Concept of Karma – Inflow of karma and its relationship with bondage

Jain Siddhant Praveshika (Q and A)
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Inflow of karma and its relationship with bondage

133. What is called inflow (Asrav) of karma?

• In the cause and effect relationship, the inflow of karma (Asrav) is the cause, and bondage (Bandh) is the effect.

134. How many different types of inflow are there?

• The four different types of inflow of karma are as follow:

  

135. What is a cause (Karan)?

• Anything that is used in creation of an act (Karya) is called cause.

136. How many types of causes are there?

• There are two types:

  1. Strong cause (Samarth karan)
  2. Weak cause (Asamarth karan)

137. What is a strong cause (Samarth karan)?

• Anything that shows an absence of any obstacle and possesses the presence of all cooperative things (Sahkari Samagri) is called a strong cause.  The necessary result (Karya) is always obtained when there is a presence of a strong cause.

138. What is a weak cause (Asamarth karan)?

• Different individual aspects of things are called weak causes. A weak cause is not a necessity in obtaining a necessary result (Karya).

139. How many different types of cooperative things (Sahkari samagri) are there?

• There are two types:
  1. Auxiliary cause (Nimitt karan)
  2. Principle cause (Upadan karan)

140. What is an auxiliary cause?

• The thing that does not end up distinctly into the end product, but has been helpful in the process of the act, is called an auxiliary cause.  For example, the help of a pitcher maker (Kumbhar) and other associated machinery are auxiliary in making a resultant earthen pitcher (Ghado).

141. What is principle cause?

• • Definition from Substantial point of view-The thing, which becomes an inherent component in the end product, is called the principle cause.  For example, the use of clay is vital in production of an earthen pitcher (Ref: critics on aptamimansha stanza 71-72)
  • Definition from Modal point of view- in a given substance there is a continuous flow of modes occurring forever. The mode, which occurs immediately prior to an act, is called the principle cause.  The immediate adjoining future mode occurring after the principle cause is called an act (Karya).  (Ref: critics on aptamimansha stanza 58)
  • Definition from Modal point of view- the ability (Yogyata) of a mode in any given samay is called the principle cause and the mode itself is called an act. (Ref: panchadhdhayi chapter 1, stanza 732).

142. What is material bondage (Dravya bandh)?

• The capacity of the karman particles to come in to relationship with the soul is called the material bondage.

143. What is the thought bondage (Bhav bandh)?

• The soul’s attitude (Atma na bhav) of his own vibratory activity (Yog) and passions (Kshay) is called the thought bondage.

144. What is the auxiliary cause for material bondage?

• The soul’s attitude of vibratory activities and passions is the auxiliary cause for the material bondage.

145. What is the principle cause of the material bondage?

• The presence of the group of the karman particles (Karman skandha) in a previous moment of the bondage is the principle cause for the material bondage.

146. What is the auxiliary cause for the thought bondage?

• The mature or premature fruition of the previously bonded karma with the soul is called the auxiliary cause for the thought bondage.

147. What is the principle cause for the thought bondage?

• The thought bondage is intended in a particular moment.  The mode occurring in the immediate previous adjoining moment of the soul is the principle cause for the thought bondage.  This mode of the soul is in the form of the vibratory activity involving the passions.

148. What is the thought inflow (Bhav asrav)?

• The auxiliary cause of the material bondage or the principle cause of the thought bondage is called the thought inflow.

149. What is the material inflow (Dravya asrav)?

• The principle cause of the material bondage or the auxiliary cause of the thought bondage is called the material inflow.

150. What is the difference between types of bondage (Prakruti bandh) and the intensity of bondage (Anubhag bandh)?

• The group of karma matter (Karman skandh) with different individual types and with different natural strengths of their own can have relationships with the soul in the form of bondage.  This process is called types of bondage (Prakruti bandh), where as the same group of karman matter having different intensity at the time of fruition is called the intensity of bondage (Anubhag bandh).

151. In general, the reason for the types of bondage is the vibratory activity of the soul (Yog).  Can one be more specific about this?

• With a specific desire for a certain food, a man accepts specific types of food, but, when he is hungry then he does not have a particular desire. He wants to satisfy his hunger, so he eats ordinary types of food.  Similarly, the soul with his vibratory activity (Yog) accepts only pleasure producing feeling karma (Shata vedniya karma).  But, if the soul’s feeling are now associated with passions, then accepts many different types of karma.