Punya, Meritorious Karmas

Punya is the auspicious activities of the soul that leads to the accumulation of meritorious Karmas. Punya is the fruit of good actions. On completion of meritorious Karma, it leads a person to favourable conditions, pleasant experiences, good opportunities and auxiliary causes for spiritual development. In Jainism, one must earn "Punya" in the beginning and leave "Papa" but after attaining certain spiritual level. It is essential to eliminate Punya also for final purification of soul.

According to Jain scriptures, Punya is the result of right conduct (Charitra) arising from right knowledge (Jnana), faith (Sraddha) and supreme effort. Faith should be rooted in love (Anuraga) for the good and supreme effort in the will to do (Virya). In other words, Punya arises from virtuous actions performed with knowledge, intelligence, faith, love and resolve. By constantly performing right actions, a soul gradually transforms from within both mentally and physically.

Activities of Punya in Jainism
Punya is accumulated by the following 9 ways or activities in the term of Donation. Donation of things like:

1. Food (Vegetarian)
2. Water (Pure)
3. Materials for Rest (Bed)
4. Place of Sleep (Shelter for sleep)
5. Various things of daily requirements (Clothes)
6. Auspicious activities of Mind
7. Auspicious activities of Body
8. Auspicious activities of Speech
9. Paying respect to virtuous people (Namaskar)

Donation of these things results in 42 types of worldly Happiness. These rewards are related to Aghati Karmas only. The 42 types of worldly Happiness are as follows:


•Vedaniya Karma: 1 Sata Vedaniya
•Ayushya Karma: 3 Human, Deva, Tiryancha
•Gotra Karma: 1 Higher Status
•Nama Karma: 37 Body related good acquisitions (Height, Colour, Indriya, etc.)

Good actions not only liberate a soul, but create favourable conditions for its enjoyment, peace and happiness in the form of a good birth as a human being in a good family.

Punya has both positive and negative impact in Sadhana. Earning Punya is not a solution to the problem of bondage. Punya also deserves to be abandoned, as it is a form of bondage that leads to transmigration. Therefore, eventually a Jain monk rises above both and strives for salvation to get rid of all good and bad Karmas entirely.