Karma is Not a Burdena new look at Jain Karma theory

by Sudhir M. Shah

A new paradigm fortransforming the world

Word association

• Pap/Punya (Fear / Greed)• Something to get Rid off• Bad thing• Bondage of Karma

•Burden

Do you believe

•That you are at the effect of karma•That your destiny is already written by the past karma?•That all karma is bad and you need to get rid of them all?

OR

Do you believe

That religious leaders have used •fear of “paap”(hell) and greed of “punya”(heaven) •and Karma theoryTo control the behavior of the masses ?

My Commitment

• Expand your understanding• Create a new paradigm• Challenge your limiting beliefs• Synchronize your daily life with spiritual life• You walk away with something of value.

My Request

• Limit all questions, comments and discussions only to further our journey and expand our understanding

• Be open in your listening Try on new paradigm• Be generous with your participation

Karma is not fate

If you believe in fate, you believe we are helpless

You are at the effect of external …something other than you

Common Definition of Karma

“the effect of past deeds, performed either in this life or in a previous one, on one’s present

and future condition."

Karma is directly linked to the idea of reincarnation

According to Jain Karma Theory

• Karma is a particle (matter)

• Hence the laws of physics apply

Simplified notion of Karma?

• EVERY THOUGHT, SPEECH AND DEED HAS A CONSEQUENCE.

• Even the most basic karmic concepts still align well with basic physics: for every action there will be a reaction.

Tattvartha Sutra

• Kaya vak manaha karma yogah ||1||

• With the activity of our body, words and thought we attract karma to our soul (consciousness).

Tattvartha Sutra

• Sa asravah ||2||

• This is incoming of karma

Tattvartha Sutra

• Sakashaya kashay yoh samparayi kerya pathayoh ||4||

• Actions accompanied by kashay has prolonged karmic effect.

• Actions not accompanied by kashay has transient short-lived karmic effect.

Tattvartha Sutra

Thus Kashay is implicated in the intensity of karma

Tattvartha Sutra

• Tivra manda jnata jnat bhavadhikarn viryavisheshe sabyasta advishesah||6||

• Two persons perform the same action but experience different karmic effect based on

Intention, intensity, outside influence, energy, ability of each of them

Tattvartha Sutra

Karmic effect is not uniform

Jain Karma Theory• Law of Cause and Effect• Law of Action and Reaction• What one sows, one reaps• Our intention behind our actions of mind, speech and

body and our kashay binds us with Karma

Question

How do we mitigate the “effect” of Karma

Tattvartha Sutra Chapter Nine

• Asrava nirodhah Samvarah ||1||

• By blocking our initial attraction to karma, we prevent new karmic matter from attracting to our soul.

Tattvartha Sutra Chapter Nine

• Sa gupti samati dharma anupreksa parisah-jaya charitraih||2||

• Conducting our activity consciously (gupti)• Being aware of our personal behavior (samati)• Conscious of the needs of others (dharma)• Rethinking our own situation (anupreksha)• Persevering at the obstacles (parisah-jaya)• Actions towards freedom from all karming influences (charitra)

Stops the attachment of karma

Empowering Theory

• While the Law of Karma dictates what we are experiencing now to be the result of our own past action, the Law - by clearly defining the principle of cause and effect - also lays before us positive future direction of our own choice and making

• Only WE are responsible for our past, present and future and only WE can alter it. No one else can!

An Analogy - Magnetism

is that it is a collection of themes: an aggregate of all of our actions, thoughts, words, dreams, desires

which follow us from one lifetime to the next.

Until we gain optimal knowledge from them Until our attachment to theses themes falls off

My take on karma and its role in life

It is an opportunityIt helps you realign your power

AppreciateCelebrate

My take on karma and its role in life

Remember You are NOT at the Effect

YOU ARE THE SOURCE

Our soul is like electromagnet

“Demagnetize” soul

• Take the “Charge” out of all our dealings• Observe your attachments and acknowledge• Be grateful• Take Responsibility (without blame or

guilt)• Take mitigating action if any• Compassion

Suffering is a choice

• Suffering is less about what happened• Suffering is mostly because of the meaning

we put on what happened

We are a meaning making machine

Human beings Love Stories

We observe/experience – Judge – Make up storyWe believe that our story is the TRUTHWe hold on to it with tooth and nailWe argue and defend it vigorously

Our stories add charge to our dealings

CelebrateAuthentic

Youspiritual beings having a human experience

Break free of your limitations

Jain Path of Self Discovery and Self Mastery

Is not what one does…• to fit in to society• to please others• to show others that they are on the path• To fulfill the vows/rules imposed by elders or Gurus

It is NOT grounded in either fear or greed.It is Not imposed by external authority

Stop believing that you can not be liberatedBecause of the time cycle you are inBecause of your current genderBecause …………………. Whatever

Get Out Of Your Own Way

Try on empowering beliefs

Finally

• “Accept not what I say as truth because it is backed by tradition, or because it is the law of the land, or because it sounds good, or because it comes from your teacher. Accept as truth only that which is sagaciously acceptable to reason as well as sentiment”. - Anguttar Nikaya