In Jain दर्शन, the soul (jīva) is not naturally bound by karma.

Rather:

• The soul is inherently pure, conscious, and full of knowledge, perception, bliss, and energy.
• Karma is an external material bondage that attaches to the soul because of mithyātva, avirati, pramāda, kaṣāya, and yoga.
• So the soul’s true nature is liberated purity, not karmic bondage.

Important point

Bondage is beginningless in worldly existence, meaning:

• We do not describe a first moment when a completely pure soul suddenly became bound.
• But this does not mean bondage is the soul’s natural state.
• It means the soul has been associated with karma since beginningless time in saṃsāra.

In short

• Natural state of the soul: pure and free
• Present worldly state: bound due to karma
• Bondage: not the soul’s essence, only an acquired condition

So the correct Jain understanding is:

The soul is not bound by nature; karma is an accidental covering that has existed from beginningless time in saṃsāra.