Jain philosophy-II

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Supplementary Vows: A layman is required to follow the seven supplementary vows (Sheelas) also, as they are helpful in the proper observance of the first five main vows. Just as the encircling walls guard town, so do Sheelas (supplementary vows) protect the Anu-Vratas. Out of these seven, the following are called Gunavratas (Multiplicative vows) because they raise the value of the first five vows multifold. Gunavratas: (1) Dig Vrata, a vow to limit worldly activities to fixed points in all the 10 directions, north, south, east, west, north- east, north-west, south-east, south-west, above and below. This brings the merit of Ahimsa with regard to what is beyond such limits. (2) Desha Vrata, a vow to limit worldly activities for a fixed period only. This means that one shall not, during a certain period of time, proceed beyond a certain village, market, street, or house or have anything to do with objects beyond that limit. This secures Ahimsa in regard to what is beyond such confines. (3) Anartha Danda Vrata. Taking a vow not to commit purposeless sin. It is of five kinds: (a) Apa Dhyan, thinking ill of others. (b) Papodesha, preaching ill of others. © Pramada Charya. Inconsiderate conduct, such as uselessly breaking the boughs of trees. (d) Himsa dan, preparing or supplying instruments of attack. (e) Dushruti, reading or listening to improper literature. The remaining four supplementary vows are the following Shiksha-vratas or disciplinary vows; so called because they are preparatory to the discipline of an ascetic's life. Shiksha Vratas: (1) Samayika. Taking a vow to devote a fixed period everyday, once, teice or thrice, at sunrise, sunset and noon to the contemplation of the self for spiritual advancement. By giving up Rag-Dwesha," affection and aversion and observing equauimity, in all objects, one should practise samayika, equanimity, continuously, as per set procedure, which brings about a realisation of the true nature of self. (2) Proshadhopvasa. Taking a vow to fast on four days of the month, i.e. the two Ashtamis and the two Chaturdashis. To strength the daily practice of Samayika a discipline, one must observe fasting, twice each fortnight. Free from all work, and having given up affection for the body etc., one should commence fasting at middle of the day previous to Proshadha day (which is the 8th and the 14th day of each lunar fortnight). One should then retire to a secluded spot, renounce all sinful activities, abstain from indulgence in all objects of the senses, and observe due restraint of body, speech and mind, and pass time in spiritual contemplation, perform Samayika, engage himself in self study and worship of Jina. The Proshadha day, the second night, and the half of the third day should carefully be passed in the above manner. He who having set himself free from all sinful activities, passes 16 Yamas (48 hours) in the above manner certainly observes the vow of Ahimsa in its thoroughness, for that period. (3) Bhogopabhoga Pariman. Taking a vow everyday to limit one's enjoyment of consumable and nom-consumable things. Bhoga means enjoyment of an object which can only be used once, such as food and drink, fruits and flowers. Upabhoga means enjoyment of an object which can be used several times, such as furniture, dresses, ornaments, buildings. Himsa is incurred from the use of articles of Bhoga and Upabhoga. One should, therefore, ascertain the reality of things, and renounce these two also, in accordance with his own capacity. The use of all Anant Kaya vegetatables such as potato, ginger, radish must be given up, Anant Kaya or Sadharana vegetable is that which infinite Jivas adopt as their one and common body. In Pratyeka vegetable only one jiva pervades throughout the body. Butter is the birth place of numerous Jivas. Fresh butter if not at once melted on fire and strained away, becomes the place of generation of innumerable Jivas. This is visibly apparent in what is called fermentation. Fermentation in the case of butter, actually commences at once, though it is not visible early. Just like honey, wine and flesh, butter should also be renounced or enjoyment should be limited. (4) Atithi Samvibhag. Taking a vow to take one's food only after feeding ascetics or others, with a part of it. The food offered should be pure and with reverence. The house-holder is also the observer in the last moments of his life, of the process of Sallekhana, peaceful death, which is characterised by non-attachment to the world and by a suppression of the passions. The last thought should be of a calm renunciation of the body, and this thought should ever be present long before death, supervenes. This is, Ahimsa, because all passions have been duly subdued. Thus, the house-holder's vows are twelve with the last or peaceful death as their supplement. The following 11 stages of spiritual progress (Pratimas) have been laid down for a layman. (1) Darshan (Faith) Pratima. A layman who entertains Right Belief, and follows the five main vows to a limited extent is classed