The Ontological Status of Karma: The Jain Doctrine of Karma-Pudgala and the Vedāntic Theory of Adhyāsa**

Abstract

The concept of karma is fundamental to Indian philosophical traditions, yet its ontological interpretation differs significantly across systems. Jain philosophy conceives karma as karma-pudgala, a subtle material substance that objectively binds the soul, whereas Advaita Vedānta, systematized by Śaṅkarācārya, explains bondage through the theory of adhyāsa, a superimposition arising from ignorance (avidyā). This paper undertakes a comparative ontological analysis of these two approaches in order to examine whether karma possesses real ontological existence or merely a phenomenal status.

Drawing upon primary Jain and Vedāntic texts as well as contemporary philosophical scholarship, the study argues that Jainism represents a form of ethical-metaphysical realism in which karma is an actual entity affecting the purity of the soul, while Advaita Vedānta adopts a non-dual epistemological framework that denies ultimate reality to karma. Rather than treating these views as mutually contradictory, the paper demonstrates that they operate at different metaphysical levels and address the problem of bondage through distinct philosophical lenses. By shifting the discussion from moral function to ontological status, this study contributes a novel perspective to comparative Indian philosophy and highlights the pluralistic depth of classical Indian metaphysics.