The Perfect Law

I. The soul. It is the only conscious substance. Looked at from the absolute original: real point of view, even a worldly original: mundane soul is pure, peaceful, all-knowing and all-blissful; it possesses this nature potentially. From the practical point of view, such a soul experiences various kinds of pain and pleasure across different conditions of life.

II. The Non-soul. It comprises the other five real and independent substances, which, when taken together with the soul, make up the six Substances Sanskrit: Dravyas.

(1) Matter Sanskrit: Pudgala is the most prominent of these, and plays a very important part in the theater original: amphitheatre of the universe. The special attributes of the matter-substance (pudgala) are touch, taste, smell, and color. It exists either in the form of atoms or of molecules. Only gross molecules can be perceived by the senses; however, the fine electric and karmic molecules—which compose the electric and karmic bodies of all worldly souls—cannot be perceived by the senses.

(2) Medium of Motion Sanskrit: Dharma Dravya is a single, non-physical original: immaterial substance that pervades the entire universe. It acts essentially as a supporting cause for the movement of souls and matter.

(3) Medium of Rest Sanskrit: Adharma Dravya is also a single non-physical substance pervading the entire universe. It serves as an essentially supporting cause for souls and matter to remain at rest.

(4) Space Sanskrit: Akāshā Dravya is a single, infinite, non-physical substance. Its function is to provide a place for all other substances to exist.

(5) Time Sanskrit: Kâla Dravya is a non-physical substance. It is a supporting cause that brings about changes original: modifications in all other substances.

III & IV. "Inflow" (asrava) and "Bondage" (Bandha).

Every worldly soul possesses a karmic body made of karmic molecules. The universe is filled with these molecules. The "inflow" of these molecules toward the soul is caused by the soul's own vibratory activities through mind, speech, and body; this process is called àsrava. When these molecules are attracted toward the soul, they are integrated original: assimilated into the existing karmic body. The causes of this integration or "bondage" are the soul's vibratory activities and its passions. This process is known as bandha (bondage). The processes of the Inflow and Bondage of karmic matter occur simultaneously. The main supporting causes for both are: