The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c8.246

c8.246

§99. *The Actions.* In the passages above the word *kamma* signified the "action" in a metaphysical respect. We can (Viy. 768a) distinguish the beings as *mahā-* and *appa-kammatarāga* according to the more or less of Karman (and, equally, of influence —*āsava*— and sensation —*veyaṇā*). Thus (Viy. 228b) a freshly lit and a dying fiery body are called *agaṇi-kāya* according to their greater and smaller activities. So, where Viy. 767b compares action, sensation and annihilation on the different stages, we should, correspondingly, expect to find the word *kamma*, but what we find is *kiriyā*. This word is preferred when thinking of concrete actions even when abstract fundamentals are concerned. Such is the case with the *samparāiyā* and *iriyāvahiyā kiriyā* (Viy. 106a and elsewhere), and, moreover, with the statement (Viy. 79b) that an offence against the main commandments—by which offence however, we but have to understand the specialization of a general law—goes back to contact and to one’s own doing (*pāṇivāeṇaṃ kiriyā... puṭṭhā kajjai, kaḍā k,*) and follows a course (*aṇupuvviṃ k.*). It is also common opinion that an action even while being performed equals one completed.¹ This is stated immediately at the beginning by Viy. giving a selection of the most different kinds of activities (13b); we repeatedly come across it in the course of the book (86a, 582b, 706b), and it is even maintained against contradicting teachers (102b f., 379a).