Answer

You are right: simply seeing that reducing hatred reduces negative emotions does not by itself prove that karma is physical.

In Jain Dharma, the physical nature of karma is not established merely from emotional psychology. Rather, Jain philosophy teaches that karma is a very subtle form of matter called karma pudgala, which binds with the soul due to passions such as anger, pride, deceit, greed, attachment, and hatred.

Explanation

In Jain thought, hatred has two aspects:

• Inner emotional aspect: hatred disturbs the soul’s state and produces suffering, agitation, and delusion.
• Karmic aspect: hatred becomes a cause for attracting and binding subtle karmic matter to the soul.

So when Jain Dharma says that hatred causes bondage, it does not mean only that hatred feels unpleasant psychologically. It means hatred is a condition through which karmic matter is attracted to the soul.

This is based on the Jain doctrine of:

• Āsrava — influx of karma
• Bandha — bondage of karma with the soul
• Saṃvara — stopping new karmic influx
• Nirjarā — shedding previously bound karma

Passions like hatred are considered major causes of bandha, karmic bondage.

Spiritual Understanding

From a Jain perspective, karma is not only a moral record or a psychological habit. It is a subtle material substance that affects the soul’s knowledge, perception, energy, lifespan, body, status, and experiences of pleasure and pain.

However, this teaching belongs to Jain metaphysics. It is not “proved” only by observing that hatred makes us emotionally disturbed.

A better way to state the Jain position would be:

• Hatred visibly disturbs the mind and conduct.
• Jain scriptures further teach that hatred also causes subtle karmic bondage.
• Therefore, removing hatred helps both emotionally and spiritually.

Takeaway

Reducing hatred shows the practical benefit of Jain ethics, but the claim that karma is physical comes from Jain metaphysical doctrine, not from emotional observation alone. In Jain Dharma, hatred is important because it both disturbs inner peace and binds subtle karmic matter to the soul.