Theoretical Premise

• The jiva is an eternal, non-physical substance whose very essence is consciousness (chetana).
• In its pure state, the soul possesses infinite qualities, including perfect knowledge, perception, energy, and bliss.
• The worldly soul is in a state of beginningless entanglement with karma, and its experienced reality is a product of these obscurations. The goal of all spiritual practice is to remove the karmic veil and manifest the soul's inherent, pure nature.
• The elementary particle of matter is the paramanu, and these combine to form functional aggregates called varganas.
• A specific class of subtle matter, the Karman Vargana, provides the raw material for karma.
• The soul's impure psychic states (bhava karma) attract and bind these physical particles, which then become dravya karma.
• This dravya karma forms a subtle karmic body (kārmaṇa śarīra) that adheres to the soul, acting as a physical record and the mechanism through which karmic consequences are delivered across lifetimes.
• Yoga is the vibration of the soul that manifests as the activity of mind, speech, and body. It is the direct, mechanical cause of āsrava (karmic influx).
• The three main channels of yoga—mana (mind), vachana (speech), and kāya (body)—are further divided into 15 subtypes, providing a detailed map of all possible actions.
• The nature and intensity of yoga determine the Nature (prakriti) and Quantity (pradesh) of karma that flows into the soul.
• This process is so fundamental that it continues until the final moments before liberation, even after all passions are conquered.
• • Kashāya (Passion) is the "adhesive" that binds karmic matter to the soul.
• The four primary passions are Krodha (anger), Māna (pride), Māyā (deceit), and Lobha (greed).
• The intensity of kashāya at the time of an action determines the duration (sthiti) and severity (anubhāg) of the resulting karmic bond.
• This intensity of bondage ranges from Sprusta (loose) to Nikachita (tightest), with the latter being extremely difficult to shed before it bears fruit.
• As Acharya Mahapragya taught, controlling these internal passions is the direct path to happiness and the most effective way to weaken the grip of karma.
• • Leshya is the aura or "current of feeling" of the soul, a product of its activities (yoga) and passions (kashāya).
• There are six types of leshya, from the impure Krishna (black) to the pure Shukla (white), each with distinct psychological and sensory characteristics.
• The famous analogy of the mango tree provides a practical guide to understanding the mindsets behind each leshya.
• Crucially, the type of leshya present during an action determines the duration (sthiti) and intensity (anubhāg) of the resulting karmic bond.
• Cultivating purer leshyas is a direct method to prevent the formation of deeply-bound karmas like Nidhatti and Nikachita.

Samvar

• Samvara is the process of stopping the influx of new karma, an essential prerequisite for liberation.
  1. Bhava Samvara (Psychic Stoppage): This is the internal aspect—the cessation of impure thoughts and passions that make the soul "sticky" to karma. It's about changing the internal state, similar to terminating a rogue process that's consuming system resources.
  2. Dravya Samvara (Material Stoppage): This is the physical result of Bhava Samvara. When the soul's vibrations are pure, the actual inflow of karmic matter (karma pudgala) is physically blocked.
• Jain scriptures outline 57 distinct methods for achieving samvara. For this lesson, we will focus on the two most foundational and practical sets of these methods: the five samitis and the three guptis.
• Samiti (carefulness) is the discipline of regulating necessary actions—movement, speech, eating, etc.—with constant mindfulness to minimize harm.
  • Irya Samiti (Carefulness in Movement):
  • Bhāshā Samiti (Carefulness in Speech):
  • Eshanā Samiti (Carefulness in Eating)
  • Ādāna-Nikshepana Samiti (Carefulness in Handling Objects)
  • Paristhāpanikā Samiti (Carefulness in Disposal)
• Gupti (restraint) is the discipline of curbing the very sources of karmic influx by controlling the mind, speech, and body, often through silence and stillness.
  • Mano Gupti (Restraint of Mind):
  • Vachan Gupti (Restraint of Speech):
  • Kāya Gupti (Restraint of Body):
• Parishaha - The 22 parisahas pertain to the enduring of hardship and while doing so remaining in a state of serenity and equanimity so that all karmas may be destroyed. These are more prominently followed by sadhus and sadhvis.

KARMA BREAKDOWN

There are four properties of Karma bonds. These properties describe the way in which the karma system works.

1. Numerical strength of Bond - Pradesa bandh

Numerable, innumerable or infinite number of karma varganas, depending on the strength of action, may bond on each pradesa of karma body, and on each soul pradesa, (and so on each cell) uniformly.

2. Nature of Karma bond - Prakriti bandh

Based on whether it is obscuring Soul's core properties or not, it is termed as Ghati or Aghati karm. The aghati karmas determine the biological structure of the organism and its operation and the ghati karmas determine the psychical performance of that being. First four below are Ghati karm and remaining 4 are Aghati.

