________________
Bonding of Karma (Bandha)
131
Whereas living beings become unhappy or happy in accordance with the rise of [their own] Karma, and others cannot give Karma to you, then how can they be the doer of your unhappiness? [255]
Whereas living beings become unhappy or happy in accordance with the rise of [their own] Karma, and others cannot give Karma to you, then how can they be the doer of your happiness? [256] Annotation
In the previous six stanzas Ācārya Kundakunda mentioned that each one is the master of one's own destiny regarding survival and death. Here in these stanzas he is generalizing this point. Here Ācārya Kundakunda says that each one becomes unhappy or happy in accordance with the rise of one's own Karma at that moment.
These stanzas highlight some useful concepts such as follows. Besides providing a clarity in the vision, these concepts may also be helpful in reducing the guilt, anger, ego, and fear. (i) Each living being is independent in the sense that one
becomes unhappy or happy in accordance with one's own Karma. A person is un-enlightened if he does not understand
this basic independence. (ii) An enlightened person understands very well that he cannot
control happiness of others and others cannot control his
happiness. (iii) The Kārmika bonding is non-transferable. Question: It appears that according to these stanzas, Karma can do
something which other souls cannot. Does it mean that Karma
are more powerful than any other soul? Answer: These stanzas do not compare the power of soul with that
of Karma. These stanzas convey this message that it is the power of the soul ‘A’, not of any other person or thing, which controls the destiny of ‘A’. Here Ācārya Kundakunda writes
