Concept of Liberation and its Prerequisites

Author(s): S K Bharadwaj
Publisher: Z_Parshvanath_Vidyapith_Swarna_Jayanti_Granth_012051.pdf
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250055/1

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Concept of Liberation and Its Pre-requisites ( According to Pancasutrakam of Cirantanacarya ) Dr. S. K. Bharadwaj* Pancasutrakam is a small but important treatise of the Jaina philosophy written in Prakrt language. Its author is stated to be Cirantanacarya. It is, however not sure whether Cirantanacarya is the real name of its author or this epithet has been attributed to signify the antiquity of the author of this book. Neither the text nor its Samskrta commentator, Shri Karibhadra suri, makes any mention of its author. The name of its author is mentioned in some of the manuscripts in the scribal notes. Some scholars do not consider this work as the creation of one single author because in the scribal notes in some of the manuscripts, plural is used regarding its authorship, i.e., krtam cirantanacaryaih'. However, the style and language of the text instantly reveal without doubt that the work belongs to the single author. The plural use seems to have been made to follow the Indian tradition of showing reverence. The Pancasutraka is so called because of its division into five sections, viz. (1) papapratighatagunabijadhanasutrai, (2) sadhudharmaparibhavanasutram, (3) pravrajyagrahanavidhisutram, (4) pravrajyaparipalanasutram and (5) pravrajyaphalasutram. In all the principal systems of Indian philosophy, liberation is considered to be the ultimate aim of jiva, the creature. Jainism is also not an exception in this regard. Pancasutrakan, which deals mainly with the discipline to be observed by Jaina monks, states in the salutary passage itself where obeisance is paid to the liberated souls that bondage of soul is the real cause of miseries. This bondage is sought to be terminated? Bondage from Eternal Times Jaina philosophy does not consider it worth pondering over as from what time the soul began to transmigrate in a bonded state. It accepts the bondage of

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites 23 soul as a natural certainty from the eternal times. As described in the Pancasutrakam, the bonded soul known as jiva is an eternal entity. This theory agrees to what has been propounded in the Sankhya philosophy. This universe has a real entity, as a non-real thing cannot exist". Thus, the real thing should have a real cause and hence the eternality of the causal element. Gita also speaks in the similar manner when it says that an unreal thing cannot exist and a real thing cannot have its negations.5 Cause of Bondage Resting on the theory of cause and effect the Jaina philosophy lays down that the association of soul with the deeds is the cause of bondage. The soul in its pristine form must be pure and free from all activities. However, it becomes bonded when it comes into contact with deeds. This contact with deeds is also from eternal times and this also is the cause of constant flow of creation. Though this association is from eternal times, yet it does not mean that it cannot be terminated. By eternality it is meant that we do not know the origin. The bondage of the soul which is the cause of the world is due to the pre-existing cause and that is the association with deeds. Since, the deeds are produced they can have their end also. Apparently the two situations appear to be paradoxical. As propounded by Gita, whatever is produced has an end and conversely whatever has an end has a beginning also. Thus, there will be no real liberation. A liberated soul can again transmigrate on coming into contact with deeds. This, however, is not the case according to the Jaina philosophy. A liberated soul cannot be subjected to re-birth as on the termination of the deeds there will be no cause to effect the re-birth. Thus the eternality in the case of association of soul with deeds is not absolute but conditional existing only till the state of deedlessness is acquired. Hence, according to Haribhadra suri, the commentator, there is no contradiction in the two situations Pancasutrakam deals with this matter in detail in the fifth section, i.e., pravrajyaphalasutram. Substantiating the view that the soul is bonded from eternal times, Pancasutrakam quotes an example of gold in the ore form. As the gold is found in ore form and cleansed later on to bring it to its pure form, similarly the soul is bonded from the beginningless times and it acquires its pure form after setting aside the association with deeds. Had the soul been un-bound from eternal times and bound later on then there would have been no real liberation as it would have been bound again. With this continuous process of liberation and bondage again and again there would have been no real purpose of liberation.

