Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 30

The Main Objective of Jainism : 23
Process of Bondage
According to Jaina-philosophy every activity of mind, speech and body is followed by the influx of finer type of atoms, which are technically known as karma-varganā-pudgala. In the presence of the passions this influx (āsrava ) of kārmic matter cause bondage, which is of four types -- 1. Kind (prakrti), 2. quantity ( pradeśa ), 3. duration (sthiti ) and 4. intensity (anubhāga ) (Tattvārthasūtra, 8. 4). The activities of mind, body and speech, which are technically known as yogas, determine the prakrti and the pradeśa of kārmic-matter and the passions determine the duration (sthiti ) and the intensity ( anu- bhāga – mild or intense power of fruition) of the Karma. The Karma, in Jainism is the binding principle, it binds the soul with the body and thus, it is responsible for our worldly existence. Karma has the same place in Jainism, as unseen potency (adrsta) does in Nyāya, Prakrti in Sankhya, Māyā in Vedānta, Vāsanā in Buddhism, Sakti in Saivism and Pāśa (trap ) in Śākta school. Karma is something foreign which veils the natural faculties of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite power of the soul. It is also responsible for our pleasant and unpleasant experiences and worldly existence. According to Vidyānandi there are two functions of the Karma, one is to obscure the natural faculties of soul and second is to corrupt the soul. Jainism also believes in the modus operandi of karma. According to it karma itself is competent to produce its fruit in due course of time and there is no need of God or other external power for its fruition.
The Karmas are of eight types — (i) jñānāvaranaknowledge obscuring, ( ii ) Darsanāvarana - perceptionobscuring, (iii) Vedaniya – feeling producing, (iv) Mohaniya - deluding, (v) Āyu - age determining, ( vi ) Nāma – body or personality determining, ( vii ) Gotra - status determining and