In Dashashrut Skandh (Kalp), Nidān is explained mainly in the 10th daśā (tenth section). I’ll keep it simple and close to the traditional Jain understanding.

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1. Basic meaning of “Nidān”

In Dashashrut Skandh, Nidān means:

> अति‑रागयुक्त icchā / sankalp for some worldly or ego-based result in the future, joined with religious activity.

In simple words:

• Doing tapas, dān, jāp, pratikraman, dikshā, sevā of sadhus, etc.,

but inside, strongly wishing: - “Because of this, in next birth I must get such-and-such bhog, status, power, relations, etc.”

This desireful resolution is called Nidān‑karma.

So:

• Outer action = looks religious.
• Inner bhāv = strong rāg (attachment) for some specific future gain.
• Result = new bondage of heavy karma, especially mohaniya (deluding) karma.

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2. How Dashashrut Skandh describes Nidān

The 10th daśā of Dashashrut Skandh:

• Explains what Nidān is.
• Gives examples of how a person, even while doing “dharmic” activities, binds Nidān‑karma.
• Shows the fruit (phala) of Nidān:

- The jiva goes away from dharma-śravaṇ, becomes dakshiṇā-gaminī (towards lower gatis, even narak). - Even when it meets śramaṇ, śrāvaks, or satsang, it doesn’t feel real interest or faith. - Heavy inauspicious karma for the future is bound.

In the text, such a soul is shown as:

• Outwardly maybe following Jain ways,
• But inside always planning, imagining, and desiring: “I must get this type of body, that type of spouse, that level of power, that kind of luxurious life,” etc.

That inner chain of greedy imaginations is exactly what Dashashrut Skandh calls Nidān‑karma.

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3. Essence of Nidān according to Dashashrut Skandh

Key points (in simple form):

1. Not ordinary desire

- Everyday small wishes (like “I hope this work succeeds”) are also attachment, but - Nidān is deep, repeated, fixed resolution for future enjoyment/position, joined with dharmic acts.

1. Always linked with future bhog / labh

Examples: - Doing great dān thinking: “Next birth I must have huge wealth, name, and position.” - Doing tapas thinking: “Because of this tapa I must become a powerful deva, king, etc.” - Taking dikshā itself with the inner thought: “So that I get high status, many followers, special fame.”

1. Dharm is used as a “means” for bhog

- True dharm = to reduce rāg–dvesh, move toward vairāgya and moksha. - Nidān = using dharm as a tool to secure worldly results. - So the outer action looks holy, but inner bhāv is impure.

1. Karmic result (as described in Dashashrut Skandh)

- Soul gets more and more entangled in samsār. - May even fall to lower gatis due to strong rāg. - Most serious: turns away from dharma-śravaṇ – even when truth is in front, it feels no interest, only runs behind sensuality and possessions.

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4. Why Nidān is so dangerous

From the Dashashrut Skandh view:

• Open sin (spashta pāp) is clearly visible; one may feel guilt and do pratikraman.
• Nidān is hidden inside religion itself:

- People praise the person for tapas, dān, etc. - The person himself feels “I am very religious.” - But inside, he is actually strengthening greed, ego, and expectations.

Therefore:

• Nidān becomes a big obstacle to samyak‑darshan and moksha.
• It especially prolongs mohaniya‑karma, keeping jiva in delusion.

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5. Difference between “good wish” and Nidān

Not every hope is Nidān.

Allowed / healthier bhāv:

• “May this puṇya reduce my pāp‑karma.”
• “May I get satsang, sādhu‑seva, samyak‑darshan again and again.”
• “May I move towards moksha, may my passions decrease.”

These are dharm‑mukhi (towards liberation) wishes.

Nidān‑bhāv:

• “May I get luxurious body, beauty, fame, power, children, kingdom, comforts in future.”
• “May I become superior to others because of my dharm.”

Here the center is not soul‑purification, but bhog / superiority. That is what Dashashrut Skandh warns against.

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6. Types and examples (simple view)

Different Jain texts speak of Nav Nidān (nine types) in more technical detail, but Dashashrut Skandh mainly shows the pattern through examples:

• Nidān for body: wishing for particular beautiful, strong, or divine body.
• Nidān for relations: wishing for particular type of spouse, children, or followers.
• Nidān for status / power: king, Indra, high positions, authority in sangh, etc.
• Nidān for bhog / upabhog: continuous desire to secure future luxuries, enjoyments.

In all cases:

• The mind keeps returning to these imaginations,
• Joins them with tapas, dān, pooja, etc.,
• And binds Nidān‑karma.

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7. How to avoid Nidān (according to Jain spirit behind Dashashrut Skandh)

Though the text mainly warns, from its spirit we can see the cure:

1. Do dharm only as kartavya (duty) and shuddha‑bhāv

- “This is right to do; let me do it with as much purity and humility as I can.”

1. Consciously drop future calculations

- If mind starts thinking: “Because of this I will get X in next birth,” then see it as mithyā‑bhāv and let it go.

1. Pratikraman for Nidān‑bhāv

- Every day remember: “If I did any puṇya with greedy or prideful expectations, I repent and seek to purify that bhāv.”

1. Shift wish from bhog to moksha

- Instead of: “May I get bhog,” - Cultivate: “May mohaniya‑karma reduce; may I move closer to samyak‑darshan and moksha.”

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8. Digambar – Śvetāmbara note

• Dashashrut Skandh Kalp itself is a Śvetāmbara Ched‑sūtra.
• Digambar āgamic tradition does not have this particular text,

but both traditions fully accept: - the reality of Nidān‑karma, - and the danger of doing dharm with future‑bhog icchā.

• Digambar texts (like Gommatsār, etc.) explain Nidān in karmic theory;

Śvetāmbara Dashashrut Skandh explains it in conduct / practical life form.

The core essence is the same in both: religion joined with worldly greed becomes Nidān and blocks liberation.

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For a gentle background on how karma works in general, you can read more here