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24 Dr. S. K. Bharadwaj Further, had the soul been without bondage from the eternal times then indeed no desire ( didrksa) would have existed to get liberation, because desire is the characteristic of bonded soul. Bondage is Misery Pancasutrakam describes the nature of the soul associated with deeds as dukkharuva ( dunkharupa ), dukkhaphala (duhkhaphala ) and dukkhanubandha dunkhanubandha). It means that it is of the form of misery, results in misery and bonded in misery. The basic inspiration to get liberation is to get freedom from the pain which the bonded soul constantly feels. The bonded soul according to Haribhadra suri, the commentator, suffers from such situations as birth, old age, death, disease, shock, etc. That is why it is stated as duhkharupa. It is stated as resulting in misery (duhkhaphala ) because it transmigrates into another birth and the same cycle of experiencing miseries continues. It is stated as bonded in misery ( duhkhanubandha ) because it has to undergo the rigours of performing actions for the success of the worldly affairs. The kernel of Indian thought right from the earliest times has been the desire to attain eternality by transcending the state of mortality. The Vedic Samhitas abound in the prayers to cross over the state of death. By the time of Upanisads the thought had developed into a full-fledged philosophy of painfulness of this world. The famous dialogue between Naciketa and Yama in Kathopanisad highlights the mundane character of the worldly pleasures. Naciketa was offered by Yama to choose all the pleasures of the world but the former rejected, describing them as subject to decay and the senses, the means of pleasure, and the life itself as of short duration 10. Later, Yama himself described the worldly pleasures as unreal (avidya ) and stated that the persons engrossed into worldly pleasures wander confused perpetually into various births as a blind is led by a blind." In the Gita also, the sensual pleasures have been described as painful and transitory, being acquired and destroyed frequently'. The Sankhya philosophy has emerged just out of the desire of destroying the three-fold miseries." Lord Buddha also went for enlightenment out of the morbid experience of the world. Jaina philosophy also centres round the above feeling of painfulness of the worldly circle which is sought to be terminated to attain the eternal blissful state. Termination of Bondage As the cause of the bondage of soul is its association with deeds, the bondage is terminated by terminating this association. Pancasutrakam here draw

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites 25 a distinction between good deeds and evil deeds. It prescribes the termination only of the evil deeds and not the good deeds, rather it enjoins to perform the good deeds 14. While prescribing the means to attain the capability of acquiring liberation, Pancasutrakam enjoins to perform the righteous deeds (sukhadasevanan ). The cause of bondage lies in evil deeds. The effect of evil deeds is neutralised not only by abstaining from them but by performing good deeds. Repeated study of holy scriptures dissuade a person from evil deeds and persuades him to go for good deeds. Virtuous deeds remove or minimise the effect of evil deeds as the effect of poison is minimised or rendered easy to be removed by the application of proper remedy. The evil deeds in this manner are removed for ever and their effect cannot occur again as the effect of poison, once removed does not recur. 15 Thus, the Jaina philosophy is a positive philosophy. It does not teach abstention from work. Merely to live in reclusion is not helpful to get liberation. One has to render service to the living beings to counter the effect of evil deeds done previously. It agrees with the main Indian stream of thought that the service to others is goodness whereas torturing other is evil (paropakarah punyaya papaya parapidanam ). It goes side by side with the message of Gita which teaches that the obligatory duties (benevolent in nature ) prescribed in scriptures do not cause bondage. Other actions done with a definite desire to attain fruit for himself do cause bondage. The Gita lays special emphasis on the renunciation of attachment and desire in fruits. Jaina philosophy also purports the same thing as an action can be benevolent only if it is shorn of the desire to get dividend in return. Pancasutrakam specifically lays down that the seed of liberation lies in the realisation by the aspirant that he should become capable of rendering service to others. He should avoid all such actions as are against the interests of the people. He should be kind to them. He should not hurt any living being nor should he covet another's belongings." He should, in fact, be benevolent to everybody (sawa-hiyakari ), because hurting the feelings of others is the real obstacle in the path of attaining liberation.18 State of Liberation Liberation is the highest achievement. When it is acquired, the soul becomes free from all worldly desires. It becomes pure Brahma, the most powerful entity. It becomes of the form of eternal pleasure. The seed in the form of deeds having been destroyed, the liberated soul becomes free from the states of birth, old age and death. It realises its own true nature. All its activities are ceased. It

