Answer

According to Jainism, karma does not always fully pay back in the current birth. Some karmas give results in this life, while other karmas may remain bound to the soul and give results in future births.

Explanation

In Jain Dharma, karma is understood as a subtle material bondage attached to the soul due to passions, actions, thoughts, and speech.

Karma has different stages:

• Bandh – bondage of karma to the soul
• Sthiti – duration for which the karma remains bound
• Uday – when the karma matures and gives its result
• Nirjara – shedding of karma

Because karmas have different durations, some mature quickly and are experienced in the same birth. Others may stay attached to the soul for a long time and give results in later births.

For example:

• A person may experience the result of certain karma immediately or soon.
• Some karmas may determine conditions of a future birth, such as body, lifespan, family, health, status, or experiences of pleasure and pain.

So Jainism teaches that karma can carry forward across births until it matures and is shed.

Spiritual Understanding

This is why Jain Dharma emphasizes carefulness in:

• thoughts
• words
• actions
• intentions
• passions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed

Even if the result is not seen immediately, karma remains connected with the soul until it gives its fruit or is destroyed through spiritual effort.

Through right faith, right knowledge, right conduct, austerity, repentance, forgiveness, meditation, and self-restraint, one can stop new karma and shed old karma.

Takeaway

In Jainism, karma may give results in the current life or future lives. It does not disappear without result unless it is destroyed through spiritual purification and nirjara.