Verse 8.4 - The eight kinds of nature-bondage (prakṛtibandha)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 8.4:

आद्यो ज्ञानदर्शनावरणवेदनीयमोहनीयायुर्नाम गोत्रान्तरायाः ॥ ८.४ ॥

ādyo jñānadarśanāvaraṇavedanīyamohanīyāyurnāma gotrāntarāyāḥ || 8.4 ||

The nature-bondage (prakṛtibandha) is of eight kinds: knowledge-obscuring–jñānāvaraṇa, perception-obscuring–darśanāvaraṇa, feeling-producing–vedanīya, deluding–mohanīya, life-determining–āyuḥ, name-determining or physique-making–nāma, status-determining–gotra, and obstructive–antarāya. (4)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: [आद्यो] पहला अर्थात् प्रकृतिबन्ध [ज्ञानदर्शनावरणवेदनीयमोहनीयायुर्नामगोत्रान्तरायाः] ज्ञानावरण, दर्शनावरण, वेदनीय, मोहनीय, आयु, नाम, गोत्र और अन्तराय-इन आठ प्रकार का है।

Anvayartha: [adyo] pahala arthat prakritibandha [jnanadarshanavaranavedaniyamohaniyayurnamagotrantarayah] jnanavarana, darshanavarana, vedaniya, mohaniya, ayu, nama, gotra aura antaraya-ina atha prakara ka hai |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

Now the kinds of nature-bondage (prakṛtibandha) are described.

The first, nature-bondage (prakṛtibandha), must be understood to be of eight kinds. ‘Covers’ or ‘is covered by’ is covering (āvaraṇa). This is added to the first two karmas–knowledge-covering (jñānāvaraṇa) and perception-covering (darśanāvaraṇa). ‘Feels’ or ‘is felt by’ is by the feeling-producing (vedanīya) karma. ‘Deludes’ or ‘is deluded by’ is by the deluding (mohanīya) karma. That by which one takes the mode or life as a hell-being, and so on, is life-determining (āyuḥ [āyus]) karma. ‘Name’ is that by which the soul is designated, i.e., name-determining (nāma) karma. That by which one is called high or low is the status-determining (gotra) karma. That which comes between the host and the guest, the giving of gift, and so on, is obstructive (antarāya) karma. As the food taken once gets transformed into various things like blood and other fluids, similarly, the karmic-matter taken in by the soul gets transformed into various kinds of karmas, like the knowledge-covering (jñānāvaraṇa), due to the modifications of the soul.

Is there any logic behind the particular sequence given to the eight karmas? Yes, there is. The worldly soul sees, acquires knowledge, and develops belief, in that order. Thus, faith (darśana), knowledge (jñāna) and right-belief (samyaktva) are inherent attributes (guṇa) of the soul. These three attributes are complemented by energy (vīrya). Four karmas, called the destructive (ghāti) karmas–perception-obscuring (darśanāvaraṇa), knowledge-obscuring (jñānāvaraṇa), deluding (mohanīya), and obstructive (antarāya)–are responsible for causing obstruction to these attributes (guṇa) of the soul. Although in case of worldly beings–chadmastha, not vītarāga–faith (darśana) occurs before knowledge (jnana), still, knowledge (jñāna) is considered more venerable (pūjya). Therefore, knowledge-obscuring (jñānāvaraṇa) karma gets precedence over perception-obscuring (darśanāvaraṇa) karma. After these two karmas, deluding (mohanīya) karma and obstructive (antarāya) karma should be mentioned. Although feeling-producing (vedanīya) karma is non-destructive (aghāti), still, on the strength of deluding (mohanīya) karma that causes likes and dislikes through the senses, it acts like a destructive (ghāti) karma and, therefore, placed in midst of destructive (ghāti) karmas, before deluding (mohanīya) karma. On acquisition of the life-span (āyuḥ) in a particular mode (paryāya) of existence, the soul acquires body, etc., and, further, status is determined. Thus, the sequence of karmas is life-determining (āyuḥ), name-determining (nāma), and status-determining (gotra). Obstructive (antarāya) karma, although designated as a destructive (ghāti) karma, cannot destroy completely the energy (vīrya) attribute of the soul, but functions only with the support of life-determining (āyuḥ), name-determining (nāma), and status-determining (gotra) karmas. Hence, it is placed last in the sequence. (see ‘Gommaṭasāra-karmakāṇḍa’, part-1, p. 9-10, and ‘Ṇayacakko’, verse 83, p. 47).