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the Self will liberate you in two or three lifetimes. But the ‘sticky karma created for the worldly life (sansar) will take significantly longer to maturate. This is why the worldly life is still thriving.
If a straightforward man were to pick someone's pocket for the first time, he will get caught. This is because his karma will mature immediately, and he is freed from this karma. And the experienced pickpocket, on the other hand, will never get caught. People would normally perceive the one getting caught in the act, as the guilty one. Nature, however, is in his 'favor’. Nature will give the gentler person his ‘reward' and take him to a higher life-form; whereas the experienced one, already shows signs of heading for a lower life-form, in the simple fact that he cannot be caught.
What Is 'Sticky' Karma?
So many karmas simply fall away on their own. Many karmas can be shed through repentance. The ‘sticky' karmas are those that, even after much repentance, still cannot be shed, but have to be endured. The Jain refers to them as sticky (nikachit; heavy and ‘sticky' karma that one has no choice but to suffer its effect) karma. If someone spits on you, and you throw some water on it, it will immediately wash off. Some may spit on you, but no matter how hard you try to wash it off with soap and water, you still will not manage to remove it. Now those are extremely sticky.
Questioner: Why is it that although I have made a strong decision (nischay) to settle matters with equanimity (sambhave nikal), I still come across dispute?
Dadashri: In how many places does that happen? A hundred?
Questioner: It only happens in one place. Dadashri: Then that is sticky (nikachit) karma. How
