ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 258

The above means are explained in details in Tattv rthautra S tras IX.4-18. As these are effective in stoppage activities, these are mentioned as instrumental causes. Stoppage is also affected by penance / austerities (tapa). Austerities are mentioned separately to show that it is effective in both stoppages of new bondage of karmas as well as dissociation of existing karmas.
Austerities are
External:
•
Fasting, under eating, giving up one specific taste daily Limitation of begging foods, Lonely habitation Physical mortification;
Internal:
Expiation (9) Reverence (4) Selfless service (10) Self studies (5) Renunciation (2) Meditation (4)
3.3 Karmic De-bonding / Dissociation or Nirjar The spiritual objective of life is to acquire infinite bliss over physical pleasure. Karmas bonded with the soul are the major hindrance factors in fulfilling it. To eliminate their effects, there are the stages of influx, bonding, stoppage, fruition and dissociation to consider and asct suitably.
We have already discussed bonding in details. We have to consider what happens after bonding?
The empirical soul or jva has to develop a force of austerities etc. to counteract the force of attraction and aversion (main causes of bondage). The force of austerities must be greater than the force of attraction and aversion if ultimate spiritual progress is desired. The debonding process i.e. enhancing the forces of austerities and gradual elimination of the forces of attraction and aversion when followed continuously results in elimination of all the karmika bondage with the empirical soul till the pure soul state is achieved.
There are ten operations in Karmic systems where bondage and existence are also counted and which do change the volitional states of j va or empirical soul and lead to de-bonding. These operations result in ten states of the karmas bonded with empirical soul, which shall be discussed later on in section 4.0.
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 prak ti ceases. Further the causes can only eliminated successively and not out of order i.e. mithy tva avirati, ka ya and yoga respectively.
3.3.1 Processes of Dissociation The karmas are bonded with j va 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:
•
Checking the Influx or bonding of new Karmas Letting Karmas produce their effects naturally or pre-maturely Flushing of accumulated Karmas
The first process is discussed in section 3.2 earlier.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0