Arihanta Institute is thrilled to welcome Corinna May Lhoir, a PhD student from the University of Hamburg, to Professor Christopher Jain Miller’s MA - Engaged Jain Studies "Jain Yoga" graduate seminar. Lhoir is currently working on an innovative dissertation translating the medieval Jain text, Yogapradīpa. Throughout the semester, she will share her insights from Dr. Miller's seminar in a series of articles. Read Lhoir's first article here: Jain Yoga – An Introduction

Tattvārthasūtra, written by Umāsvāti in the 5th century CE, is one of the foundational texts of Jain philosophy. It provides a systematic exposition of Jain thought, touching upon crucial concepts such as karma, ethics, and liberation. When discussing yoga, the Tattvārthasūtra presents it as a central concept tied closely to the practice of ethical restraint and spiritual discipline. Unlike the physical practices often associated with yoga in popular culture, Jain yoga, as described in this text, focuses on the activities of the body, mind, and speech, which are understood as channels through which karmic particles influence the soul.

In Tattvārthasūtra 6.1, Umāsvāti defines yoga as kaya-vāṅ-manaḥkarma yogaḥ [1], meaning the activities of the body (kāya), speech (vāc), and mind (manas). This definition is distinct in its emphasis on action rather than contemplation or physical postures, illustrating how deeply Jainism ties the concept of yoga to everyday ethical behavior. According to Umāsvāti, all actions performed through the body, speech, and mind are forms of yoga, whether they are virtuous or non-virtuous. These actions, in turn, become the mechanism by which karma attaches itself to the soul (jīva), influencing the course of one’s future rebirths.

This form of yoga is termed āsrava—an influx or inflow of karmic particles, which attaches to the soul through actions. Every time an individual engages in activity, whether good or bad, they invite the influx of karma. This framing of yoga as an ethical and karmic process sets Jain yoga apart from other traditions, like Patañjali's yoga, which emphasize meditation and the achievement of mental stillness. In Tattvārthasūtra 6.2, Umāsvāti further emphasizes that all actions - physical, verbal, and mental - are responsible for this inflow of karma, reinforcing the idea that yoga is inherently linked to ethical behavior and karmic consequence: sa āsravaḥ  [2] (“[the threefold action] is [the cause] of the inflow of karma”).

Jayandra Soni, in his study of the Tattvārthasūtra [3], notes that Umāsvāti's conception of yoga is concerned not only with the ethical quality of actions but also with their karmic consequences. Every action leads to an inflow of karmic matter (pudgala), which then binds the soul. The Svopajñabhāṣya commentary on the Tattvārthasūtra explains that the threefold yoga - body, speech, and mind - can lead to both meritorious (śubha) and unmeritorious (aśubha) karmic consequences [4]. For instance, violent or deceitful actions performed with the body, harsh words, or malicious thoughts lead to the accumulation of negative karma, while virtuous actions, truthful speech, and benevolent thoughts attract positive karma. This ethical dimension of yoga is fundamental to the Jain path to liberation, as the ultimate goal is to purify the soul by stopping the influx of karma and eliminating the accumulated karmic particles.
 

Furthermore, the Sarvārthasiddhi commentary by Pūjyapāda on Tattvārthasūtra 6.1 reinforces the connection between yoga and karma by describing yoga as "the vibration of the soul" (ātmapradeśaparispanda) [5]. This metaphor highlights the dynamic and ongoing nature of karma's interaction with the soul through one's actions. Every action, word, and thought causes a vibration in the soul, which results in the inflow of karma. Pūjyapāda's commentary helps to clarify that, while actions are inevitable due to the soul’s inherent energy (vīrya), the type and quality of action determine whether the soul accumulates more karma or progresses toward liberation by shedding karmic particles.

Interestingly, the Tattvārthasūtra also differentiates between two types of karmic influx: that which occurs in individuals influenced by passions (kaṣāya), and that which occurs in those free from passions (TS 6.5 [6]). According to Jain philosophy, actions rooted in passions lead to the accumulation of karmic matter, which binds the soul and prolongs the cycle of rebirth. In contrast, actions performed with discipline and non-attachment prevent the inflow of karma and contribute to the purification of the soul, aiding in the process of liberation (mokṣa). The distinction between actions driven by passions and those free from passions is key to the ethical and karmic framework of Jain yoga, emphasizing the importance of controlling one's mental, physical, and verbal actions to reduce the karmic burden. Individuals who master their passions through disciplined conduct can minimize the inflow of karma, while those who act with attachment and desire are bound more tightly to the cycle of birth and death.

In conclusion, the concept of yoga in the Tattvārthasūtra offers a unique and ethically centered view of yoga as action, emphasizing the role of bodily, verbal, and mental conduct in the process of karmic accumulation. Through the regulation of actions and the cultivation of virtuous behavior, Jain yoga provides a path toward the ultimate goal of liberation, or mokṣa, by shedding the karma that binds the soul. Umāsvāti’s formulation of yoga as an ethical and karmic practice reminds us of the profound connection between our actions and spiritual progress, making Jain yoga a distinctive and significant tradition in the broader history of Indian philosophical thought.

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[1] Tatia 1994, p. 151
[2] Tatia 1994, ibid.
[3] Soni 2016
[4] Soni adds a clarifying footnote here: “It is to be remembered that both meritorious and unmeritorious karma are in fact limiting factors, albeit for human conduct the former is more “pleasing.” The aim, of  course, is through the support of meritorious actions to lead finally to absolute dispassion (vairāgya) by following “the Jaina path of purification” of all karmas.” (Soni 2016, p. 35)
[5] Soni 2016, p. 31
[6] Tatia 1994, p. 152
 

REFERENCES:

Tatia, Nathmal. That Which Is: Tattvārtha Sūtra of Umāsvāti/Umāsvāmī. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1994.

Soni, Jayandra. "Yoga in the Tattvārthasūtra." In Yoga in Jainism, edited by Christopher Key Chapple, 29-36. London: Routledge, 2016.

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