Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
The Sūtrakṛtāṅga Sūtra mentions thirteen actions that cause karmic bondage and liberation.[1] Arthadaṇḍa (necessary violence), anarthadaṇḍa (unnecessary violence) and other such first twelve actions are responsible for karmic bondage and the (last) thirteenth action that liberates the beings from karmas, is named as -īryāpathikī (dis-passioned action).[2] Arthadaṇḍa and other twelve actions bind the pāpa, i.e. inauspicious karmas. Īryāpathika action causes the bondage of puṇya i.e. auspicious karmas. Even then, it is preferred for its auspiciousness. The twelve actions are inauspicious, hence, are strictly forbidable. They elongate the chain of worldliness. The thirteenth īryāpathikī action leads to liberation.
In the Bhagavatī, there is another mention of five actions (violent deeds) such as ārambhikī etc. Since these actions are the cause of bondage, they lead to transmigration.[3] The Sthānāṅga counts seventy two kinds of actions.[4] The Tattvārtha Sūtra propounds twenty five kinds of actions.[5]
From the point of view of bondage of karma, all actions are broadly classified into two groups- īryāpathikī and sāmparāyikī. A living being undertakes actions for the survival. The main motivation for the actions is - abstinence from self restraint, desire and affection for worldly happiness. Īryāpathikī and sāmparāyikī karma bondage are the consequences of action. Actions are mainly of three types - physical, verbal and mental. There are many sub-classes of them. Only after attaining a non-active state crossing over the active state, can the soul move towards the liberation. Liberation from actions begets the liberation from karmas.