in this stage. He must have a perfect and intelligent, well-reasoned faith in Jainism, i.e., he must have a sound knowledge of its doctrines and their applications in life. (2) Vrata (Vow) Pratima. In this stage he observes the five main vows to a limited extent (Anuvratas), without transgression and follows the seven supplementary vows i.e. three Gunavratas and four Shiksha Vratas. In short, he must not destroy any kind of life, must not tell a lie, must not make use of another person's property without the owner's consent, must be chaste, must limit his necessities of life, and avoid the use of food which involves unnecessary killing of living beings. The three Guna-Vratas are special vows relating to the limitation and determination of his daily work, food, and enjoyment. The remaining four vows relate to his meaitation in the morning, noon and evening, to his keeping fast on certain days, limiting enjoyment everyday of consumable and non-consumable things, and to his duty of daily giving charity in the form of knowledge, medicine, comfort or protection, and food. (3) Samayika (worship) Pratima. In this state he practises faultless contemplation regularly, three times, in the morning, at midday and in the evening, at least for 48 minutes everytime. Worship means self contemplation and purifying one's ideas and emotions. (4) Proshadhopavasa (Fortnightly must fast) Pratima. In this stage, he observes regularly a fast faultlessly twice a fortnight i.e. on the 8th and 14th days of each lunar fortnight. (5) Sachitta Tyaga Pratima. In this stage he does not take animate water and vegetable, etc. Sachitta Tyaga means abstinence from the flesh of conscious creatures. He refrains from taking fresh vegetable because they are living. (6) Ratri Bhukta Tyaga Pratima. (Abstinence from eating at night). He does not take or give food or drink at night. There are minute living beings which no amount of light can reveal or disperse, and which must be consumed with meals after sunset. (7) Brahmacharya Celebacy Pratima. He gives up sexual intercourse even with his wife. (8) Arambha Tyaga Pratima. He gives up all professions and all means of earning money and all worldly occupations. Abandonment of merely all worldly engagements and occupations. (9) Parigraha Tyaga Pratima. He gives up all desire for objects of the world and abandons all property; except a very few limited number of clothes and utensils. (10) Anumati Tyaga Pratima. He would not even offer advice on any worldly matter. (11) Uddishta Tyaga Pratima. In this stage he would not accept food which is prepared particularly for him. He will only accept food which is respectfully offered by a house-holder at the time when he goes out for food. The last three stages 9 to 11 are preparatory to the monk's life. They enjoin a gradual giving up of the world and retiring into some very quiet place to acquire the knowledge of Truth and ultimately to become fit to be a teacher of the Path to Liberation. Six Daily Duties. Every Jain house-holder is ordinarily required to perform the following six daily duties: (1) Deva-Puja. Worship of the Arhats, the adorables. (2) Guru Bhakti. Devotion to the Gurus or Preceptor saints. (3) Svadhyaya. Study of the scriptures. (4) Samyama. Control of the five senses and the mind. In practising Samyam, it is necessary to renounce certain objects of enjoyments with the idea of self-control. (5) Tapa. Austerities such as meditating upon, the nature of soul, every morning and evening, for a fixed time. (6) Dana or Charity. Giving of food, knowledge, medicine, and protection. The causes and processes of mundane ailments are adumbrated in the Jaina karma philosophy. Their remedies are the 11 Stages (Pratimas) of the house-holder's life; and the vows, common to the house-holder and the monk, but followed in a more extended and intensive way by the latter. A saint while observing the five main vows fully and without any transmigration, has to observe the following eight rules of conduct also: I. Five kinds of caution (Samiti). (a) Irya Samiti, proper care is walking. (b) Bhasha Samiti, proper care in speaking. © Eshna Samiti, proper care in eating. (d) Adana Nikshepa Samiti, proper care in lifting and placing the bowl, etc. (e) Utsarga Samiti, proper care while attending calls of nature. II. Three kinds of Restraint (Gupti) (a) of mind (b) of word © of body These eight rules of conduct taken together with the five vows make the thirteen rules of practical Right Conduct laid down for a saint. Six Essential Daily Duties of a Saint (Avashyaka). From the real point of view this means that a really true and independent saint must refrain from all good and bad thought activities. At the same time it is necessary for him not to engage himself in the flickering thought activities concerning various attributes and modifications of all the six substances (Dravyas). He should devote his whole attention to the realisation of the pure nature of his own self. It is only in this condition of self absorption that a saint is said to perform Avashyaka Karma (Independent Action) From the practical