Gyani,  he lacks the bhava asravas, the dravya asravas of Mithyatva etc. are also  manifestations of pudgala dravya which are bonded with karmic body on their own. They are also like lumps of mud since without bhava asrava they cannot be cause for even miniscule of karma bondage for future. Being pudgala nature they are different from non corporeal jiva of conscious nature automatically – the gyani knows this.

Same meaning is described in next kalash:

Shloka 115 : The gyani has attained negation of all bhava asravas and he is naturally different from dravya asravas since he is of the nature of knowledge bhava only. Therefore he is Nirasrava(without asrava) , knower only.

Explanation : The  gyani does not have raga-dwesha-moha form bhava asaravas and dravya asravas are manifestations of pudgala hence he is different from them naturally.Therefore Gyani is nirasrava ( without asrava).

Now questions is raised that how Gyani is Nirasrava. The same is answered:

Gatha 170 : Mithyatva, Avirati, Kashaya, Yoga- these four types of asravas cause bondage of different types of karmas at every instant on account of darshan, gyan qualities of the Jiva. However the Gyani is without bondage.

Commentary: First of all the Gyani is Nirasrava only since he does not have intent of asrava bhava. Even then that gyani accrues bondage of different types of pudgala karmas due to dravya asrava , in which the cause is the manifestation of gyan quality of Jiva.

Next question arises that how manifestation of Gyan quality is cause for bondage ? – the same is answered next:

Gatha 171 : The Gyan quality being of inferior type manifests into different forms at every instant. Therefore that gyan quality has been called the cause for karmic bondage.

Commentary : The inferior form of gyan quality is Kshayopashamic bhava. It remains in gyan bhava form for a maximum of antarmuhurta ( less than 48 minutes) and then it manifests into different different forms i.e. it does not remain the same. Therefore prior to attaining Yathakhyat charitra state (11^th gunasthana) the manifestations of ragas are definitely present hence the bondage also exists.

Explanation : The concentration of Kshyapashamic Gyan on a specific object of knowledge can last for a maximum of antarmuhurta and after that it definitely switches to another object of knowledge. Therefore even within self he can stay stationary  for antarmuhurta only. From this it can be inferred that prior to attaining Yathakhyat charitra state , there definitely is existence of raga manifestations. The presence of raga would necessitate bondage also. Therefore the inferior quality of knowledge is called as cause for bondage.

Now again the question arises that if the inferior quality of knowledge i.e. manifesting in other forms other than own is cause for bondage then why the Gyani is called Nirasrava ? In reply  the following Gatha is stated:

Gatha 172: If Darshan-Gyan-Charitra manifest in inferior bhava form, then it results in bondage of several types of pudgala karmas.

Commentary : Definitely the Gyani is Nirasrava due to absence of raga-dwesha-moha manifestations indulged intentionally. Here it is important to understand that the same Gyani, so long as he is incapable of viewing, knowing or conducting of the knowledge at the highest level and manifests in inferior form of the same ; till such time that Gyani can be inferred to have bondage of pudgala karmas due to fruition of unintentional karma corruptions. This is so since Gyani can only manifest in inferior form of knowledge at that stage. ( The term unintentional is used to denote the manifestations which are unknowingly indulged without use of senses or mind under the fruition of moha  and which are not experienced by self.) Therefore it is preached that knowledge should be viewed, known and conducted till the knowledge reaches the highest level; after that being real gyani he is totally Nirasrava.

Explanation: The Gyani has been called Nirasrava since so long as his knowledge is Kshayopasham Gyan till then he does not indulge in intentional raga-dwesha-moha of the ignorant kind. Hence he is called Nirasrava. However so long as he has Kshayapasham knowledge, till then his darshan-gyan-charitra manifest in inferior state. Till that time he cannot view, know or conduct in the form of the complete knowledge. The existence of inferior state reveals that the Jiva has impurity of unintentional (without his knowledge)  karmas present which cause bondage also. However such bhavas are due to fruition of charitra moha karma and not due to ignorance.

Therefore it is expounded that till such time the knowledge does not attain completeness i.e. omniscience is attained , till that time only gyan should be contemplated upon; gyan should be viewed, gyan should be known and gyan should be conducted – by such path only the charitra moha gets destroyed and omniscience is attained. Then only he becomes Nirasrava in totality.

