ABSTRACT
In contrast with M⁄måm. så philosophy, for which ritual activity alone (kriyåmåtra) was of paramount importance, early ¡vetåmbara Jainism in the final analysis regarded all forms of activity (åram. bha/karma) as an impediment to reaching the state of liberation.1 Activity was divided into three modalities: mental, verbal and physical. These were collectively designated yoga, reflecting, on the one hand, the operations of the mind (manas), sense of speech (våc) and body (kåya), and, on the other, the three kinds of vibration (spanda) of the Self (j⁄va). Viewed from the former perspective, these three forms of activity caused an influx (åsrava) of subtle matter into the Self (j⁄va) which then translated into different forms of karma, bringing Self and matter (aj⁄va) together and causing the former to vibrate. Viewed from the latter perspective, the Self was the agent of these three forms of activity, as well as of the influx of matter and the production of karma, since as a part of cyclic existence (sam. såra) it had always been connected with matter and in human embodiment vibrated in three different ways correlated to the activity of the body, mind and the senses.2
Ultimately, through meditation (dhyåna) the influx of matter could be stopped and the destruction of accumulated karma achieved. Through this artificial device, the natural process of karmic maturation, whereby karma was automatically annihilated, was deliberately enhanced by creating a state of non-activity (ayogatå).3 Such a state was, therefore, the final objective of meditation and, through repeated practice, resulted in the destruction of karma and consequently in the attainment of enlightenment and omniscience (sarvajña), followed by release from karmic bondage .