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26 Dr. S. K. Bharadwaj becomes of the form of eternal knowledge and eternal perception. The liberated soul is not affected by, or is not of the form of the objects of senses such as word, form, odour, taste and touch. It is a formless entity having unlimited powers. It is not fettered by any obstacle. Free from all desires, it becomes absolutely calm. Activity is the cause of miseries. The activity is produced only by contact with other things. The liberated soul removes all such contacts. Hence it becomes calm without any ripple of activity. Therefore the question of any feeling of misery coming to it does not arise. It is all pleasure. It does not require even space for its substratum, because it in itself is the substratum of everything. It is a formless element beyond all perception and thought. The nature of pleasure, which it is, defies all descriptions as it has no comparison. It is an experience only of the liberated soul which becomes omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. The blissful state of a liberated soul is infinite because such a siddha is devoid of curiosity and in the absence of curiosity or desire a feeling of pain can never be experienced. Thus the cause, i.e., the lack of curiosity is infinite, its result that is the blissful state is also infinite.19 The abode of a liberated soul is above the universe 20 Pancasutrakam mentions plurality of souls. The infinite souls can live in as much place as occupied by one soul. It indicates the subtleness of the liberated soul having no perceptible form. A question arises here as to how the liberated soul rises above the universe without the cause when it is dissociated from actions. Pancasutrakam explains that the liberated soul rises above the universe because of its very nature. * means that in a bonded state the soul is laden with the weight of actions. Being weighty with actions it comes downward in the universe but when it is stripped off the actions it goes upwards just in the same manner as the gourd fruit rises upwards on the surface of the water after it is freed from the layers of clay.21 The liberated soul never comes back to the worldly cycle because of its infinite capacity. Any achievement attained with limited capacity is subject to are end after its capacity is over. But the liberation is acquired only by those who acquire the never ending capacity. Therefore, Pancasutrakam describes this power, as the most infinite of all infinite entities.22 Pre-requisites of Liberation 1. Preparation Pancasutrakam mentions three means of acquiring the capability ( tatha bhavyata ) to get liberation. They are :

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites 27 (i) causaranagamanam, i.e., to take refuge in the four-fold. The four are the arhats, the siddhas, the sadhus and the kevaliprajnaptadharma. The soul has an inherent capability of acquiring liberation. To stimulate that capability one requires proper guidance and environment. Therefore, one should take shelter of the most authenticated persons competent to guide them properly. Realising that the arhats are the lords of the universe; possessed of unparalleled virtues; rid of attachment, hatred and delusion; inconceivable precious jewels; ship for the ocean of the world and the refuge of one and all, one should take their shelter for the whole life.23 Haribhadra suri defines arhats as worthy of worship. Thereafter one should take refuge in the siddhas who have acquired liberation. He should realise that the siddhas are beyond the state of bodily changes as old age or death. They have washed off all the stains of deeds. They have destroyed all the obstacles. They are perceivers of the absolute knowledge. Their abode is siddhipur ( above the universe). They enjoy an unparalleled pleasure (not born out of sensual contacts). They have achieved the highest goal. Then he should go to saints (sadhus ). By sadhus, those holy persons are meant who are far advanced on the path of liberation. They have a tranquil and deep understanding. They have separated themselves from sinful deeds. They know five kinds of conduct. They remain busy with benevolent deeds. They remain unattached with the fruits of the actions as the lotus flower shines over and above the mud and water. They remain constantly engrossed in meditation and study of scriptures: All their actions are pure. Then he should take refuge in the religious faith which enunciates absolute truth ( kevaliprajnaptadharma ). Such a faith is revered by gods, demons and human beings. It is sun to dispel the darkness of delusion. It is the most efficient mantra to remove the effect of the poison of attachment and hatred. It is the promoter of the welfare of all. It is fire to burn the forest of deeds. It is the means to give liberation. (ii) dukkadagarina (duskrtagarha ), i.e., censure of evil deeds. After having refuge in above he should develop distaste for evil deeds. He should censure all such evil deeds which he might have done knowingly or unknowingly, physically, mentally or by speech towards arhats, siddhas, teachers, saints or any other person in this birth or in other births under the influence of attachment, hatred or delusion. Such a censure indeed is a mental preparation to cleanse himself of sinful thoughts. Purity of thought is the basis of acquiring the highest goal of liberation.