It is the strangeness of the preachment that in spite of absence of intentional ragas etc. and presence of unintentional ragas etc he is called Nirasrsava. Once the unintentional ragas etc. are eliminated then Keval gyan would be generated and hence he would be real Nirasrava – thus it should be known.

Same meaning is declared in the next kalash:  

Shloka 116: When the soul becomes gyani, then he himself manifests in a form detaching himself continuously from all ragas intentionally. Further he keeps on trying to overcome the unintentional ragas by manifesting in a form experiencing the gyan power constantly. Thus he keeps removing the obstacles to the manifestation of  gyan and then remaining stationary within gyan he manifests in final state. This way the gyani becomes permanently Nirasrava. 

Explanation: Something more should be noted here – when all the ragas were realized as unworthy , then he makes efforts to discard them continuously- hence that itself is called as Nirasrava because the Gyani does not intend to indulge in ragas i.e. desire to manifest in asrava bhavas. Here the intentional and unintentional are described from two aspects- 1) that which he does not wish to indulge but still manifests due to force of other nimittas although he himself is aware of it, even then it is defined as unintentional only. 2) That which is not within his knowledge, only known to omniscient, even so which can be inferred by self  due to their characteristics are called unintentional.

29. Samayasar Gatha 154-163

Again, to preach the people biased towards shubha karmas, it is told:

Gatha 154 : Those Jivas who do not know reality, i.e. do not experience the real knowledge form soul, they adore punya out of ignorance, i.e. believe it to be beneficial.

How is that Punya ?– cause for transmigration.

How are those Jivas? – Without knowing the knowledge form soul as the basis for Moksha, they believe Punya only as the basis for Moksha.

Commentary : In this world there are so many Jivas who are desirous of realization of soul achieved through destruction of all karmas i.e. self realization in Moksha form. For this they take the vow of the samayasara form samayik conduct which is of the form of concentration in the real knowledge of the nature of right knowledge-belief-conduct. However since they do not have the capability to overcome the difficult path of karmas, therefore do not realise the true nature of soul of the form of samayik conduct which leads to real knowledge. Although they abstain from gross level karmas of the form of obsessive manifestations, they still manifest in grossly purified karma form. This is so because they are satisfied by the high or low intensity of the experience of the karmas.

Although they have discarded the grossly experienced obsessions form karmakand (activities of karma) having only gross objectives. But they have not discarded the entire karmakand from its root. Therefore out of their own ignorance they have decided only ashubha karmas as the basis for bondage. Thus they treat shubha karmas of fasting, abstinence, virtues and penances as basis for Moksha without realizing it to be cause for bondage. Therefore they never attain reality.

Explanation : In this world so many people discard the gross level obsessions form manifestation in karmas believing it to be cause for bondage. Still they manifest in gross level purified karmas. They believe in  the intensity of karmas being high or low as the basis for bondage or Moksha respectively. They do not realise that the basis for Moksha is being within self totally devoid of karmas. Therefore discarding  ashubha karmas they accept shubha karmas of the fasting, abstinence,virtues,penance as basis for Moksha. Still in spite of practicing fasting etc. those people are ignorant only, since they do not realise the form of reality.

Now those Jivas ignorant of reality are guided to the path of reality leading to Moksha:

Gatha 155:  Right belief in Jivas and other substances is Samyaktva. Knowing those Jivas and other substances is Gyan. Abstaining from ragas is Tyag which is Charitra (conduct). This alone is path to Moksha.

Commenatary : The basis for Moksha is clearly Samyakdarshan-Gyan-Charitra. There knowing or manifesting with  the right type of belief in Jivas and other substances is Samyakdarshan; in the same way the right knowledge of Jivas and other substances and manifesting  of knowledge in that manner is SamyakGyan. Abstention from ragas i.e. the manifesting of knowledge in that manner is SamyakCharitra.

In this way all the three SamyakDarshan-Gyan-Charitra are realized in the manifestation of knowledge. Therefore in reality knowledge itself is established as the basis for Moksha.

Explanation: Extraordinary nature of soul is knowledge only. Here in this chapter the description is with primacy of knowledge only ; therefore all the three Samyakdarshan-Gyan-Cahritra  are manifestation of knowledge only- by saying so knowledge alone is called as the basis for Moksha. Also from the aspect of undifferentiated view that ‘knowledge is soul’ –there is nothing wrong in saying so.

Now Karmas being different from the real basis of Moksha are negated:

Gatha 156: Pandits(experts) practice Vyavahara discarding the subject of Nishchaya naya. However those saints who are dependent on the real nature of self, they alone are able to destroy the karmas. Those who practice Vyavahara alone cannot destroy the karmas.

