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THE JAINA GAZETTE
Papa, Asrava, Samvara, Nirjara, Bandha and Moksha. We shall take these one by one and see what each mians.
Those forms that have the sense of consciousness belong to the first category viz. Jiva and those that have not this sense are Ajivas.
In Punyas we include those matters that are bound to the soul and are the results of good and virtuous actions. Those that are contradictory to these are called Papas.
The activities of the mind, speech and body by which the soul gets bound to Punyas and Papas are known as Asravas, whereas Samvara is that which acts as a bar to the inflow of such matters into the soul.
Nirjara is that which destroys the Karmas binding the soul, and the bondage of karmas is Bandha. The utter annihilation of all karmas is Moksha.
From the above characteristics of these different categories the reader must have seen that except Ajiva all are directly and wholly connected with Jiva or Atma, in fact they are the various states or conditions of Jiva. Moreover the forms of Karmas-Punyas and Papas-being Ajivas themselves, Ajiva is also indirectly connected with it. In short, all the above forms that are explained here are merely for the clear understanding of the nature of Jiva itself.
Moksha or Final Emancipation. Consciousness is the Chief characteristic of the soul, which by its very constitution, is the light of knowledge, bliss, power and purity, but being enmeshed by various sorts of Karmas, its true nature remains invisible to us.
It is due to this that Jiva deluded by such Karmic forces experiences ignorance, misery and wretchedness in this world, Such a revolving of Jiva in this phenomenal world is called Sansara, and to get free from this Sansara which is the result of the delusion of the soul, is to achieve Moksha or final absolution.
From this it is evident that as long as the Karmas surround the Atma there is Sansara, and the moment they are wiped off
there comes the final emancipation and that is its Moksha. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