point of view they may be briefly described as follows: (1) Pratikramana - Repentence means the statement of the sins and transgressions committed by a saint, during the performance of his daily routine; and making penance for them. (2) Pratyakhyana - Renpnciation means resolving to avoid particular thought activities and actions in future, which tend to disturb the performance of essential duties. (3) Stuti - praising (4) Vandana - Prostration to the worshipful saints. They are both aspects of devotion which are practised with the object of getting rid of impure thought activities. (5) Samayika - Equanimity. In practising Samayika a saint resorts to some undisturbed solitude, and calmly and cheerfully withdraws all his thought activities, and meditates upon his own soul and its various attributes and modifications. (6) Kayotsarga - This is the relinquishment of attachment to the body and all other objects associated with it. If a saint or a layman merely observes his respective duties and vows, without having self absorption as his real aim, he falls far short of the standard and cannot be called the real follower of the Path of the Conquerors. He is known as a Bahir Atma or external soul, while a saint or a layman who believes in Avashyaka Karma of self absorption and tries to work up to that, and does not restrict himself merely to the observance of external formalities, is called an Antar Atma, internal soul. Nirvana is the result brought about by the practice of self absorption, which is the combination of real Right Belief, real Right Knowledge and real Right Conduct. Among the Jains there are two main sects: Swetambaras and Digambaras. The Svetambaras are subdivided into Murtipujak, Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi. The latter two do not believe in idol-worship. The three main groups of Digambaras are Bisapanthi, Tarahapanthi and Taranapanthi. They believe in idol-worship. The observance of the great vows are uniform for all the Jains except that the vow of Aparigraha (non-possession) is followed in its full sense by Digambar monks only, who remain unclad. A peacock feather broom and a water pot (tumbdu) are the possessions of Digambar Monks. They keep standing while they eat from the cavity of their palms. Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi monks and nuns carry a piece of cloth tied on their mouth (Muhapatti) which distinguishes them from other monks and nuns. Murtipujak monks and nuns carry a Muhapatti in their hand and they hold it at a distance from the mouth while delivering religious discourses. Some critics call the Jainas Idolatrous, The answer to them is that the Jainas do not worship the stone, silver, gold or diamond of which the images of Jinas are made. They worship the qualities of Total Renunciation of the World, the Acquisition of undisturbable harmony with the infinite, and the identity of the Liberated Soul with peace everlasting, which these images represent. The itinerary of any Jain Pilgrim includes places where the Jinas (Tirthankaras) attained Moksha and became Siddhas. There are five such places associated with twenty-four Tirthankaras. Mt. Kailas (Astapada) is associated with Rishabha the first Tirthankara. Sammeta Shikharji (Mt. Parasnath), is associated with twenty other Jinas; Champapuri is associated with Vasupujya the twelfth Tirthankara, Mt. Girnar is associated with Neminath the twenty-second Tirthankara, and Pawapuri is associated with Mahavira the last of the twenty-four Jinas or Tirthankaras. Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana at Pawapuri in 527 B C. Pilgrims also visit places considered holy because of their association with various events in the lives of the Jinas. Rajagriha the Tirth of five Hills, is famous because Lord Mahavir's Samavasarana (the assemblage of celestials, men and beasts that heard the Preachings of Mahavira) was held there. Similarly, the Shatrunjaya Mountain in Saurashtra is holy because Rishabha the first Tirthankara had visited it. It was also here that Bharat, the son of Rishabha, built a magnificent temple. On the slopes of Shatrunjaya millions of Jain monks have come to meditate and seek Moksha. The place is considered very sacred. It has more than 800 shrines and 5000 images of the Tirthankaras. Like Shatrunjaya, the twin mountains of Mangi Tungi with their cave temples are revered because from there countless monks of the Digambara Sect have attained Moksha. In this category the Hill of Muktagiri can also be included. On full moon day of Kartik, there is a big festival at this Tirtha. Near Muktagiri there is the Tirtha of Antariksha Parshvanatha. It is claimed that here the image of Parshvanatha defies the law of gravitation. It is suspended and does not touch its pedestal. At Sravanbelagola, Mysore on Doddabetta or Vindhyagiri there is a collossal image of Bahubali, the son of the first Jina Rishabha. Known as Gomateswara the image (57 feet high) is carved out of single rock aud was erected in the 10th, century. The Dilwara Jain Temples on Mt. Abu are a great attraction for Jains. The architecture is