Part 3.4 - Nine Elements (3): Asrava (influx of Karmic Pudgala to Atman or Jiva)

[Full title: Doctrines of Jainism (4): The Nine Elements (nava-tattvas) (3): Asrava (influx of Karmic pudgala to atman or jiva)]

With respect to bondage of karma, two fundamentals, namely asrava and bandha are closely related. asrava is made up of two words; “Aa” means from all sides, “Srav” means dripping in. Thus, inflow of karma is asrava and bondage of these incoming karmas into our soul is bandha. The influx of karma occurs when the karmic particles are attracted to the soul on account of vibrations created by activities of mind, speech and body. Exercising of physical, vocal and mental faculties constitutes yoga in Jainism. And that leads to asrava. These three types of yoga cause vibration/throbbing in the space points of soul resulting in influx (asrava) i.e. incoming of karma^[1]. Asrava acts as doors through which Karma enters. This is beautifully explained in Jain scripture Tattvarthasutra^[2].

If the soul gets involved in virtuous activities, asrava happens to be wholesome karma and that leads to acquisition of Punya. If the soul is involved in sinful activities due to defilements (kasayas) that exist in soul, Asrava happens to be of unwholesome karma that leads to acquisition of papa^[3]. Only undue exercising of the faculties can be deemed as causing asrava. One acquires karma when one exercises faculties with attachement or resentment. Thus, asrava are of two types: Samparayik and Iryapathik.

Exercising the faculties under the influence of defilement with passions, which extends transmigration gets resulted into samparayika asrava. Absence of restraints, kasaya, sense of attachment or aversion through sense organs and few specific activities like violence leads to samparayika asrava. Exercising our faculties without defilement or with detached mind free from passions gets resulted into Iryapathik asrava^[4].

Normally, a layman or householder observes activity with minor restraints. No worldly activity, in true sense, can be entirely wholesome or unwholesome. The difference of merits and demerits lies in degrees^[5]. Influx is differentiated on the basis of intensity or feebleness of thought activity, intentional or unintentional nature of action, the substratum and its peculiar potency. If meritorious portion is higher, the activity is termed as wholesome and if unmeritorious part is higher, it is termed as unwholesome. The karmic inflow on account of yoga driven by passions and emotions cause a long term inflow of karma prolonging the cycle of reincarnations. On the other hand, the karmic inflows on account of actions that are not driven by passions and emotions have only a transient, short-lived karmic effect.

The primary causes of asrava are^[6] :

1. Mithyava: False perception or ignorance;
2. Avirati: Attachment or lack of self restraint;
3. Pramada: Stupor, unawareness or lack of mindfulness;
4. Kasaya: Passions or afflictions like anger, pride, deception and greed are four defilements;
5. Yoga: Activities of mind, speech and body.

If activity is done with these, then the karma acquired is relatively stronger and long duration. The intensity of karma depends on four factors:

i. Degree of attachment, higher the degree, higher the intensity
ii. Conditions under which activity is done knowingly or unknowingly
iii. Vigor put in the activity, if stronger then, intensity is higher
iv. Means employed for the purpose, if violent and objectionable means are employed then, the intensity of karma will be higher.

Following activities lead to knowledge and perception obscuring karma^[7] which is unwholesome type:

i. Vilification: Resenting a true presentation or wholesome display
ii. Concealing: To hide the name of true benefactor
iii. Withholding: Not to confer knowledge to a deserving person
iv. Obstruction: Raising obstacles in the way of knowledge
v. Disrespect: deliberate disregard towards the knowledge or means of knowledge
vi. Condemning of the sources of acquiring knowledge: Outright opposition or total absence of appreciation

Distress, lamentation, pain, wailing, violence and affliction caused to the self or others are the cause of acquiring asatavedaniya (uncomfortable situation conferring unwholesome) karma^[8], whereas love and compassion to all living beings, observance of restraints with the sense of attachment, charity, asceticism with attachment, involuntary dissociation of karmas without effort, austerities not based on right knowledge, contemplation, equanimity, freedom from greed forbearance and purity are the cause of acquiring satavedaniya (comfortable situation conferring wholesome) karma.^[9]

