Sin death and beyond

SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN
JAINISM
For both Buddhism and Jainism, the universe is eternal, matter and souls being equally
uncreated. The universe contains gods who may be worshipped for various reasons, but there
is no being outside it exercising control over it. The gods and other superhuman beings are all
just as subject to karma and rebirth as human beings are. By their actions, souls accumulate
karma, which is understood to be a kind of matter, and that accumulation draws them back into
a body after death. Decay and death are eternal laws from which nothing can escape not even
the gods unless someone can attain iso-entropic transform through "Nishkama Karma" - action
without selfish purpose. Release is achieved by purging the soul of all karma, good and bad.
Hence, all souls have undergone an infinite number of previous lives, and—with the exception
of those who win release from the bondage of karma—will continue to reincarnate, each new
life determined by the kind and amount of karma accumulated.
Mahavira (ca. 540-468 B.C.), taught that each living creature possesses a material soul jiva)
which is originally pure and colorless, but through the activities of life becomes contaminated
by karmic matter. Every act committed by man or beast is believed to produce karmic coloring
on the soul-light colors for virtuous deeds, medium tones for minor offenses, with the darkest
shades being reserved for serious transgressions. Since dark-colored stains are supposed to
weigh down the soul, while lighter ones allow it to rise, the light-colored souls will be reborn
correspondingly as gods or humans, the darker ones as animals or plants, or as inhabitants of
Hell.
139