Jainism For Beginners Level 03

Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

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to a person if his/her action is done without any attachments or feeling of accomplishments. This can be done by cultivating a sense of detachment in all situations, favourable as well as unfavourable.
ASARAVA & BANDIA
INFLOW & - ONDAGE OF KARM
F KARMAS
BOND
The next two fundamentals which
are Ashrava & Bandha, are closely related. In a way these two fundamentals are two aspects of the same phenomenon pertaining to bondage of Karma, The term Ashrava is made up of two words, Aa, meaning from all sides & Shrav' meaning dripping in. So Ashrava, means inflow of Karma. Bandha means bondage of incoming Karma with the soul.
No situation lasts forever & every conceivable situation come to an end sooner or later. Why get infatuated or feel miserable in a situation, which is ephemeral? If a person stays tuned to such a detached attitude & maintains equanimity, he does not attract new Karmas. His earlier Karmas would steadily drip off as he bears their consequences. In due course he will shake off all Karmas & proceed on the path of liberation. Unfortunately, however, it is not possible for a worldly soul to stay continuously tuned to its true nature for very long. The seers have stated that no one can continuously concentrate on any object more than two ghadis or 48 minutes. Beyond that time the attention of the aspirant gets diverted. Thus after staying tuned to true nature, attention reverts to other aspects. During periods of such reversals it is better to be involved in wholesome activities rather than indulging in unwholesome ones. Therein lies the preference of Punya Karmas over Pap
As explained earlier, every activity involves Karma. Whether one indulges in activity by mind, words or physical action, he does acquire Karma. Since worldly soul continually stays involved in one or another activity, the resulting Karmas continue to flow towards it. Its involvement with activities, serve as Ashrava or doors through which Karmas enter. Thus Ashrava of Karma continues to occur more or less incessantly. If the soul gets involved in virtuous activities, Ashrava happens to be of wholesome Karmas. If it is involved in unwholesome activities, Ashrava happens to be of unwholesome Karmas. This involvement mainly occurs because of defilements or Kashayas that exist in soul.
Nav Tatva (Part - 1)
Karmas.
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