Jain Journal 2000 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 13

KUMAR : SOUL AND ITS FUNCTIONAL MECHANISM IN JAINISM 11 processes - namely ofāśrava, samvara and nirjarā-the karma pouring into the soul, the cessation of karma influx and the elimination of karma stain from the soul. Employing a systematic methodology, he carefully treats the metaphysics and introduces a sophisticated stage of the curious blend of scientific notions and the ethico-religious ideals in light of the reals.
Bandha
According to Zimmer, the mechanism of bondage in Jainism entails every thought and act accumulating fresh karmic substance and storing up involuntarily of the "seeds" of future action. These seeds are represented as entering and lodging in the soul and become transformed into the circumstances of life. In this complementary process of the karmic materials being exhausted and restocked through conscious as well as unconscious actions of the subtle body of the soul, the bondage continues.33 This process of space-points of the soul penetrated by karma particles is called bondage, wherein the soul gets tinged by the attitude of attachment and aversion. The bhāvas tinged with passions that receive karma particles is the theory of bondagae.34 Bandha then is due to the mutual infiltration of karma and soul and is dependent on the nature, duration of the kind of karma contact, anubhāgya (consequences of karma) and pradeśa (number of karmic molecules that enter the soul). Bondage is thus the state of connection between soul and matter. In the Jaina theory of karma system, Professor L.C. Jain observes, there occurs bonding of the karma particles with the soul under eight configurations. He describes it as 'bio fluid dynamical phenomena.135
The functional structure in the upward or downward movement of he soul and the total separation of any connection between these two are discussed by Ācārya Kundakunda. According to Johnson,36 Ācārya Kundakunda in the Pravacanasäraviews moha (delusion) comes to be seen as the chief agent in bondage, and is directly linked to asuddhauvaoga. In the Pravacanasāra, 37 he explains the mechanism of bondage, how the non-material soul is bound by material karma. The molecules capable of becoming karma come in contact with the
33. Zimmer, pp. 248-249. 34. Pravacanasāra, p. 56. 35. Prof. L.C. Jain, The Tao of Jaina Sciences, Arihant International, Delhi
1992, pp. 64 and 77. 36. Johnson, p. 122. 37. verses II. 77, 82 and 87.