The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c8.236

c8.236

§97. *The Colours of the Soul.* The Karman does not only effect the fate of the soul, but it equally supplies it with a conditional quality reflecting the moral level, and as such is called by the name of *les(s)ā=leśyā*. We are of opinion that this word has to be derived from *lesa*³ which, on its part, has not been explained etymologically as yet. By means of the *lessā* the Karman imprints (s.b.) a character upon the soul by qualifying it with colour, taste, smell and feeling. Since these qualities are of a material nature, this possibly expresses a relation to particles (*lesā*), and we have reason to assume that an adjective *leśyā* was changed into a substantive. The corresponding feminine noun may well have been *chāyā* “light, brilliancy, colour”, for this is the non-technical meaning of the word *lessā*.¹