Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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SCHOOL
Checking the Influx or bonding of new Karmas
Letting Karmas produce their effects naturally or pre-maturely Flushing of accumulated Karmas
OF
KI
SUPREME AUSTERITY
स्वाध्याय
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
SELF STUDY IS THE
परम
Each of eight types of karma can only be bound so long as its cause of bondage is in existence. If the cause disappears, the bandha of the corresponding prakṛti ceases. Further the causes can only be eliminated successively and not out of order i.e. avirati, and yoga respectively.
3.3.1 Processes of Dissociation
The karmas are bonded with jīva for specific duration depending upon intensities of various bonding factors. If we have to de-bond ourselves, we will have to undergo three processes either simultaneously or consecutively:
STUDIES
The first process is discussed in section 3.2 earlier.
It is stated that karmas, bonded with the empirical soul already, affect the various capacities of jiva until their duration lasts when they are automatically flushed out like ripened fruits from trees. The rate of fruition depends upon substance, location, time, mode, birth state and duration etc. Thus the jiva experiences these fruits and then dissociates them off (nirjara). This process will go on forever unless the first process i.e. stoppage of new bonding takes place. However still it can be almost an endless process as the duration of existence of karmas and their strength of each bonding can be extremely large and it may not be possible for the jiva to continue the first process during all this time. Further it is necessary that jīva experiences the fruits of karmic activation, even though it is miniscule or not felt sensually.
Jain texts however detailed specific activities, like penance, which speed up the ripening process of existing karmas (like we ripen raw mangoes with some chemicals). This is possible as by definition, as detailed in section 4.0 later, karmas have different states and most of them, except the one, can be changed by prescribed ethical practices and penance/ austerities. Tattvärtha-sutra in its chapter IX details the means of speedy flushing of karmas associated with the empirical soul. Detailed relationship of various species of karmas and their effect in this process of speedy dissociation are detailed in Dhavala and other Karmagranthas.
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