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Chapter 5
Samvara and Nirjarā: The stoppage and dissociation of karman
samvara: asravanirodha, the stoppage of the karmic flow [is effected by means of]: gupti, control, samiti, vigilance, dharma, virtuous conduct, anuprekṣā, reflection, parişaha-jaya, victory over afflictions, căritra, right conduct, and by means of tapas, austerity, [is also brought about] nirjarā, the dissociation (of karman).'
These three sütras summarise succinctly the contents of this chapter. At this point we need to remind ourselves of the seven categories of tattva, essential for right vision. Up to this point we have studied asrava, the penetration of the jiva by karmic matter, and bandha, the servitude of the jiva brought about by this matter. This impure substance, this dust must be both stopped and eliminated. The stoppage of any new flow of karmic matter is called samvara and the disintegration and dissolution of karman before it matures is called nirjarā.2
The process which ends in mokşa, the complete Liberation of the jiva from all karmas, is in the final analysis only possible thanks to the
asravanirodhaḥ sarvarah. sa gupti-samiti-dharma-anuprekşā-parişahajaya-cāritraiḥ. tapasā nirjară ca. TS IX, 1-3.
2 Cf. ADH II, 41-43; Sam Sa 190-192.
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