2.1. Jnanavarniya karma ( Intelligence (or Knowledge) obscuring)

• A pure soul has perfect knowledge; karma obscures and limits the pure and perfect intelligence/ knowledge of soul.
• It is bound primarily through acts of disrespect towards knowledge, teachers, and learning.
• It is categorized into five subtypes, each obscuring a specific level of knowledge:

2.1.1. Mati-Jnanavaraniya:

Obscures sensory and intellectual knowledge.

2.1.2.Shruta-Jnanavaraniya:

Obscures symbolic and scriptural knowledge.

2.1.3. Avadhi-Jnanavaraniya:

Obscures clairvoyant knowledge of matter.

2.1.4. Manahparyaya-Jnanavaraniya:

Obscures telepathic knowledge of thoughts.

2.1.5. Kevala-Jnanavaraniya:

Obscures perfect, absolute omniscience.

How to shed Gyanavarniye karm

The primary methods for shedding this karma involve cultivating humility (vinaya), engaging in self-study (swadhyaya), and sharing knowledge.

Study more about gyaan in Nandi Sutra

2.2. Darsanavarniya Karm (Awareness / Perception obscuring ).

• This karma restricts the selfawareness and perception ability of soul.
• Knowledge is facts, that enable us to build frameworks of perception and understanding, darshan is atmasaat kar paana facts ko, truly feel kar paana, dekh paana . Isko habits me utar lena will be charitra.
• Darsanavarniya Karm has 9 subtypes, in two categories, four that directly obscure perceptive abilities and five that induce states of sleep

2.2.1. Chakshu-Darshanavaraniya (Ocular Perception-Obscuring):

This karma specifically obstructs the general perception that occurs through the eyes. Its effect manifests as various degrees of blindness or impaired vision.

2.2.2. Achakshu-Darshanavaraniya (Non-Ocular Perception-Obscuring)

This obstructs perception through the other four senses (touch, taste, smell, hearing) and the mind (manas). Its effect can be seen in the impairment of these senses, like being deaf or having a poor sense of smell, or in a general mental dullness where one struggles to register the world around them.

2.2.3. Avadhi-Darshanavaraniya (Clairvoyant Perception-Obscuring):

Parallel to Avadhi Jnana, this karma obstructs the innate clairvoyant perception of material forms. It's the veil that prevents us from directly perceiving objects beyond the range of our normal senses.

2.2.4. Kevala-Darshanavaraniya (Absolute Perception-Obscuring):

This is the ultimate obscuration, veiling the soul's innate, perfect, and infinite perception. This karma is completely destroyed at the moment of enlightenment, simultaneously with Kevala-Jnanavaraniya, Mohaniya, and Antaraya karmas.

2.2.5. Nidra (Light Sleep):

This produces a light, pleasant slumber from which a person is easily awakened, even by a faint sound like the clicking of fingernails. This is the lightest form of sensory withdrawal.

2.2.6.Nidra-nidra (Deep Sleep):

This causes a profound slumber. A person experiencing the fruition of this karma cannot be easily roused and may need to be shaken violently to be awakened.

2.2.7. Prachala (Drowsiness):

This is often translated as drowsiness or "sleep in motion." It is the state of feeling sleepy while sitting up or standing. The body may droop or sway as consciousness fades in and out. It’s that heavy-lidded feeling you might get during a long lecture.

2.2.8. Prachala-prachala (Heavy Drowsiness):

This is an intensified version of the above, causing an overwhelming sleepiness that can overcome a person even while they are walking.

2.2.9. Styanagriddhi (Somnambulism or Sleep-walking with Intense Power):

This is the most potent and dangerous of the sleep karmas. It induces a state where the individual is asleep but acts with immense, unconsciously directed power. In this state, a person might perform complex and physically demanding actions without any conscious awareness or subsequent memory. This state is considered spiritually perilous because it can lead to significant karmic bondage through actions performed without any conscious control or restraint. In system terms, it's like a rogue background process with elevated privileges, capable of causing great system damage while the user-level consciousness is completely offline.

How to shed Darshanavarniye karm

• The path to weakening and shedding Darshanavaraniya Karma involves practices that directly counteract the causes of dullness and disrespect for perception. This is about sharpening your awareness.
  1. Cultivate Apramada (Vigilance): The most direct antidote is constant mindfulness and vigilance. By making an effort to be present and aware in every action, you are actively pushing back against the karmic tendencies of indolence and sensory dullness. Read why-and-how-to-increase-vigilance
  2. Practice Indriya Nigraha (Sensory Control): Consciously regulate your sensory inputs. This doesn't mean total deprivation, but rather not over-indulging the senses to the point of exhaustion or dullness. This strengthens the faculty of perception.
  3. Mindful Eating and Fasting: Overeating and certain foods can cause prachala (drowsiness). Mindful, moderate eating and periodic fasting (as a spiritual discipline) can reduce lethargy and sharpen both physical and mental perception.
  4. Respect for Truth: Since perception is the gateway to understanding truth, cultivating a deep respect for truth and for those who perceive and teach it (like the Tirthankaras) helps dissolve this karmic veil. Avoid engaging in or promoting falsehoods.