Commentary: Some people believe that the basis for Moksha is different from the real cause for Moksha. In their view fasting, penances etc. shubha karmas alone are cause for Moksha. However believing this to be basis of Moksha has been absolutely negated because this establishes nature of other dravyas to be cause of Moksha but such nature does not result in manifestation of knowledge. In reality the manifestation of knowledge is not of the type of shubha or ashubha form because in reality the cause for Moksha is manifestation in own dravya nature form which alone causes the manifestation of knowledge. 

Explanation : Moksha is attained by the soul therefore its cause also should be nature of soul. If nature of other dravya be the cause of Moksha then how can  that be cause for Moksha of soul? –this is the view of the Nishchaya naya. Since shubha karma is nature of pudgala dravya , therefore it cannot be cause for Moksha of soul. Knowledge is nature of soul hence that alone can really be cause of Moksha.   

The same is described in two kalash told next:

Shloka 106: Manifestation in the nature of knowledge alone is knowledge and that alone is cause for Moksha since knowledge is the nature of  the soul.

Shloka 107: Manifestation in the nature of karma form is not knowledge. Therefore manifestation in karma form is not cause for moksha since karma has the nature of other dravyas.

Explanation : Moksha is attained by soul, therefore the nature of soul alone is cause for Moksha. Knowledge is nature of soul hence that alone is cause for Moksha. Karma is nature of other dravya form pudgala, hence that is not the cause for Moksha of soul- this is definite.

Now as prelude to next gatha this kalash is stated:

Shloka 108: Karma is the cause for obscuration of the reasons for attaining Moksha. It is itself of the nature of bondage and it has the nature of obscuring the reasons for Moksha; thus with three arguments karmas are negated.

Now the same meaning is established in the following gathas. Firstly karmas are established as cause for obscuration of darshan-gyan-charitra which lead to Moksha.

Gatha 157 : Just as whiteness of a garment gets destroyed, obscured in conjunction with dirt; in the same way the samyaktva property of soul gets obscured by pervasion of impurity of the form of Mithyatva – know this.

Gatha 158: Just as white nature of garment gets obscured in conjunction with dirt; in the same way the knowing nature of soul gets obscured by pervasion of impurity of the form of ignorance – know this.  

Gatha 159: Just as white nature of garment gets obscured in conjunction with dirt; in the same way the conduct property of the soul gets obscured by pervasion of impurity of the form of passions – know this.

Commentary : The samyaktva nature of knowledge is the cause for Moksha. This samyaktva gets hidden/ obscured by pervasion of impurity of Mithyatva karma  which is of the nature of other bhava. Just as a white garment loses its natural whiteness due to pervasion of other bhava form dirt or colour. 

The knowing nature  of knowledge is the cause for Moksha. This knowledge gets hidden/obscured by the pervasion of impurity of other bhava form ignorance. Just as a white garment loses its natural whiteness due to pervasion of other bhava form dirt or colour.

In the same way the conduct nature of knowledge is the cause for Moksha. This conduct gets  hidden/obscured by the pervasion of impurity of other bhava form passions. Just as a white garment loses its natural whiteness due to pervasion of other bhava form dirt or colour.

In this manner karmas responsible for obscuration of samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra which lead to Moksha are negated.

Explanation: The manifestation of knowledge in the form of Samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra leading to Moksha is obscured by karmas of the nature of Mithyatva-ignorance-passions. These karmas obscure the bhavas which are causes of Moksha; hence they are negated  here.

Now karma itself is of the nature of bondage is established:

Gatha 160 : The soul has the nature of knowing & seeing all.  Even then due to obscuration with dirt of karmas being pervaded with, it has resulted in worldly form. Therefore he does not know all totally.

Commentary : This soul of the nature of knowledge. Due to his own nature of knowing, he has the capability of knowing the entire world i.e. all substances  in specific-general manner. Even then due to his own guilty efforts of delusions from eternal times, he is obscured/pervaded with impurity of the form of karmas thus he is corrupted. Due to this reason, in the state of bondage, he does not realise his own nature of knowing all knowables in every possible way.  Therefore he is continuing in the ignorant form himself; with this it emerges that karma itself is of the nature of bondage; therefore knowing karmas  themselves to be of the nature of bondage they have been negated here.

