Page 170 - Courage Redifined

delicious food, the engrossment in business attractions or
sensual pleasures is all the strengthening of Mohaniya karmas.
The feelings of frustration, sorrow, anxiety in case of ashata
is also food for Mohaniya karma.

Even in the case of Gotra karma, the higher karma leads to
pride, ego, greed and the lower karma may lead to frustration,
depression, anger, etc., thus nourishing Mohaniya karma.

Same is the state of other karmas, like Naam karma, Ayushya
karma, etc. the effect of Mohaniya karmas is such that it gets
nourished by the effect of the other karmas.

Looking at the other side of the coin, if one becomes
successful in suppressing these Mohaniya karmas by
developing a feeling of non-attachment, having faith in
Arihanta Lords, gurubhagwants and Jain religion, putting a
stop on the acceleration of kashayas, having right faith, it can
eliminate the efforts of all the remaining karmas. For e.g. due
to strong Gyanavarniya karmas inspite of working hard, an
individual cannot remember well and remains ignorant. But
if he possesses a spiritual insight, then he will consider his
problem to be an outcome of Gyanavarniya karmas. He will
think, “I myself have binded these karmas and hence they
depress me ?” Thus, he will maintain mental composure and
refrain from committing a new mistake. Who is responsible
for this ? The spiritual insight developed by suppressing
Mohaniya karmas.

How to suppress these Mohaniya karmas ? Here, the
independence of purushartha gets highlighted.

The Mohaniya karmas contaminate the feelings of the heart
and gives rise to inner impurities. The efforts undertaken to
fight these karmas give birth to positive, pure sentiments. The
Mohaniya karma (karma causing anger) leads to eruption of

160 Courage Redefined