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THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES
bondage takes place when the individual self, actuated by passions, attracts particles of matter which are fit to turn into Karma.9 Commenting on this verse, Pujyapāda states: "Just as the digestive fire of the stomach (the gastric fluid or juice) absorbs food suitable to it, so also the self attracts Karmas of duration and fruition corresponding to the virulent, mild or moderate nature of the passions. Owing to the potency of wrong faith, etc, the self, possessed of incessant activity in all states, attracts subtle matter of infinite space-points pervading the same space points occupied by the self, capable of turning into Karmic matter, which then is combined by interpenetration with the space-points of the self. This is bondage. Just as the mixing of several juices of barley, flowers and fruits in a vessel produces intoxicating liquor, so also, matter present co-extensive with the self becomes transformed into Karmic matter owing to the presence of activities and passions". 10
The bondage of Karma is of four kinds according to its prakṛti (nature or type), sthiti (duration) anubhaga (intensity) and and pradeśa (mass or quantity of space-points).11 Mention has been made of the fact that there are eight kinds of Karmas like Jñānāvaraṇiya, Darśanavaraṇiya, etc. and that they are responsible for obscuring the four qualities of the soul and for determining the four conditions of life, including creation of obstacles. Naturally, therefore, there must be difference in the nature of the each kind of the eight Karmas. It must follow as a corrollary that the bondage must be of various nature.
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The second variety of bondage pertains to the sthiti or duration of each of such Karmas. The duration of the bondage must be co-extensive with the duration of the Karma itself. The duration is dependent upon the time taken for shedding it off. The duration of the bondage and its intensity depend upon the intensity of the passion. The stronger the passions, the greater is the length of duration and fruition of the bondage. While this is so with regard to the inauspicious Karmas, in the case of auspicious Karmas, the intensity of the fruition is less. The greater is the depth of an inauspicious Karma, the greater is the suffering, may
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