Explanation : Here the Gyan(knowledge) word has been used for soul itself. This knowledge has the nature of knowing & seeing all but from beginingless time he himself is guilty hence karmas are bonded and he is obscured with them. Thus without knowing his own real nature he remains in ignorant form and continues thus. Therefore karmas are bonded automatically. He himself does not go to acquire and bond with them. He himself manifests in the form of ignorance and karmas themselves manifest in bondage form. Therefore karmas are negated here.

Now the nature of karmas which obscure the nature of samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra which lead to Moksha is described. Not permitting the causes of Moksha to reveal themselves is the nature of obscuration of karmas:

Gatha 161:   Jinavardeo has told that Samyaktva is blocked i.e. obscured by Mithyatva. Due to its fruition Jiva becomes Mithyadrishti- know thus.

Gatha 162: Jinavardeo has tolf that knowledge is blocked i.e. obscured by ignorance. Due to its fruition Jiva becomes ignorant –know thus.

Gatha 163: Jinavardeo had told that conduct is blocked i.e. obscured by passions. Due to their  fruition Jiva loses restraint (conduct) – know thus.

Commentary : Samyaktva is causal nature for attaining Moksha which gets blocked i.e. obscured due to Mithyatva which itself is Karma. Therefore with its fruition the knowledge is deluded.

Knowledge is causal nature for attaining Moksha which gets blocked i.e. obscured due to ignorance which itself is Karma. Therefore with its fruition the knowledge becomes ignorant.

Conduct is causal nature for attaining Moksha which gets blocked i.e. obscured due to passions which themselves are Karmas. Therefore with their fruition the knowledge loses restraint.

In this manner karmas have property of obscuring the samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra which are causal nature for attaining Moksha, hence karmas are negated here.

Explanation : Knowledge has the property of Samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra which are causal nature for attaining Moksha. These three have opponent karmas of the form of delusion, ignorance and passions which do not permit them to reveal themselves. Therefore karmas are negated since they have the property of obscuring the causal natures for Moksha. Ashubha karmas are well known for being cause for blocking Moksha but even shubha karmas are also of the form of bondage hence even shubha karmas are negated in general form of karmas.

Now the same meaning is described in next kalash:

Shloka 109 : For the person desirous of Moksha, all karmas are discardable. Therefore once all karmas are discarded then the question does not arise of distinguishing punya or pap amongst them. – in general form of karmas both get included. Thus after discarding all karmas the knowledge manifests in the natural form of samyaktva etc. Therefore that knowledge which is causal nature of samyakdarshan-gyan-charitra whose qualities are contrary to karmas , automatically get generated without fail.

Explanation : When knowledge appears after destoying karmas, which is of the nature of causal agent  for Moksha, then who can block it ?

Now a doubt arises that so long as karmas are fructifying for Avirat Samyakdrishti , then how can knowledge be cause for Moksha? How can karmas and knowledge coexist together? – this doubt is answered in the next kalash:

Sloka 110 : So long as there is fruition of karmas and knowledge does not have total detachment ; till then karmas and knowledge are said to coexist together, there is no harm in it. However it should be known that whatever karmas are fructified in the soul which are beyond control of the  soul, they are cause for bondage only. The cause for Moksha is true knowledge only.

 How is that knowledge? – Which is devoid of all karmas i.e. there is no ownership of the act of performing karmas

Explanation : So long as there is fruition of karmas, till then karmas perform in their own way and there knowledge also does its own job. There is no problem in coexistence of knowledge and karmas together in the same soul. There is no opposition between general karmas and knowledge, unlike that between Mithya Gyan and samyak Gyan.   

Now the naya differentiation between karma and gyan is explained:

Shloka 111: Those who eagerly resort to karma naya and are biased towards it, they are sunk because they do not know the knowledge at all. Those who are desirous of gyan naya and are biased in favour of it, they also are sunk since they have discarded all kriyakand ( activities pertaining to conduct like fasting, prayer etc.) and becoming indiscriminate or negligent they  are not much active towards realizing self. However those who do not indulge in karmas and are actively engaged in knowing self and are not negligent either; being enthusiastic  in realizing self, they float over the entire universe.

Explanation: Here having singularly exclusive opinion is negated because such onesided opinon itself is Mithyadarshan.

Those Jivas, who do not know the real soul of the nature of knowledge and are indulgent actively  in the pomp&show of vyavahara kriyakand of  darshan-gyan-charitra believing it to be path to Moksha, are biased towards it, - such biased people in favour of karma naya are not aware of knowledge at all and are engaged meaninglessly in karma naya; they sink in the worldly ocean.

