________________
THE FOUR KINDS OF BONDAGE
219
3. Bondage is of four kinds according to the nature or species of karma, duration of karma, fruition of karma, and the quantity of space-points of karma.
'Prakrti' is nature. What is the nature of the margosa ? Bitterness. What is the nature of molasses? Sweetness. Similarly, what is the nature of knowledge-obscuring karmas ? Noncomprehension of objects. What is the nature of perceptioncovering karmas ? Non-perception of objects. The feelingproducing karmas cause pleasant and unpleasant feeling. The faith-deluding karmas cause disbelief in the true nature of reality. The conduct-deluding karmas cause non-abstinence (indiscipline or want of restraint). The life-determining karma determines the span of life in a particular condition of existence of a living being. The name-karmas decide the names such as infernal beings, human beings, celestial beings and animals. The status determining karmas determine high and low status. And obstructive karmas stand in the way of giving, gaining and enjoyment and so on. These must be defined.
That, which is the cause of such happenings or experiences, is 'praksti', that is nature. Not falling off from its nature is duration. For instance, the retention of the sweetness of the milk of the goat, the cow, or the buffalo, is its duration, Similarly, not deviating from the nature of non-comprehension of the knowledge-obscuring karmas is its duration. Its peculiar taste is intensity of fruition. Just as the milk of the goat or the cow has each its own peculiar taste of greater or less sweetness, so also does fruition differ corresponding to the potency of karmic matter. Determining the quantity of karmas is space-bondage. Measuring the karmic molecules with the measure of the space-point is space. Vidhi' means varieties. These are the four classes of bondage. The threefold activity causes nature-bondage and space-bondage, and the passions determine duration and (intensity of) fruition: The diversity of bondage is due to the degree or intensity of activity and passions. "Type-bondage and space-bondage are due to activity. Duration and intensity of fruition are due to the passions. If the soul does not take the niodes of activity
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
