Answer

Āsrava is the inflow of karmic matter into the soul. Bandha is the bondage or binding of karma to the soul.

Explanation

In simple words:

• Āsrava means the cause or process by which karma enters the soul.
• Bandha means the result that karma becomes attached to the soul.

Difference in brief

• Āsrava = incoming of karma
• Bandha = karmic bondage after entry

Example

If a door is left open, dust enters the house.

• The open door is like āsrava — the path through which karma comes in.
• The dust settling inside is like bandha — karma becoming bound to the soul.

Causes

In Jain Dharma, āsrava happens because of activities like:

• wrong belief
• lack of restraint
• carelessness
• passions such as anger, pride, deceit, and greed

When karma enters and gets attached due to these causes, that is bandha.

Spiritual Understanding

Understanding this difference is very important in Jain practice:

• To stop āsrava, one must control the causes of karmic inflow.
• To remove bandha, one must avoid new bondage and work toward nirjarā and purification.

So, āsrava is the entry point, and bandha is the bondage that follows.

Takeaway

Āsrava brings karma in; bandha binds karma to the soul. In Jain sādhanā, the goal is to stop āsrava and reduce bandha.