The Misery: its what, why and how

Summary

In this philosophical piece, Pradyumna Kumar Jain analyses the nature, causes and solution to human misery from a Jain perspective. He begins by asserting that misery arises because of a confusion of realities: individuals mistake the transient body and external possessions for the eternal self. Misery is rooted in ignorance and deluded attachment, which bind the soul through karma. Jain identifies eight categories of karma that obscure the soul’s attributes: knowledge‑obscuring, perception‑obscuring, deluding, obstructing, feeling‑producing, body‑making, status‑determining and life‑span‑determining karmas. The first four are ghatiya karmas because they directly obscure the soul’s qualities, while the last four are aghatiya karmas that condition worldly experience. He explains how each type of karma arises through actions and passions; for example, anger generates deluding karma, while conceit leads to body‑making karma. The article distinguishes between physical and psychological misery: physical suffering stems from karmas producing unpleasant sensations, whereas psychological misery arises from desires and aversions. Jain argues that true liberation from misery requires understanding the true nature of self and matter, cultivating right faith, right knowledge and right conduct—the three jewels (ratna‑traya) of Jainism. Under “The What”, he clarifies that misery is not inherent in existence but a product of wrong identification; under “The Why”, he discusses the role of ignorance and passions in generating karmic bondage; and under “The How”, he outlines practical steps to overcome suffering, such as following the five vows, practising meditation and cultivating equanimity. He references classical Jain texts to support his analysis and contrasts Jain soteriology with Buddhist and Hindu views. Jain emphasises that liberation (moksha) is attainable in this very life through the destruction of karmic particles and the realisation of the soul’s innate purity. The article is both philosophical and pragmatic, offering readers an ethical framework to address the causes of misery in everyday life.