$JES 901 Jainism and Spiritual Awakening E9

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 50

07 - CLASSIFICATION OF DRAVYA KARMA - PRAKRUTI BANDH
07- Classification of Dravya Karma -
Prakruti Bandh
Classification of Dravya Karma The bondage of karma is classified into eight categories according to the particular attribute of the soul that it obscures. These eight categories of karma are divided into two major groups known as Ghäti karma, which subdue the qualities of the soul, and Aghäti karma, which relate to the physical body, mind, and physical environment of the living being. Jain literature classifies Dravya Karma in two different ways:
• Punya and Pap Karma (explained in a separate chapter) • Ghäti Karma (Destructive to soul's virtue) and Aghäti Karma
(Non-destructive to Soul's virtue) Punya and Päp Karma Activities such as compassion, Jivadaya, charity, offering food, water, shelter, protection of environment, honesty, purifying thoughts, physical and mental state of true happiness, result in producing Punya or meritorious karma. Activities such as violence, dishonesty, stealing, unchastity, attachment to worldly objects, anger, conceit, deceit, lust, and impure thoughts result in producing Päp of non-virtuous Karma.
Ghäti Karma and Aghäti Karma Ghäti karma subdue the quality of soul, namely; infinite knowledge, infinite perception or vision, infinite happiness, and infinite power or energy. Aghäti karma are non-destructive to the qualities of the soul but are responsible for the creation of physical body, life span, physical mind, and social environment.
JAINISM AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING