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76 / Lord Mahavira
9. Cause of Karma
From religious moral concept, karma in either good (punya) or bad (papa). All those actions which promote spiritual welfare and advance man's approach towards liberation are good actions. All those actions which defile the self, increase the burden of samsara and prolong transmigration are bad actions, Although in liberation all karmas good as well as bad are destroyed. The karma leading to wrong conduct is asubha (bad) and leading to right conduct is subha (good). Bad karma brings sufferings in the world while good karma results in happiness. Where there is action either good or bad, the presence of karmas is there. Those who are the seekers of liberation are totally detached from both types of karmas. Good karma leads to heaven which is also a part of the world and bad karmas lead to hell that is also a part of the world. In Samayasara good karma is compared with gold fetters and bad karma with iron-fetters. Karmas whether good or bad, equally bind the self.
