The Tarttvartha Sutra is a systematization of Jain philosophy as found in the Jaina Sutras written by the jain philosopher-monk Umasvati in the second century. It covers the ontology and cosmology of Jainism; it is accepted by both the Digambaras and the Svetembaras. Here we give as description of the shedding of Jain Karma taken from Chapter 9 of the Tattvartha Sutra. I am thinking about developing a spiritual variant of Jainism. Spirituality uses a looser epistemological framework in which to make transcendent metaphysical claims. This entails retaining the karmic atom found in Jainism but reinterpreting the behavior of the atoms. This may sound uncalled for, and even dangerous, given the frequent assurances of Jainism that it must be accepted exactly as it are handed down through history. However, I am not so sure. Indian religion took on a spiritual direction in the latter half of the AD period with Saiva, Sakta, and Vaisnava, for example. Therefore, it would make sense to continue in a spiritual direction. This spiritual variant would probably remain a Western religion of some sort. Really, I am for a retaining of old religions but slow forward progress, if any, into the new.
The Shedding of Jain Karma
There are two types of karmic inflow: instantaneous and long-term. The Tattvartha sutra traces the stages of spiritual development starting with (1) a deluded world-view and transitioning into (2) an enlightened world view with and without restraint and laxity, (3) self-restraint without passions but with knowledge inhibition, and finally (5) complete knowledge of all things. At each stage of development, there are karmic inflow which are inhibited at the next stage. Inflow is inhibited by (1) guarding, (2) careful movement, (3) morality, (4) reflection, (5) conquering hardships, and (6) enlightened conduct. (1) means enlightened control of body, speech, and mind such as blocking the mouth to prevent injury to lifeforms. (2) means to move in a manner that is approved by monastic rules; for example, speaking correctly involves speaking words that are measured, controlled, and meaningful. (3) means acting in a way that involves right behavior. There are ten moral principles that Jainism advocates. For example, controlling anger and practicing tolerance in adverse situations (forgiveness), subduing pride about one’s individual circumstances (humility), sincere and honest intention (straightforwardness), and mortification of the body for the regeneration of the soul (austerity).
(4) is the process of contemplating the Jain theory. There are twelve reflections that Jainism advocates and generally represent the basics of Jain theory. For example, reflection on the helplessness of the soul means reflecting on a world beset with miseries, misfortunes of birth, old age and death, etc. Reflecting on the on the otherness of the soul from the body means focusing on the intrinsic purity of the soul and the body as an insentient object. (5) is the twenty-two hardships that occur on the spiritual path and of which enduring them wears off karma. These hardships are associated with different types of karma such as troubles in learning being associated with knowledge covering karma, loss of faith and lack of gain being associated with view-deluding and obstructive karma, and hunger, injury, and ailment being associated with sensation karma. For (6), after one undergoes the twenty-two hardships, one undergoes the five stages of conduct: initiation, ordination, purification through service, self-restraint, and perfect conduct. The Tattvartha sutra also recommends external and internal austerities- e.g. reduced diet, lonely habituation, and mortification of the body, and scriptural study and meditation.
There are four kinds of meditation: (1) mournful, (2) wrathful, (3) analytic, and (4) white. People at lower stages of spiritual development fall into mournful and wrathful meditation. (1) is to concentrate on getting rid of unpleasant feelings, removing contact with disagreeable objects, and increasing contact with agreeable objects. (2) is focusing on violence, falsehood, theft, and preservation of one’s possessions. Analytic and white meditation are practiced by many Westerners such as, for example, in the sciences. (3) is withdrawing into ones head and focusing on elements of Jain theory such as the scriptural commandments and the nature of karma while perhaps pacing around the room. The four varieties of (4) are (a) multiple contemplation, (b) unitary contemplation, (c) subtle infallible physical activity, and (d) irreversible stillness of the soul. In (a), the meditator, guided by scriptural contemplation, concentrates from different philosophical standpoint moving from any of the activities of body speech and mind to any of the others. In (b), the meditator focuses on a single entity and (c), all activities of body are absolutely stopped while one continues to engage in contemplation. In (d), irreversible stillness takes place, even the residual subtle activities while one continues to engage in contemplation.
Idealism Studies 