$JES 904 Compendium of Jainism (Jain Academic Bowl Manual 3rd Edition)

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

Page 67

PHILOSOPHY
B08 - Theory of Karma and Reincarnation
Thus, in different combinations, we do our activities in nine (3x3) different ways that cause bondage of the karmas to the soul. At the time of the bondage of karmas to the soul, the four characteristics of bondage play an important role.
03 Four Characteristics of Bondage: Prakriti Bandha What kind (Nature) of Karmas will these be? (Type or
Category of Karma bondage) Pradesha Bandha How many Kärman particles (Quantity) will attach to the soul? Sthiti Bandha
How long (Duration) will these karmas stay with the soul? Rasa Bandha How strong (Intensity) will the bondage of these karmas be? The nature and the quantity of the bondage of the karmas depend on the nature of activities, while the duration and the intensity of the bondage of the karmas depend on the intensity of the passion with which the activities are carried out by the soul. 1. Prakriti Bandha (Type of Karma Bondage)
It is well known that some students do very well in class even though they don't study, while others have to struggle to get good grades in spite of studying very hard. In the same way, some people make a lot of money without much effort, while others cannot even find a job. You might have also heard that some people are sick all the time, while others never get sick and some people live to be over a hundred years old, while others die as young children. Everybody is searching for an answer to these strange disparities. Some may say it is the God's will, others may say it is his luck, and so on. Jainism says everything happens due to the result of our past Karmas. You reap what you sow and no God or anyone else can make this happen or change. We and only we are the cause of our suffering or happiness. This can be explained by the theory of Karma. Therefore, it is very important that we understand this process very clearly. It also explains what karmas are, why and what role karmas play in our life with the soul, and how we accumulate different kinds of karmas as well as how we get rid of them. If you sit back and think, you will realize that you are doing something all the time. Sometimes you might be talking, listening or thinking if not doing something physically. In other words you are always doing something. This is only natural. These activities may be harmful or helpful to others. It is important to realize that everything we do brings karmas to our souls. When these karmas mature, that is when they are ready to produce results they bring happiness or suffering to our lives. This is how the karmas are responsible for our happiness or suffering.
Karmas are made up of Kärman particles. The Kärman particles are made up of non-living matter (Pudgals). They are scattered and floating all over the universe (Loka). They are invisible even with the help of any kind of microscope. A cluster of such innumerable Kärman particles is called a Kärman Varganä. Kärman Varganä have the subtlest particles. When the soul acts with a passion like aversion or attachment; or anger, greed, ego, or deceitfulness, it attracts these Kärman Varganäs to itself. When these Kärman Varganäs get attached to the soul, they are called karmas. Karmas are classified into eight categories depending upon their nature. The karmas can be good (Punya) or bad (Päp). The good karmas are the result of good or pious activities while the bad karmas are the result of bad or sinful activities. When karmic matter attaches to the soul, it obscures the soul's essential nature of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, bliss, perfect power, eternal existence, formlessness, and equanimity. The different types of karma obscure different qualities or attributes of the soul. The Jain literature has classified it into eight categories according to the particular attribute of the soul that it obscures. This is known as Prakriti bandha. The eight categories of Karma is defined in detail later in this chapter.
Compendium of Jainism - 2015
Page 67 of 398