Jain Agamas portray karma not as fate’s heavy handedness but as a finely tuned moral physics. Every thought, word or deed releases minuscule karmic particles that cling to the soul much like dust on a well-used smartphone screen. Four stages—āsrava (inflow), bandha (binding), saṃvara (stoppage) and nirjarā (shedding)—map out how this sticky substance accumulates and can be worn away.

Rather than an external judge dispensing rewards or punishments, karma in these texts operates like a natural law. When passions flare—anger, pride or greed—doors swing wide for influx; temper them, and bandha slackens. Saṃvara techniques (meditation, ethical vows, scriptural study) act as a spiritual filter, plugging those karmic leaks. Nirjarā resembles an internal detox: ascetic practices or compassionate deeds burn away past deposits. In a world glued to fitness trackers and mindfulness apps, the Agamas’ blueprint still rings true: self-discipline and empathy form the ultimate “wellness plan” for the soul.

Eight primary karmas—knowledge obscuring, perception obscuring, deluding, body-afflicting, feeling-afflicting, status-bestowing, lifespan-determining and physique-determining—explain every life experience from birth to social standing. Modern parallels emerge in conversations about social media algorithms: just as online behavior shapes digital footprints, actions in Jainism shape spiritual trajectories.

Even as global movements—for instance, the recent surge in ethical consumerism at COP-28—highlight collective responsibility, the Agamas insist that change begins within. No ifs, ands or buts: proactive self-restraint and compassion can starve harmful karmas and nurture positive ones. It’s less about waiting for cosmic justice and more about rolling up one’s sleeves, sweeping away inner clutter and walking lightly through life.