exquisite. Some Jain Tirthas are known as "Atishaya Kshetras," as, each of them has a certain miraculous event associated with it. Among such places is the famous Kshetra of Shri Mahavirji in Rajasthan. The temple of Rikhabdevji in the Aravallis, near Udaipur also known as the temple of Shri Kesariaji is also a great attraction for Jain Pilgrims. To this deity everyday is offered Kesar (Saffron) and Chandan (Sandalwood), the exquisite fragrance of which engulfs the temple and forever lingers in the air. The temple of Ranakpur (Rajasthan) on the western fringe of the Aravallis breathes an atmosphere of sublime peace. This Adinatha Temple was built in the 15th century. It covers an area of over 40,000 Sq. ft. and the richly carved (1444) pillars are arranged in such a way that the image of Lord Adinath can be seen from any point. There are no miracles associated with this shrine. But the pious chanting, echoing within its spacious interior, awakens the pilgrim's deepest yearnings for contact with the Divine. The above are some prominent Jain Pilgrim centres. Pilgrimage is good from the practical point of view but the real aim of a seeker to the Path of Liberation should be self absorption, which is the combination real Right Belief, Knowledge and Conduct. CHAPTER VII CONCLUSION We have seen that the oddities which are found in this world are all due to the effects of different kinds of karmas. We have seen the causes of inflow and bondage of eights kinds of karmas and their sub-classes. We have seen how this inflow can be checked and how the shedding of karmas already bound can be done. The pure soul is free from all karmic matter and is full of the infinite attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, etc. It is only when the soul forgets its own true self (Swabhava) and gets attracted towards material things due to Rag, Dwesha etc. (Vibhava) there is inflow and bondage of karmic matter with the soul and the cycle of mundane existence continues. It is the duty or Dharma of every mundane soul to get itself liberated from such existences (i.e. from its condition of Vibhava) and bring to its pure true self (i.e. condition of Swabhava) with its natural and inherent attributes and thus achieve true happiness. The Fourteen Gunasthanas show us how the soul reaches higher and higher ladder of Spiritual Advancement from Wrong Belief to Right Belief, then to Vows, then to perfectly careful Vows, then to passionless, and then to a cessation of the Vibratory Activity of body, speech, and mind. A mundane Soul is beset with five kinds of innate evils or imperfections. The Wrong Belief is shed at the end of the 1st, Vowlessness at the end of the 4th, Carelessness at the end of the 6th, Passions at the end of the 10th, and Vibratory Activity at the end of the 13th Spiritual Stage. The Three Jewels of Jainism, Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan, and Samyak Charitra, teach us how to tread the Path of Liberation and ultimately to achieve the desired goal--Moksha. The whole Drama of life is played or danced together by the living soul being in close grasp of lifeless matter. Lifeless space is the stage, lifeless time is the duration and lifeless Dharma and Adharma the indispensable assistants for the dancers to move or to rest. The exercise of dancing is their eternal movement in the cycle of mundane existences. Every pilgrim on the Path of Liberation (Moksha) must be constantly careful to avoid all passionate thought activities. Every action of his will be performed with due care and caution and the commission of himsa would be avoided altogether. The acquisition of internal purification follows the practice of self control or conquest over the cravings of the body, and the ravings of the mind, a supreme subjection of sense desires, mastering of passions and governance of emotions. The joys of yoga, of communion with the highest, are only known to those who have experienced them. They are above all earthly pleasures, they lead to heavenly happiness, and ultimately to the realization, the attainment to Godhood, Siddhasthan, Parmatma Pada, the true happiness where the soul is identified with limitless, perfect, direct, completed knowledge, of all that is, that was, that shall be, simultaneous, in all their varying forms and conditions, is supremely self satisfied, is omniscient, and omnipotent, forever and ever, in the unending eternity of time and space. To achieve this condition requires supreme effort. It is difficult for a layman at once to do so. He has therefore to proceed gradually on the Path of Liberation. He should at least aim that his next birth should be better circumstanced than the present one, not with regard to sense pleasures, but with regard to his spiritual advancement, and he should try to concentrate his efforts in that direction. If such efforts are made and continued his soul is likely to rise higher and higher in spiritual advancement in subsequent births and ultimately after several births may reach the desired goal, the condition of Siddha. JAY JINENDRAhttp://www.sacred-texts.com/jai/treatise.txt