In Jain dharma, the difference between a simple “good wish” and nidān is very subtle – it is not in the _words_ but in the _inner clinging_ (āsakti / tr̥ṣṇā) behind them.

Let’s unpack this slowly and simply.

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1. What is Nidān?

Nidān = a _desiring, planning, or inner resolving_ for a future worldly result, with attachment.

• It is future‑oriented: “In my next birth I must get _this_.”
• It is result‑oriented: “May my donation give me such‑and‑such happiness, position, status, comfort, etc.”
• It carries insistence and subtle greed: “I really want this; I am doing this puṇya for getting that.”

Because of this attached, result‑oriented bhāv, nidān becomes a cause for more bondage of karma, especially pāpa‑karma or at least stronger saṃsāric karma.

Common examples of nidān:

• “I am giving dāna so that I get a rich business family in next life.”
• “I am doing pratikramaṇ so that I become a powerful king / minister in next birth.”
• “I am doing sādhu‑seva so that my children become very successful and famous.”
• “I am doing fasts so that in next life I become a deva in a high heaven.”

From outside, all these are religious activities, but the inner seed is worldly craving, so they become nidān‑bhāv.

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2. What is a “Good Wish” (Shubh Icchā)?

A good wish is also a thought about the future, but:

• It is dharm‑mukhi (pointing towards dharma / moksha).
• It is not mixed with greed for worldly enjoyment.
• It is not insistent: there is aspiration, but not burning craving.
• It is often accompanied by samyak‑dṛṣṭi or moving towards it.

Examples you gave are perfect:

1. “May this puṇya reduce my pāp‑karma.”
2. “May I get satsang, sādhu‑seva, samyak‑darshan again and again.”
3. “May I move towards moksha, may my passions (kaṣāya) decrease.”

These are not nidān, because:

• The focus is not on _external_ comfort, status, pleasure.
• The focus is on inner purity and spiritual progress.
• They arise from vairāgya (dispassion) and bhaya of saṃsār (fear of bondage).

Such wishes actually support:

• samyak‑darshan,
• reduction of kaṣāya,
• lighter bondage of karma.

So, they are healthy, allowed, and encouraged.

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3. Key Difference in One Line

• Nidān = “I want _this kind of saṃsār_ in the future.”
• Shubh dharm‑mukhi wish = “I want to reduce saṃsār and walk towards moksha.”

Both may look “good” outwardly, but one tightens your chain in saṃsār, the other loosens it.

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4. How to Recognize Nidān Inside Yourself

Ask yourself:

1. What exactly am I wishing for?

- Comfort, wealth, position, praise, beauty, long life in saṃsār → likely nidān. - More vivek, vairāgya, samyak‑darshan, reduction of anger/pride/deceit/greed → dharm‑mukhi wish.

1. If I don’t get this, will I feel disturbed, hurt, or cheated?

- Yes → there is āsakti (clinging); nidān‑bhāv. - No, I just wish but remain calm → less or no nidān.

1. Is my focus more on outer result or inner state?

- Outer (birthplace, body, family, status, heaven, etc.) → nidān. - Inner (shraddhā, samyak‑darshan, guṇa of soul) → shubh dharm‑mukhi wish.

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5. Subtle Cases (Where People Get Confused)

(A) “May I get human birth again.”

• If the feeling is: “I want human birth because it is comfortable, enjoyable” → nidān.
• If the feeling is: “Only in human birth I can do upayog and dharma, so may saṃsār continue only till I get and use such chances for moksha” → more dharm‑mukhi, but still it is a request for saṃsār.

Higher view: “Whatever birth comes, may I move towards right belief and moksha.” The less clinging there is, the less nidān.

(B) “May my family be happy and healthy.”

• If it is pure dayā / care, with remembrance of karma and non‑clinging → mild shubh bhāv.
• If it becomes: “I _must_ have this type of family, comfort, etc., I’m doing puṇya only for that” → becomes nidān.

So, it is not the sentence that matters, but the inner coloring (bhāva‑raṅg).

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6. Why Dharm‑Mukhi Wishes Are Healthy

The wishes like:

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

are healthy because they:

1. Turn attention from worldly enjoyment to soul’s progress.
2. Encourage:

- listening to real dharma, - practicing restraint, - doing pratikramaṇ, dhyān, swādhyāy.

1. Gradually lead to:

- samyak‑darshan, - softer kaṣāya, - lighter karmic bondage, - and eventually vairāgya from all wishes.

Ultimately, in the highest state, even these “good wishes” dissolve, and there is only pure knowing and seeing (śuddha upayog). But for a sādhak in the current stage, dharm‑mukhi icchā is a very valuable step.

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7. Simple Summary

• Not every hope is nidān.
• Nidān = future saṃsāric desire with attachment / greed / insistence.
• Dharm‑mukhi good wishes = longing for:

- less pāp‑karma, - more satsang, - more sādhu‑seva, - samyak‑darshan, - reduction of passions, - progress towards moksha.

• These dharm‑oriented wishes are allowed, beneficial, and encouraged as long as they are not mixed with worldly craving.

If you keep checking: “Is this wish pulling me deeper into saṃsār, or out of saṃsār?” you will clearly see the line between nidān and good, spiritual wishes.