Jaina Karmaology

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 44

OM NAMAH SIDDHEBHYAH
[Bowings to the Liberated]
Royal Semisaphorismic Commentary on Reals (Rajvartika)
EIGHTH CHAPTER
The spirituality-based reality of Influx has been described in chapters VI and VII. We will now describe the reality of Bondage (Bandha) which follows Influx in order. The Bondage is the transformations of the living and the non-living. Despite its four-fold description in terms of positings of (i) nomenclature, (ii) representation, (iii) substantivity or (iv) modal states, it has prominently two varieties; (i) physical bondage and (ii) psychical bondage. We will skip over the various types of physical bondage of the type of that between lac and wood or binding the neck of the horses by the rope etc., as it is not related with our topic here. We will, therefore, deal with the psychical bondage. This has two varieties: (i) Karmic bondage and (ii) Quasikarmic bondage. The affectionate bonding like the relationship between the father, mother and son is quasi-karmic bondage. The second type of psychical bondage, i.e. karmic bondage is (i) beginning -less with respect to the un-interrupted series of karmic bondage like the seedsprout-continuity and (ii) beginningful also because of its bondage due to different causes (in the current birth) as well.
We will defer the details about the bondage proper. The causes of psychical bondage will, first, be described which result in physical bondage. They will, otherwise, have to be dealt with after the details about the bondage proper.
There can not be karmic bondage without any causes, otherwise there will never be liberation of the living beings. It can never be accidental, liberation could also be that way. However, both the processes of bondage and liberation are never accidental as otherwise there will be no use of describing about the pathways for them. Hence, the causes of bondage must first be described before bondage is detailed. Secondly, the causes and effects are always successive. Hence also, the causes should be described before the effects (i.e. bondage).
Q. The causes should not be described here as they have already been detailed specifically in chapter VI and VII with reference to auspicious and inauspicious karmic influx leading to various effects and obligations in the livings systems.