A Jaina scripture called `Uttaradhyayan` writes that the karma of a disciplined person gathered in different births, gets dissociated by his penance by hindering the way of the coming of the evil deeds. The shedding of karma is called dissociation.

Dissociation is shedding karma, destroying their capacity of yielding fruit with the passage of time or by some particular penance. The bondeyd karma causes hunger, thirst, heat or cold and different kinds of pain to the living beings. In the same way, they cause pleasure also. The karmic substances get dissociated from the regions of soul after giving different kinds of fruits as pleasure and pain. This sort of dissociation is called karmic dissociation.

There are different kinds of karmic dissociation. These are:

External Penance:

Eight kinds of external penance results in karmic dissociation such as:

• Fasting completely
• Partial fasting
• Limiting the number of items of food
• Limiting desired tasty food
• Bodily endurance
• Controlling of senses.

Internal Penance

There are six kinds of internal penance, which can results in karmic dissociation such as:

• Atonement
• Humility
• Serving others
• Spiritual study
• Meditation
• Giving away

The karmic dissociation is said to be the one of the causes of difference in the Living Beings. As per the modern scientific words, heredity is the cause of difference. The fact behind the difference of two brothers of same parents is due to the genes. Going further, it is found that the element causing difference is however else, it is within the person. It is more delicate than a gene and it is the karmic body. Apart from a gross body, every individual is said to have a subtler body, the luminous body. Even a subtlest body exists, which is called the karmic body. The difference in two real brothers can be understood if one thinks of the karmic body.

Lord Mahavira said that the reason behind this difference is karma. All the divisions, differences are caused by karma. Karma causes several divisions. The karmic body is situated nearest to the soul and it is the karma that keeps the soul involved in the worldly affairs. It is the karma that is near to the God. Karma is near to the soul but they never get identical with and intimate to the soul. Karma always remains isolated from the soul. The first thing surrounding the soul is karma and it is always influencing it.