Further those Jivas, who do not know the real nature of the soul and either by following the advice of Mithyadrishti people having one sided view or by imagining themselves internally the nature of knowledge incorrectly, they indulge in it. They discard the vyavahara kriyakand of darshan-gyan-charitra believing it to be useless. Those who are biased towards gyan naya , they also sink in the worldly ocean, because they have discarded the external kriyakand and are indulgent without restraints, and do not make much effort of self realization.

Therefore those Jivas, who have given up biased opinions and are actively engaged in gyan naya and have given up  kriyakand, however  till such time they cannot be stationary in the knowing self, to avoid ashubha karma they indulge in shubha kriyakand as a means to realise themselves. Those Jivas destroy the karmas and are liberated from the world and reside over the top of the universe- know thus.

Now concluding the punya pap adhikar, the glory of gyan is described:

Shloka 112: This flame of knowledge pervades everywhere revealing itself with magnificence.

How is that flame of knowledge? - Which has started frolicking with its highest glory the Keval gyan which has appeared instantaneously. Here it should be understood that so long as the samyakdrishti is chhadmastha (belonging up to 12^th  gunasthana ), till then the knowledge consorts with  the highest glory of keval gyan indirectly with the recourse of shuddha naya and it turns direct after acquiring keval gyan.

And how is it ? – Which has destroyed the darkness of ignorance.

How that flame of knowledge has appeared ? – By destroying all the shubha ashubha karmas from their roots by means of virya Shakti ( strength of efforts).

How is that karma ? – Which makes the delusion of shubha and ashubha karmas keep dancing; which is  generated out of the intoxification of Moha form liquor.

Explanation: The flame of knowledge illuminates in its complete gloryin its natural form, after destroying the knowledge deluding opposite karmas which keeps dancing by creating  divisions (of karmas),  with its great power.

Here it should be realized that although karmas are of one type in general, even so they appeared differently in the disguised form of shubha and ashubha karmas  on the stage. When the knowledge identified them as really the same, then karmas exited the stage and the knowledge was illuminated with its great magnificence.- Know thus.

In this manner karma was dancing on the stage in two disguises of punya and pap. When knowledge identified them as same karma then karma exited reverting to its original form and the knowledge kept on dancing.

Now the translator adds:

The ignorant Jiva argues that on account of the support (base), cause, nature and experience – from aspect of these four differences the punya and pap are different i.e. the base, cause, nature and experience of punya are different from those of pap. The shubha and ashubha bondage resulting due to them are also different i.e. the shubha bondage is cause for pleasures while ashubha bondage is cause for pains.

After revelation of   right knowledge , both punya and pap appear to be the same. The wise people consider both punya and pap from the view point of support, cause, nature and experience as of same nature and both are understood to be cause for bondage. – This is the reason that the Munis following the dictates of Jina Bhagawan discard punya and pap and proceed towards Moksha.

This completes 163 gathas and 112 kalashs.

This concludes the third chapter of punya pap adhikar. 

Chapter 3 : Punya Pap Adhikar

28. Samayasar Gatha 145-153

Here commentator says that Karma is of one kind only. However it enters in two forms of punya and pap.

Just as on a stage a single  person enacts two forms in dancing, a wise person knows them rightly as one; in the same way karma is one kind but it enacts in two different forms of punya and pap; the samyakdrishti gyani recognizes them rightly  as one only. In praise of that knowledge this chapter is begun with recitation of following kalash:

Shloka 100: After the completion of karta karma chapter it is now stated that the moon in the form of samyakgyan itself ascends which can be directly experienced.

How is that Samyakgyan ? Although that renowned karma is only one kind in terms of general karma, it has been divided into two kinds by the distinctions of shubha or ashubha. However now Samyakgyan ascends identifying them as one. It implies that  due to ignorance the kerma was seen as of two kinds but now the right knowledge has described them as one only.

And how is that Gyan ? – Which has removed the dust of Moha very efficiently. It infers that the knowledge was obscured due to the dust of Moha and the true knowledge got unobscured with its removal. Just as moon gets obscured due to clouds or mist and its illumination is not seen and with the  removal of that obscuration the real illuminance is visible. Same way it should be understood in case of samyakgyan. 

