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 (k armaṇa śarira) 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  asrava (karmic influx).
• The three main channels of yoga—mana (mind), vachana (speech), and k aya (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.
• Kashay (Passion) is the "adhesive" that binds karmic matter to the soul.
• The four primary passions are Krodha (anger), M ana (pride), M ay a (deceit), and Lobha (greed).
• The intensity of kash aya at the time of an action determines the duration (sthiti) and severity (anubh ag) 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 (kash aya).
• 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 (anubh ag) of the resulting karmic bond.
• Cultivating purer leshyas is a direct method to prevent the formation of deeply-bound karmas like Nidhatti and Nikachita.
• Look up concept of Samvar to stop new bondage

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.

KARMA BREAKDOWN

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

1. Pradesa bandh

Numerical strength of Bond - determined by the yog

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. Prakriti bandh

Nature of Karma bond - determined by the yog

At the broad level, karma is pudgala that binds with the soul and affects its manifestations, and ultimately prevents the soul from manifesting its liberated nature.

In terms of types of karma, Jainism makes a functional distinction:

Ghati = directly attacks the soul's spiritual qualities. like Gyaan, Darshan(It entails perception and understanding separately), Charitra and Virya
Aghati = determines the machinery and circumstances of worldly embodiment.

And there is an important consequence:

Aghāti karmas cannot by themselves prevent moksha once the Ghāti karmas have been destroyed.

A kevali still has the four Aghati karmas remaining. They determine things such as body, lifespan and residual experience, but they no longer prevent the manifestation of Keval Gyaan, Keval Darshan, etc. They exhaust at the end of the final life, and then the soul becomes Siddha.

Karma Types and Subtypes

3. Sthiti bandh

Duration of bond - determined by Kashay

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. Anubhaga bandh

Intensity of bond - determined by Kashay

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.

Bandha

Karma Transformations

Asrav