In Jain Dharma, punya and paap are not measured like a balance sheet where a fixed amount of punya “cancels” a fixed amount of paap.

Short answer

• Punya does not directly remove paap by quantity.
• Bandhan is reduced when the causes of bondage become weaker:

- less kashaya: anger, pride, deceit, greed - less himsa - less asrava: new influx of karma - more samyak darshan, samyak jnana, samyak charitra - more samyam, tapa, pratikraman, kshama, vinay, vivek

How bandhan reduces

You know bondage is reducing when:

1. Your passions become weaker

- anger cools faster - pride reduces - deceit becomes less - greed loosens

1. You commit fewer harmful actions

- in thought, speech, and body

1. You feel less inner bondage

- less restlessness - less attachment - less revenge, jealousy, and craving

1. Your conduct becomes more pure

- more forgiveness - more restraint - more compassion - more detachment

Important Jain point

Sometimes punya gives pleasant results, but it is still bondage if there is attachment to it. So even good karma is not the final goal. The final goal is:

• nirjara: shedding karma
• samvar: stopping new karma
• ultimately moksha

Practical way to judge

Do not try to calculate:

• “How many punya units equal how many paap units?”

Instead, examine:

• Is my anger less?
• Is my attachment less?
• Is my ego less?
• Is my mind calmer and cleaner?
• Am I causing less harm?
• Am I becoming more non-attached and disciplined?

If yes, then bandhan is reducing.

In simple words

Punya can support a favorable life situation, but only purity of soul, restraint, and reduction of passions actually reduce bondage.

If you want, I can also explain this according to Dravyakarma, Bhavkarma, and the 8 types of karma in simple Jain language.