Now the Punya –pap are described by means of a kalash with following example :

Shloka 101 : Wife of a shudra (lower cast person) gave birth to two sons at the same time. Out of them one was raised in a Brahmin family hence he suffered with the pride that “ I am Brahmin” ; therefore with that pride he discards liquor from a distance and does not touch it at all. The second was raised in the shudra family hence “ I am shudra” with this disposition, he daily takes bath in liquor and treats it as holy.

If we consider from the point of view of reality then both are sons of Shudra mother since both have  been born out of her. However they manifest and conduct  in different ways due to delusion of having different castes. In the same way it should be known about punya-pap karmas that both are manifested out of impure bhavas and hence are of the nature of bondage. Although they may appear differently due to their outlook but the real belief knows them as single karma.  

Now the nature of shubha-ashubha karmas are described as follows:

Gatha 145: The world knows that ashubha karma is unvirtuous, is of the nature of pap and is  bad while shubha karma is virtuous, of the nature of punya and is good. Now the real view says that whether karma be shubha or ashubha, whatever causes the jiva to enter into transmigration, how can that be virtuous? It cannot be.

Commentary : Some people believe that although karma is of one kind, it gets divided into two kinds by distinctions of shubha and ashubha, because-

1. The shubha or ashubha manifestations of Jiva  are different due to certain nimitta (causes) , thus karmas are different because causes are different.

2. Shubha and ashubha karmas are of the nature of pudgala hence the karmas are different since nature is different.

3. The fruition of shubha and ashubha karmas results in different flavors hence karmas are different on account of experience or flavor.

4. Both shubha and ashubha karmas are dependent on path to Moksha or path to bondage respectively hence they are different due to dependence.

Thus by means of these four reasons some karmas are shubha and some are ashubha – some have such belief, but that suffers from opposition i.e. there is a side opposite to it also. The same is described as follows:

1. The manifestation of Jiva in the form of Shubha or Ashubha  is only of one kind being of the nature of ignorance. Since the cause is one only hence karma is of one type only.

2. The manifestation of pudgala in shubha or ashubha form is of one kind only being pudgala by nature. Hence being of the same nature the karmas are also of one kind only.

3. The fruition of shubha or ashubha karmas in terms of flavor is of the nature of pudgala only. Since they  are of the same kind of experience hence  karmas are of one kind only.

4. The shubha or ashubha deeds and the  paths of bondage and Moksha are different altogether. Out of these the one which is based on Jiva is the path to Moksha while the one based on pudgala is the path to bondage. Therefore they are several and not one. Even though the shubha and ashubha paths are not the same , still they are  dependent on pudgala form bondage path, therefore due to dependence being same, the karmas are one only.

Explanation : Here shubha and ashubha karmas are differentiated by four means as follows:

1. The cause for shubha bondage are the shubha manifestations of Jiva. These are worshipping the Arihant with gratitude, charity to other Jivas, low passions resulting in pure bhavas etc. The cause for ashubha are the ashubha manifestations of Jiva namely – intense anger etc., ashubha leshya, cruelty, intense sensual desires, disrespect towards deva, guru and scriptures etc. Thus from the viewpoint of causes shubha and ashubha karmas are of two types.

2. From the aspect of pudgala manifestations also the shubha and ashubha have different natures. The dravya karmas of shubha nature are sata vedaniya, shubha ayu, shubha naam and shubha gotra. The ashubha dravya karmas are four ghatia karmas, asata vedaniya, ashubha ayu, ashubha naam and ashubha gotra.  These on fruition give jiva  desirable-undesirable , good-bad materials. Hence due to difference of pudgala nature, the karmas have different natures.

3. The experience of shubha is pleasant from while ashubha is unpleasant. Hence these two are different from aspect of experiences also.

4. The path to Moksha is shubha while path to bondage is ashubha therefore from aspect of dependence also these two are different.

After describing the differences, these two are described as indifferent as follows:

1. The shubha and ashubha both  are manifestations of Jiva in ignorant form since both are due to ignorance. Hence from the aspect of causes the karmas are same, not different.

2. Shubha and ashubha both are manifestations of pudgala. Since the manifestations of pudgala by nature are of the same kind hence there is no difference between the two.

3. The experiences of shubha-ashubha in fruition resulting in good or bad are also of pudgala nature. Hence from aspect of experiences also both karmas are same.