2.3. Antaraya karma (Vitality (or Will Power) obstructing)

• The soul, in its pure state, possesses Ananta Virya—infinite energy, power, and willpower. Antaraya Karma directly obstructs this innate quality. It is the karmic force responsible for creating hindrances.
• These obstructions manifest in five distinct ways:

2.3.1. Dana-Antaraya (Obstruction to Charity/Giving):

This karma prevents a person from giving, even when they have the desire and the means. Imagine you feel a genuine urge to donate to a monk or a charitable cause. You have the money, and the recipient is present. However, at the moment of giving, the fruition of Dana-Antaraya could manifest as a sudden doubt, a distraction, forgetting your wallet, or an external event that interrupts the act. The intention is pure, the resources are available, but the action is blocked.

• To counter this even if you feel internal resistance, consciously give something away—be it money, time, or knowledge—with the specific intention of breaking your own internal barrier of possessiveness

2.3.2. Labha-Antaraya (Obstruction to Gain):

This prevents a person from receiving something they are due. This is the classic "so close, yet so far" scenario. For example, a merchant has finalized a profitable deal, and the customer is about to pay, but at the last second, the customer changes their mind for no apparent reason. Or, you are about to receive an award, and your name is mysteriously omitted from the final list. The gain was almost in your grasp but was thwarted by an inexplicable obstacle.

• To counter this Cultivate a mindset of abundance for others. Genuinely celebrate the gains and successes of others without envy. Where possible, actively help someone else achieve a gain. This reverses the karmic pattern of obstruction.

2.3.3. Bhoga-Antaraya (Obstruction to Enjoyment of Consumables):

This karma obstructs the enjoyment of things that are used only once, such as food, water, or fragrances. You might have a magnificent feast prepared for you, but just as you are about to eat, you fall ill, lose your appetite due to bad news, or the food is accidentally ruined. The object of enjoyment is present, but the capacity to enjoy it is blocked.

• Practice gratitude and non-attachment. When you do have the opportunity to enjoy something, do so mindfully and with appreciation. Also, facilitate others' enjoyment of their possessions. For instance, offering your seat to someone or helping a friend fix their car are subtle acts that counter this karma.

2.3.4. Upabhoga-Antaraya (Obstruction to Enjoyment of Reusables):

This obstructs the enjoyment of things that can be used multiple times, like a house, a car, clothing, or furniture. You might buy a brand-new car but get into an accident on the way home from the dealership. You might build a beautiful house but be unable to live in it peacefully due to disputes with neighbors or structural problems. The resource is there, but an obstacle prevents its sustained enjoyment.

• Practice gratitude and non-attachment. When you do have the opportunity to enjoy something, do so mindfully and with appreciation. Also, facilitate others' enjoyment of their possessions. For instance, offering your seat to someone or helping a friend fix their car are subtle acts that counter this karma.

2.3.5. Virya-Antaraya (Obstruction to Willpower/Energy):

This is the most fundamental and pervasive of the five. It directly obstructs the soul's own energy, manifesting as a feeling of lethargy, helplessness, or lack of motivation, especially concerning spiritual practices. You might know that meditating is good for you and want to do it, but when the time comes, you feel an overwhelming restlessness and cannot bring yourself to act. This is the root of spiritual procrastination and is a direct block on your ability to execute beneficial intentions.

• This is the ultimate challenge of willpower. The hack is to start infinitesimally small. If you can't meditate for 30 minutes, resolve to sit for 30 seconds. The goal is to consciously and successfully execute any willed spiritual action, however tiny. Each successful execution is a small victory against the lethargy induced by Virya-Antaraya and strengthens the "willpower muscle." Encouraging others in their spiritual pursuits also powerfully counteracts this karma.

• Question - Labh, bhog, upbhog, are not soul's innate qualities, then why are these antaraye karms part of ghati karm? These karma are restricting these external to soul properties from fruition then why is it ghati karm?
  Possible Answer - see it as it is restricting our soul's infinite potential to do anything even take in anything external! It is like we have infinite capability to tap into any resource, but the labh,bhog, upbhog antaray is restricting that infinite energy of ours. So these are ghati karma, not because they are restricting punya uday, coz punya is not quality of soul. These are ghati karma because it is restricting the soul's core property of potential to tap into any external comfort or consumption of any ext resource. The subtypes vary in the category of what type of thing our energy is getting restricted about.
  ==Sub Question== - Is antaray karm only stopping us from tapping into karma which were bound in our soul or any ext resource that we try to or want to have that would give us comfort?

