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THE ESSENCE OF JAINA SCRIPTURES
of the discussion about the bondage of souls (PS 179). Psychic bondage, in turn, acts as the supportive factor/the auxiliary cause that affects, influences or conditions binding of material karman (bhava bandha pratyaya dravyabandha) (PS 176 AC and PS 179 AC).
The two types of bondage (the psychic and physical or material bondage) are, thus, mutually related as cause and effect, each of the other, and interact with one another. Each one of them acts as indirect, extrinsic, supportive factor or auxiliary cause (nimitta karana) of the other (PS 177-179, AC). Though material karman is said to be the indirect, extrinsic, auxiliary cause of psychic dispositions or mental states, the self is indeed the (substantive) causal agent or doer of its own bhavas (conscious states) (PS 184). Although the soul exists at all times in the midst of matter, it does not accept, grasp or appropriate karman. It also does not abandon or release the material karman. Hence, it is not the substantive cause of the evolution or modification of material karman (PS 185 and PS 185 AC).
Nishchaya and Vyavahara Points of View When tainted with deluded view, attachment and aversion, the self is also sullied by the dust of karma. In the Jaina scriptures, this is described as bondage (PS 188). This is briefly the genesis summary of the bondage of souls as preached by the worthy Lord (Arahantas) from an internal self-referential point of view (nishchaya naya). However, from an external other-referential standpoint (vyavahara naya), it is expressed differently (PS 189).
Commenting on Pravachanasara 189, Amrtachandra states that the self is the agent (karta) of its own evolution into psychic dispositions like attachment. According to internal, self-referential nishchaya naya, the self is also the appropriator as well as the renouncer thereof (PS 189 AC). Thus, the perspective of nishchaya naya is considered to be the most effective means of accomplishing (the task) (sadhaktam) of purity because the self not only acts as the agent of attachment, etc. but also as a renouncer thereof (i.e. the self also acts as the agent of transforming or purifying the impure mental states into pure mental states). Nishchaya naya is therefore regarded as the most effective means of attaining the objective of the purity of the self.
According to external, other-referential vyavahara point of view, the non-pure state of soul substance (PS 189 AC) regards the evolution
