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[Full title: Nine Tattvas: Journey of Soul towards 惭辞办峁�a (8) Bandha (bondage)]

1 Definition and Nature

The union of karma particles with the units of the soul is bondage. It is just like the relation between milk and water. This assimilation of karmic matter (by the soul) pollutes the soul and makes it ineffective to its original essential qualities.

2 Process and Fruition of Bondage

According to Jaina philosophy, the cluster of karma particles is spread all over the cosmic space. The soul receives only those karma particles which are situated on the space units that are occupied by the soul itself. It neither receives the space pervading immediately near to its body nor the space away from its body.^[1] Regarding the process of reception of karma, there is a concept of 鈥�savve峁嘺峁� savve鈥�^[2] in the Bhagavati, which states that the soul receives all the karmas that it is supposed to receive through all of its units at once. There is no hierarchy in the reception. The karmic matter attracted is infinite in number. Each unit of soul has infinite karmic particles. Thus, the karmic particles acquired by the soul acquire the power to get unified with the soul and ultimately produces their effects. They get disassociated after producing their effects. This attraction of karmas by soul in this process is mystical in nature. This process can be seen only by the omniscient.

There might be a question that what happens to the bonded karmas? What is its effect on the soul? According to Jaina scriptures the mundane soul is enveloped in karmas in form of bondage. This enveloping is a continuous process. The soul binds eight types of karmas^[3]. Until and unless these karmas get activated for fruition, they inflict no effect on the soul.

They only reside in the units of the soul in a dormant state. The moment the karma fruitifies, it functions in four ways^[4] such as:

1. 膧惫补谤补峁嘺鈥搕o obscure the innate qualities of soul.
2. 痴颈办腻谤补鈥搕o distort the innate qualities of soul.
3. Avarodha鈥搕o obstruct the progress of soul.
4. 艢耻产丑腻艣耻产丑补 蝉补峁厃辞驳补鈥揷ause auspicious and inauspicious association (of matter or person) with soul.

The eight karmas are categorised into two types鈥�骋丑腻迟颈 and 础驳丑腻迟颈 karma. 闯帽腻苍腻惫补谤补峁嚹珁补 karma, dar艣an膩vara峁噄ya karma, mohan墨ya karma and antar膩ya karma are gh膩ti karmas that obscure the inherent nature and capacity of the soul. 痴别诲补苍墨测补, 苍腻尘补, gotra and 腻测耻艣测补 karma are 补驳丑腻迟颈 karmas. They do not affect the original attributes of the soul nor do they obscure the capacity. They cause the soul to be in state of body in that very birth.

3 Types of Bondage

The 峁琱腻峁嘺峁� mentions four types of bondage. They are:

1. Prak峁泃i bandha: It is the determination of the nature and types of karma.^[5]
2. 厂迟丑颈迟墨 bandha: It is the determination of the length of time.
3. Anubh膩ga bandha: It determines the intensity of the fruition of karmas.
4. Prade峁�a bandha: It determines the volume or quantity of matter and the space of the soul occupied by it.

The 辫谤补办峁泃颈 and 辫谤补诲别峁�a are determined by the strength of activity i.e. yoga and the sthiti and 补苍耻产丑腻驳补 are determined by the strength of passions i.e. 办补峁Ｄ乱补.^[6]

In the case of mystics who have attained the state of kevali (omniscience), the mystical state, are devoid of passions, attracts and get associated by the karmas only due to activity. Therefore, there is only 辫谤补办峁泃颈 and 辫谤补诲别峁�a bandha and no 补苍耻产丑腻驳补 and sthit墨 bandha. Such types of bondage take place in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth 驳耻峁嘺蝉迟丑腻苍补. The mystics on the spiritual journey who is passionate, has all the four forms of bandha.

4 Role of Bandha in Context of Mysticism

According to Jaina tradition, the gh膩ti karmas obstruct the soul from attaining the mystical experience in this bodily state and the 补驳丑腻迟颈 karmas obstruct from attaining the pure mystical state of disembodied state, i.e., it obstructs the attainment of siddhahood. By accelerating the spiritual stages, the spiritual aspirant destroys the tie of bondage. By complete destruction of gh膩ti karma, the 箩墨惫补 attains (infinite knowledge, infinite intuition, infinite bliss, infinite power) 碍别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补 and 碍别惫补濒补诲补谤艣补苍补 and becomes Arihanta.^[7] When the 补驳丑腻迟颈 karmas are annihilated completely, the 箩墨惫补 becomes Siddha, Buddha and Mukta.

Lord 惭补丑腻惫墨谤补 highlighted the philosophy of 鈥榮elf exertion鈥� (笔耻谤耻艣补谤迟丑惫补诲补). According to it the soul itself is responsible for the possession of karmas into bondage and for the elimination of karmas. With specific efforts, a soul can bring about change in all the four forms/modes of bondage.^[8] The 膧驳补尘补 scriptures advocate that a spiritual aspirant, by the practice of spirituality, can become free from bondage and attain mystical experience.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Bhagava墨 (Part 1), 1.118-128, comm., p. 72.

[2]:

Ibid, 1.119

[3]:

Ibid (Part 4), 6.33.

[4]:

Jaina Tattv膩 痴颈诲测腻, p. 78.

[5]:

厂补尘补测补蝉腻谤补, p. 178.

[6]:

罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补 厂奴迟谤补, p. 247.

[7]:

罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补 厂奴迟谤补, 10.1.

[8]:

Bhagava墨 (Part 4) 12.22-25.