4. Shubha-ashubha are defined as paths to Moksha or bondage. In reality the path to Moksha is only manifestations of Jiva while path to bondage is only manifestations of the pudgala. Hence the dependence of the two paths are different. Therefore the shubha and ashubha karmas are same since they both support the path to bondage. 

In this way the viewpoint denoting the difference of shubha and ashubha karmas is negated and the aspect of indifference is brought out as prime. From this aspect the karmas are one only and not two.

The same meaning is described in following kalash:

Shloka 102: Cause, nature, experience and dependence- from all four aspects there is no difference in karmas. Since they both support the path to bondage hence it is preferred to treat both as single karma. Definitely the shubha and  ashubha form karmas both are cause for bondage only.

Now shubha and ashubha karmas are proved to be cause for bondage identically as follows:

Gatha 146:    Just as a golden shackle binds a person, the iron shackle also binds the person; in the same way the shubha and ashubha karmas both result in  bondage only  to Jiva.

Commentary : The shubha and ashubha karmas both result in bondage to a person without any difference because from the aspect of bondage there is no difference between the two. Just as golden shackle and iron shackle are not different from aspect of bondage, in the same way the karmas are same from aspect of bondage.

Now shubha and ashubha karmas both are negated as follows:

Gatha 147 : O Munis ! The above described Shubha and ashubha karmas both are non-virtuous of derogatory nature.  Hence do not have attachment or attraction towards both non-virtuous deeds. Further do not interact with them either since interaction or attachment  with non-virtuous gives rise to destruction of our own independence thus causing harm to self by ourselves.

Commentary : Both shubha and ashubha karmas are non-virtuous. Interaction or attachment  towards both of them is refuted since both are cause for bondage. Just as the female elephant which attracts or does not attract the elephant, still interaction or attachment with the non-virtuous causes loss of independence of the elephant.

Now Acharya strengthens the negation of  the two karmas by means of example as follows:

Gatha 148: Just as some person gives up interacting and attachment  with another person knowing him to have vile and disreputable nature.

Gatha 149: In the same way a wise person gives up interaction or attachment towards karmas knowing its nature to be vile and disreputable and engrosses himself in his own nature.

Commentary : Just as a smart elephant in the jungle, gives up interaction or attachment towards a female elephant agent, desirable or not desirable to the senses who is enacting inviting spectacle, knowing her to be vile with harmful intentions and does not venture near her.

In the same way the soul also being wise with detachment , discards the pleasant or unpleasant i.e. shubha or ashubha   karmas which intend to bind on fruition, knowing them to be of vile nature and stops interacting or  being attracted towards them.

Explanation : For capturing an elephant they show him a decoy female elephant. The elephant becoming blind with sensual desires and  due to attraction and passions falls into a trap and gets captured and thus suffers. A smart elephant does not get attracted and avoids falling into trap.

In the same way believing  the karmas to be beneficial the ignorant person is attracted and interacts with them; then with bondage he suffers the pains of transmigration. However a wise person is not attracted  and he does not interact with them.

Now shubha and ashubha karmas are cause for bondage and should be discarded - this is established by means of scripture-

Gatha 150: The Jiva with attachments suffers bondage of karmas while detached Jiva is liberated from karmas- such is the sermon of Jinendra bhagwan. Hence O bhavya Jiva! Do not be attracted or attached to karmas.

Commentary : The person with desires definitely bonds with karmas and the one without desires gets liberated from karmas- such is the sermon in scriptures. Due to the nimitta of desires the shubha and ashubha karmas accrue and they are called cause of bondage in general in scripture hence both karmas are negated here.

Same is described in next kalash:

Shloka 103:  Omniscient has called shubha and ashubha karmas both equally responsible for bondage of karmas; therefore all the karmas have been negated. The cause of Moksha has been called just Gyan alone.

Now it is asked that if all karmas have been negated then how will the Munis practice munihood or rather what will they take recourse to? To placate them the next kalash is stated:

Shloka 104: Indulging in karmas of the nature of shubha conduct or performing  karmas of the nature of ashubha conduct – Discarding karmas of all types  and thus remaining inactive without karmas – such munis are not without support.

Here it should not be doubted that on which support  will the Munihood be practiced ? – The moment they conduct in inactive state then those Munis should  conduct knowledge alone in their knowledge. That alone is the shelter. Those Munis, immersing self in knowledge , enjoy the highest nectar themselves within themselves.

Explanation: After discarding all the karmas the right  recourse is to knowledge only. Immersing in the knowledge, the kind of perturbation free great pleasure experienced can be described by Gyani only. Ignorant passionate Jivas , believing karmas to be everything, indulge in them only, hence they do not know the experience of the pleasurable knowledge.