2.4. Mohaniya karma (Deluding)

A pure soul experiences the absolute truth. The deluding karma hinders the perception of truth. This happens in two ways, one the perception and comprehension is obscured so that truth is not apparent, and second the equanimity of conduct is obstructed.

AGHATI KARMA:

2.5. Vedaniya karma (Feeling producing )

This karma obscures the bliss property and produces the feelings of pleasure and pain to appear depending on the situation.

2.6. Ayushya karma (Age determining)

A pure soul is ageless, it is never embodied. The age determining karma determines the age,life span, in a particular realm viz., animal, human, infernal or heavenly mode.

2.7 Nama karma (Form producing)

This karma decides the form of existence, species, in a particular realm and the structure, detailed structural features, outward appearance etc of the being. The concept is very general and refers to all kinds of forms including all animals, plants, humans, infernal beings and heavenly beings.

2.8. Gotra Karma (Status / quality determining)

This karma refers to quality of performance (conduct) in a given mode, including effects of inheritance (genetic?) one gets from the parents.

3. Duration of bond - Sthiti bandh

The karma remains bound to the karma body for certain duration of time. This duration is determined by passions active in the soul and it consists of passive and active duration. In the passive period called abadhakala the karma exercises no effect on the soul. In the active or experience period the karma manifests itself and the soul experiences the prescribed effect of the karma.

4. Intensity of bond - Anubhaga bandh

The intensity of good or bad experience when the karma becomes active depends on the intensity of the bond which is pre decided at the time of bondage of karma. The intensity of bond is determined by the total amount and quality of passions present in the soul. The intensity of bond is the real power of karma. The other three properties shall be of marginal value if the intensity of bond is low for the intensity of experience by the soul shall be mild on rise of karma. This means that the passions are the controlling forces in the experiences made by the soul.

Levels of bondage:

1. Sprusta or Sithil (Loose): Karmas can be easily shed by regret.
2. Baddha or Gadha (Tight): Karmas can be shed by offering an apology.
3. Nidhatta (Tighter): Karmas can shed by very strong efforts, like austerity.
4. Nikachit (Tightest): Karmas can only be shed by bearing the results.

Quick Notes on some terminologies

Reasons for karm bandhan

1. Mithyatva(Irrationality and a deluded world view) : The deluded world view is the misunderstanding as to how this world really functions on account of one-sided perspectives, perverse viewpoints, pointless generalisations and ignorance.
2. Avirati(non-restraint or a vowless life) : Avirati is the inability to refrain voluntarily from the evil actions, that harms oneself and others. The state of avirati can only be overcome by observing the minor vows of a layman.
3. Pramada(carelessness and laxity of conduct) : This third cause of bondage consists of absentmindedness, lack of enthusiasm towards acquiring merit and spiritual growth, and improper actions of mind, body and speech without any regard to oneself or others.
4. Kasaya(passions or negative emotions) : The four passions-anger, pride, deceit and greed are the primary reason for the attachment of the karmas to the soul. They keep the soul immersed in the darkness of delusion leading to deluded conduct and unending cycles of reincarnations.
5. Yoga(activities of mind, speech and body) : Each cause presupposes the existence of the next cause, but the next cause does not necessarily pre-suppose the existence of the previous cause. A soul is able to advance on the spiritual ladder called guṇasthana, only when it is able to eliminate the above causes of bondage one by one.

Few important terms

1) Abadhakal - the duration of bondage of karmas to the soul, which starts from the time of the karmas, bondage until its maturity.
2) Bandh - bondage of karmas to the soul.
3) Uday - refers to the results of karmas being manifested in normal during their normal maturation time.
4) Udirana - refers to the results of karmas being manifested prematurely.
5) Satta - refers to those karmas which are dormant on the soul.
6) Sankramana - Depending of our activities, bonded karmas can transform within some of their sub-types.
Example: Shata and Ashata Vedniya karmas are the two sub-types of Vedniya karmas. Shata Vedniya karma causes comfort while Ashata Vedniya karma causes discomfort. If our current activities causes comfort to someone then our Ashata Vedniya karma gets transformed to Shata Vedniya karma. And, so it works for opposite activities.

7) Utkarshana - increase of duration and intensity of karmas which are already bonded to the soul.
8) Apakramana - diminution of duration and intensity of karmas which are already bonded.
9) Upashama - state in which karmas are suppressed and cannot produce results.
10) Nidhatti bondage - type of bondage in which karmas are neither brought into operation prematurely nor transferred into that of another sub-class, but may increase or decrease in duration and intensity of results.
11) Nikachit bondage - type of bondage in which karmas do not operate prematurely, nor transferred, nor increase or decrease in duration or intensity of results.