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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
there is an inflow of karmic matters towards the self and these are received by it.
How this happens ? Soul is dynamic in character and always conscious enough to receive the impulses or sensations, caused by worldly objects when it is still in union with Ajiva. This results in vibratory activity of the soul which generates a sort of magnetic force. This magnetic force attracts the karmic matter through the agency of body, mind and speech. This is how the flow starts. This flow is Asrava.
Asrava is of two types, namely, Bhava-asrava (psychical ) and Dravya-āsrava (physical ). Bhava is internal impulse resulting from psychic disposition. In other words, modification of consciousness by which karma gets into the soul is known as psychical influx. This leads to actual action which results in Dravya Asrava. We can say that karmic matter itself which enters the soul is called physical influx. In the words of Dr. Mohan Lal Mehtal 'psychical influx is nothing but the mental, bodily or vocal activity, whereas physical influx is a peculiar type of matter. Bhava is always more important as without it Dravya cannot come into existence, and the influx of persons with passions extends transmigration and that of persons free from passions prevents or shortens it. Bandha ( Bondage )
This is next stage, when the inflowing karmas actually stick to and permeate the self, just as water permeats milk. When this happens the self gets perfectly polluted and is bound to reap the fruits of the karmas which pollute it. These karmas are of eight types which we have already discussed in the foregoing chapter.
Since the karmic flow which results in Bandha-Bondage has to be suffered, it is necessary to consider the time duration and intensity of the bondage. While considering this aspect, the Jainas have classified these Bandhas into four types, namely, 1. Praksti-bandha ( Nature of the Bondage ), 2. Sthitibandha (Duration of the bondage ), 3. Anubhāga-bandha 1. Outlines of Jaina Philosophy, p. 37.
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