Delusion is of two types, perception related and character related, i.e. darsanamohaniya and caritramohaniya respectively. Attributing faults and slanderously talking about Omniscient Lords, scriptures, religious doctrines or heavenly beings leads to influx of perception-deluding karma^[10]. Acutely perverted mode of soul by virtue of defilement, intense feelings induced by the rise of the passions leads to influx of character related deluding karma^[11]. Indulging in excessive infliction of injury, very violent activity and excessive possessiveness cause influx of karma that leads to infernal life. Indulging in deception leads to animal, sub-animal or immobile (like one to four sensed being) life.^[12] Antaraya or obstructing karma creates obstructions in good activities. Little infliction of injury or pain (domestic works) and little attachment, and also natural mildness cause the influx of life-karma that leads to human life.^[13]

Restraint with attachment, restraint-cum-non-restraint, involuntary dissociation of karmas and austerities accompanied by perverted faith, cause the influx of life-karma leading to celestial birth.^[14] Right belief also is the cause of influx of life-karma leading to celestial birth in the Heavens.^[15] Crooked and deceptive actions of mind, speech and body, and criticising the right actions and prompting for wrong actions cause the influx of inauspicious physique-making karmas. The opposites of these (namely straightforward activity and honestry or candour) cause the influx of auspicious physique-making karmas^[16].

Censuring others and praising oneself, concealing good qualities present in others and proclaiming noble qualities absent in oneself, cause the influx of karmas which lead to low status.^[17]

The opposites of those mentioned in the previous sutra and humility and modesty cause the influx of karmas which determine high status.^[18] Laying an obstacle in charity, gains, consumption and power of others is the cause of the influx of antarayas i.e. obstructive karmas.^[19]

The influx of the highest type i.e. Tirthankara nama-karma is caused by sixteen observances as mentioned earlier.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

sa āsravaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 6.2, Acharya Umaswati, Tattvarthasutra, JAINA and Shrut Ratnakar, Ahmedabad, 2007

[2]:

kāyavāṅmanaḥ karma yogaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 6.1

[3]:

śubhaḥ puṇyasyāśubhaḥ pāpasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.3

[4]:

sakaṣāyākaṣāyayoḥ sāṃparāyikeryāpathayoḥ | T.S. 6.4

[5]:

tīvramandajñātājñāta bhāvādhikaraṇa varyiviśeṣebhyastadviśeṣaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 6.6

[6]:

Amarmuni, Acharamgasutra, sutra-112, p.168

[7]:

tatpradoṣa nihravamātsaryāntarāyāsādanopaghātā jñānadarśanāvaraṇayoḥ | T.S. 6.10

[8]:

duḥkha śokatāpā krandana vadhaparidevanānyitmaparobhayasthanyasadveghasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.11

[9]:

bhūtavratyanukampādānasarāga saṃyamādiyogaḥ kśāntiḥ śaicamiti sadvedyasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.12

[10]:

kevaliśrutasaṃgha dharma devāvarṇavādo darśanamohasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.13

[11]:

kaṣāyodayāttīvrapariṇāmaścāritramohasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.14

[12]:

bahvārambhaparigrahatvaṃ nārakasayāyuṣaḥ || Tattvartha-sutra 6.15, māyātiryagyonasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.16.

[13]:

alapārambhaparigrahatvaṃ mānuṣasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.17, svabhāvamārdavaṃ ca | Tattvartha-sutra 6.18.

[14]:

sarāgasaṃyama saṃyamāsaṃyamā kāma nirjarābālatapāṃsi daivasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.20

[15]:

samyaktvaṃ ca | Tattvartha-sutra 6.21

[16]:

yogavakratā visaṃvādanaṃcāśubhasya nāmnaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 6.22, tadviparītaṃ śubhasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.23

[17]:

parātmanindā praśaṃse sadasadguṇocchādanodbhāvane ca nīcairgautrasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.25

[18]:

tadviparyayo nīcairvṛttyanutsakaucottarasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.26

[19]:

vighnakaraṇamantarāyasya | Tattvartha-sutra 6.27