Nine or Nav Tattvas

Author(s): Jaina Education
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 2

The soul has had this karmic matter attached to it from eternity. This karmic matter is known as the Kärman body or causal body or karma. The soul, which is covered by karmic matter, continues to acquire new karma from the universe through the above-mentioned actions at every moment. Also the old karma after producing their result, are shred or leave the soul when it is time for them to do so. Because of this continuous process of acquiring and exhausting karma particles, the soul has to pass through the cycles of birth and death and experience pleasure and pain. Therefore, under normal circumstances the soul cannot attain freedom from karma and hence liberation.
Bandha (Characteristics of Bondage of Karma) Äsrava causes karma particles to attach to the soul. When karma attaches to the soul its bondage to the soul is explained in the following four forms and it is determined at the time of the bondage:
Prakriti bandha Type or category of karma bondage Sthiti bandha Duration of attachment of karma bondage before they separate
from the soul. Anubhäga bandha The intensity of the attachment of karma bondage Pradesha bandha Quantity of karma particles attached to the soul
Primarily the soul's activities of body, speech, and mind are responsible for the types or categories (Prakriti) and quantity (Pradesh) of Karma bondage and the soul's Mithyätva (Illusion), Avirati (Lack of self-restraint), Pramäda (Spiritual laziness), and Kashäya (passions such as anger, ego, deceit, and greed) are responsible for the duration (Sthiti) and the intensity (Anubhäga) of Karma bondage. It is due to the intensity and the duration of the karma bondage that the soul passes through many pleasure and painful situations and suffers. Hence one needs to get rid of Mithyätva, Avirati, Pramäda, and passions first to progress spiritually towards liberation.
(a) Prakriti Bandha (Type of Karma Bondage): When karmic matter attaches to the soul, it obscures the soul's essential nature of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, bliss, perfect power, eternal existence, formlessness, and equanimity. The different types of karma obscure different qualities or attributes of the soul. This is known as Prakriti bandha. Bondage of karma is classified into eight categories according to the particular attribute of the soul that it obscures. These eight categories of karma are explained below (b) Sthiti Bandha (Duration of Attachment of Karma): When karmic matter attaches to the soul, it remains attached for a certain duration till it produces the complete result. The duration of the attachment is determined according to the intensity or dullness of the soul's passions or actions when the karma was originally attached to the soul. After producing the result, the karma will separate or detach from the soul. (c) Anubhäga Bandha or Rasa Bandha (Intensity of Attachment of Karma): When karma produce the result, the intensity of the result is determined by the severity of the passions of the soul when the karma were originally attached to it. This phenomenon is called Anubhäga or Rasa bandha. (d) Pradesha Bandha (Quantity of Karma): The quantity of karma particles that are attracted and attached to the soul by our activity of body, mind, and speech (Yoga) is called Pradesha Bandha.