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SUTRAS
THE NATURE OF KARMIC BONDS
91
SUTRA 3 प्रकृतिस्थित्यनुभवप्रदेशास्तद्विधयः ॥ ३ ॥ Prakriti sthityanubhava pradeshastadvidhayah (3) How we experience karmic matter is determined by - the area of life karma influences when it activates (also called
the 'nature' or 'type' of karma) - for how long karmic molecules stay bound to our interactive
karmic field (the duration) - the intensity with which karma manifests when it activates and - how many karmic molecules are stored in our interactive karmic field. (3)
The nature (the type) of karma determines what area of life karma influences when it activates. The next eight sutras describe the eight main areas karma can affect. The time (duration) - Karmic molecules remain bound to our consciousness from the moment we attach karma until it activates (which dissolves the bond).
Up to its activation karma remains inactive (latent). Though latent karma does not affect us directly, its existence alone limits the stages of development accessible to us (see '14 STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT'). The intensity of karma determines the power with which karma manifests upon its activation. How intensely we experience karma is determined by the amount of karmic molecules that activate simultaneously.
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