Now knowledge is established to be the cause of Moksha:

Gatha 151: Definitely the nature of real samaya i.e. substance named Jiva is such that he is pure, kevali, muni, gyani ; such are his names and the munis who immerse themselves in this nature, they attain nirvana.

Commentary : Knowledge alone is the cause of Moksha , because ignorance is of the form of shubha and ashubha karmas, which is cause for bondage. Thus it automatically establishes the cause for Moksha that Moksha can be attained by knowledge only, hence only knowledge is real objective which itself is soul. This is described so because that knowledge alone is different from all karmas and substances being of different nature, and that alone is real soul which is different from the corporeal nature.

The same is called ‘samaya’  because the meaning of ‘samaya’ has been told earlier also. ‘sama’ is prefix which means manifesting together at the same time. The word ‘aya’ means knowledge as well as motion; therefore the one which manifests in the form of two verbs together at same time is ‘samaya’. The same manifestation is the nature of Jiva , that is soul.

That soul is also described as ‘shuddha’(pure) because it is entirely different from all other dharmas (natures) and all aspects of nayas alluding to the owner of dharmas known as dharmi. His extraordinary dharma is gyan which different from  all i.e. different from all other dharmas in the form of illumination – such soul alone is called ‘shuddha’.

That soul alone is called ‘kevali’ because that only has consciousness alone as its property of substance. The meaning of ‘kevali’ is ‘one’.

That soul is also called ‘Muni’ because it is of the nature of engrossment i.e. of the nature of knowledge bhava alone hence that alone is ‘Muni’.

That soul is himself ‘Gyani’ , since it is of the nature of knowledge alone.

Manifestation in the form of knowledge or existing with knowledge is called ‘swabhava’ or nature. Manifestation or existing  in conscious form is also called ‘sadbhava’.

In this manner there are different words hence different names but the substance is the same.

Explanation : The upadan (root) cause of Moksha is soul only. In  reality the nature of soul is knowledge. Knowledge is soul only and soul is knowledge only; hence calling knowledge alone  as the cause of Moksha is justified. 

However, if someone believes that performing the external penances etc. alone  is knowledge then he is described the right procedure of knowledge:

Gatha 152: Those who are not stationary in the real knowledge form soul, but practice penances and fasts, all those penances-fasts have been called by omniscient as penances of ignorance(child) and fasts of ignorance(child).

Commentary : The cause of Moksha is Gyan alone – this is the procedure i.e. the words of omniscient since without the real knowledge i.e. ignorantly performed penances and fasts are both cause for bondage. Therefore omniscient has negated them by calling them penances of  ignorance(child) and fasts of ignorance(child). In this way the previously described knowledge alone is cause for Moksha.

Explanation: Here penances and fasts without knowledge are called penances of child and fasts of child, therefore the path for Moksha is knowledge only.

Now, knowledge is cause for Moksha and ignorance is cause for bondage – this is described as a rule:

Gatha 153 : Those who follow fasting and abstinence, in the same way follow virtues and penances but if they have not realised the real knowledge form soul i.e. if they do not have knowledge-faith in the real nature of soul then do not experience Nirvana  i.e. they do not attain it.

Commentary : Knowledge alone is basis for Moksha, since due to lack of knowledge , the ignorant people do not attain Moksha in spite of practicing internally fasting, abstinence, virtues and penances form shubha karmas. The gist is that practicing shubha karmas like fasting, abstinence, virtues, penances without knowledge do not lead to Moksha.

Further ignorance alone is cause for bondage. Because with lack of ignorance, manifesting in knowledge form the wise ones can attain Moksha without the practices of shubha karma form fasting, abstinence, virutes and penances.

Here it should be understood that fasting etc. is indulgence in shubha karmas. Abstaining from  indulgence is i.e. remaining  in detached form even if fasting, abstinence, virtues and penances form practices are not prevalent, even then Moksha can be attained – such is the rule.  

Same is described with following kalash:

Shloka 105: The knowledge form soul is absolute. When he becomes stationary in his knowledge nature then it is glorious and that alone is basis for Moksha because he himself is of the form of Moksha. As against it, all others are cause for bondage, because they are of the nature of bondage. Therefore self being of the knowledge form itself is experience. In this way from the Nishchaya aspect the bondage and moksha are described.