Samvara is one of the tattva

Tattva (Jainism)

Jain metaphysics is based on seven truths or fundamental principles also known as tattva or navatattva, which are an attempt to explain the nature and solution to the human predicament. The first two are the two ontological categories of the soul jīva and the non-soul ajīva, namely the axiom that...

or the fundamental reality of the world as per the Jain philosophy

Jain philosophy

Jain philosophy deals extensively with the problems of metaphysics, reality, cosmology, ontology, epistemology and divinity. Jainism is essentially a transtheistic religion of ancient India. It is a continuation of the ancient tradition which co-existed with the Vedic tradition since ancient...

. It means stoppage—the stoppage of the influx of the material karmas into the soul consciousness. The karmic process in Jainism is based on seven truths or fundamental principles (tattva) of Jainism which explain the human predicament. Out that the seven, the four—influx (āsrava

Asrava

Asrava is one of the tattva or the fundamental reality of the world as per the Jain philosophy. It refers to the influence of body and mind causing the soul to generate karma....

), bondage (bandha), stoppage (saṃvara) and release (nirjarā

Nirjara

Nirjara is one of the nine fundamental principles, or Tattva in Jain philosophy, and refers to the shedding or destruction of accumulated karmas from the atma , essential for breaking free from samsara, the cycle of birth-death and rebirth, by achieving moksha, liberation.Literally meaning "falling...

)—pertain to the karmic process.

Philosophical overview

Saṃvara is the first step in destruction of karmas. The world or the samsara

Samsara (Jainism)

In Jainism, ' is the worldly life characterized by continuous rebirths and reincarnations in various realms of existence. is described as mundane existence, full of suffering and misery and hence is considered undesirable and worth renunciation. The is without any beginning and the soul finds...

is often described as an ocean and the soul as a boat trying to cross it and reach the shores of liberation. The boat is leaking i.e. the karmas are getting attached to the soul. Hence the first step is to stop the leak and prevent the new water from entering the boat. This is saṃvara. Jains assert that emancipation is not possible as long as the soul is released from bondage of the karmas. This is possible by saṃvara, that is, stoppage of inflow of new karmas, and nirjarā, that is, shedding of existing karmas through conscious efforts.

Means of saṃvara

Samvara or stoppage of karmic influx is achieved through practice of:

1. Three guptis or three controls of mind, speech and body,
2. Five samitis or observing carefulness in movement, speaking, eating, placing objects and disposing refuse.
3. Ten dharmas or observation of good acts like – forgiveness, humility, straightforwardness, contentment, truthfulness, self control, penance, renunciation, non-attachment and continence.
4. Anuprekshas or meditation on the truths of this universe.
5. Pariṣahajaya, that is, a man on moral path must develop a perfectly patient and unperturbed attitude in the midst of trying and difficult circumstances.
6. Cāritra, that is, endeavour to remain in steady spiritual practices.