________________
A brief account of these stages is as under: - 1. Bonding - The process of association of karma--matter
with the soul and their becoming intermingled like the water mixes with milk is said to be the process of bonding or ‘Bandhan'. It is of four types, namely - Nature,
Quantity, Intensity and Duration of bondage. 2. Existence – The karma-matter so bonded with the soul
remains associated with it up to the time that it (karma) separates from it (the soul) after yielding due fruition. This period of association is called 'Sattā. It must be understood that the karma--matter remains associated with the soul even during its gestation when it is not yielding
fruition. 3. Fruition - This is the stage when the bonded karma
actually yields the due fruition in the form of pleasurable or painful retribution. This stage is called 'Udaya’and is followed by separation of the relevant karma-matter after yielding due retribution. Premature Fruition - Bringing some types of karmamatter to yield fruition before their time with due effort, like penance etc, is called premature fruition or Udīraņā? It can be explained by the example of ripening of fruits - In the normal course a particular fruit may take a specified period of time for ripening. However, by suitable physical or chemical methods, such as warming or sprinkling Calcium Carbide (CaC) powder, it can be made to ripen much earlier. Likewise the karma-matter of some kinds can be made to yield fruition before the lapse of their normal course of time. It must be noted that only those types of karma can be made to come forward for early fruition whose similar karma are yielding
fruition at the time. 5. Augmentation – Increase in the intensity and duration
of the bonded karma due to specific action or volitional disposition is called its augmentation or Udvartanā. It is also known as Utkarsaņa.
KARMA-SIDDHANTA (DOCTRINE OF KARMA): 197