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Dr. S. K. Bharadwaj (iii) sukadasevanam ( sukrtasevanam ), i.e., to perform benevolent deeds. After having developed hatred and repentance for evil deeds, the aspirant should make up his mind to perform benevolent deeds. He should generate in himself the feeling of service towards everybody whether he may be the most reverend authority as arhat, siddha, sadhu or teacher or the common man. He should repeatedly announces his promise to render service and perform auspicious deeds. The above means prepare the aspirant to step on the path of liberation. A seed of destruction of sinful deeds is thus shown and the ground for the process of liberation is prepared. Righteous Practice After making preliminary preparations, the aspirant of liberation should lead a life of righteousness. He should reflect on the qualities of virtuous deeds, their inherent goodness, their fruit, their beneficence and their serving as the means of liberation. He should follow the practice prescribed by religious scriptures. He should take a vow to abstain from (i) causing injury to the living beings, (ii) telling lies, (iii) stealing, (iv) sexuality and (v) storing. He should seek and obey the injunctions of righteousness. He should avoid the company of unvirtuous persons. He should abstain from the acts not conducive to the interests of the people. He should be compassionate to human beings. He should renounce all sinful deeds realising that they are the cause of bondage. He should keep the company of virtuous persons. He should perform the righteous duties of his household. He should maintain the purity of mind, speech and actions. He should free himself from emotional impulses such as pain or pleasure. He should free himself from the feeling of attachment because attachment is the cause of bondage. While practising his household duties in the chaste manner he should awake from the slumbers of worldly delusion. He should realise that the sensual pleasures are without substance and inevitably perishable. He should also keep in mind the all-annihilating and irresistible death noting that only the righteous living, can remove the fear of death. Renunciation of the World After having performed his household duties the aspirant should resort to asceticism. Realising the cycle of miseries in the process of birth and death and transitory character of worldly relations, he should renounce the chase for worldly affairs. Resorting to the feet of his preceptor he should maintain equanimity with regard to the pain and pleasure. He should renounce the greed and the sense of difference. He should consider a clod of earth and gold or a friend or foe alike.

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites Such a situation brings tranquility and real happiness. Stages of Liberation Becoming pure and pure the aspirant of liberation gradually terminates the contact with sinful deeds. The virtuous deeds performed without any feeling of attachment do not become the cause of bondage. Thus he becomes free from the association of deeds and acquires liberation. The cause of bondage having been removed for ever and no rebirth is caused. 29 Jaina philosophy believes in jivana-mukti, i.e., liberation while living. Pancasutrakam mentions four stages of liberation, i.e., (i) sidhyati, (ii) budhyate, (iii) mucyate and (iv) parinirvati. When the actions, the seed of bondage, are removed, the soul becomes free from the dirt of the rajas quality of the nature and the aspirant becomes siddha. In this state he acquires all powerfulness. He acquires true knowledge. Indeed he becomes identical with knowledge. Then he is liberated. On acquiring liberation, he causes an end to all sufferings. All these achievements, indeed, are gained at one and the same time. While comparing the concept of liberation of Jaina philosophy as enunciated by Pancasutrakamh with that described in other systems of Indian philosophy, it is observed that it is a combination of Sankhya, Vedanta and Yoga philosophies. Like Sankhya, the Jaina philosophy believes in plurality of souls. It also believes in the continuity and eternality of creation, as Sankhya believes in the eternality of Prakrti. As in Sankhya the soul is the real experiencer of pain and pleasure in the Jaina philosophy. The desire to get liberation is inherent in the individual soul. Jaina philosophy accepts the Brahma of Vedanta and its true form as pure knowledge, but it does not pronounce the world as non-existent or a mere semblance as does the Vedanta. The concept of equanimity (samatva) and performance of deeds in detached manner is the same as propounded in the Gita. Jaina philosophy has some resemblance with Yoga philosophy also. Though in Pancasutrakam powers of a siddha are not described, yet Haribhadra suri, the commentator, describes the state of a siddha as all powerful equipped with such achievement as anima etc. These powers resemble with the powers described in the Yoga-sutra of Patanjali. Though the Jaina philosophy has many similarities with the Sankhya philosophy yet it differs in one important aspect. The Sankhya philosophy believes that in reality the soul is never bound and it is the nature which is bound by itself, whereas the Jaina philosophy believes the soul as bound from eternal times. The purusa of Sankhya is an indifferent seer whereas the soul of Jaina philosophy is

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30 Dr. S. K. Bharadwaj the enjoyer of infinite bliss after liberation. The two statements of Sankhya doctrine that the purusa is an enjoyer (bhokta ) and at the same time an indifferent seer appear to be inconsistent but the Jaina philosophy has no such ambiguity. The Jaina doctrine, as propounded in Pancasutrakam, is not atheistic. Though it does not mention any God as the controller of the Universe but it enjoins obeisance and obedience to the liberated souls giving such epithets as the lord of the universe (paramalokanatha ) and Bhagavana to them. It is a doctrine of righteousness and human service conducive to the worldly existence. References 1. "Kitam Cirantanacaryairvivrtam ca jakinimahattarasunu sri Haribhadracaryaih". Pancasutrakam, Ed. Muni Jambuvijayaji, p.79, f.n.2. 2. "ha khalu anai Jive anadijivassa bhave anadikammasanjoganiwattiye, dukkharuve, dukkhaphale, dukkhanubandhe." Ibid, p. 3. 3. Ibid, p. 3. 4. "Asadakaranadupadanagrahanat, sarvasambhava bhavat saktasya sakyakaranat karanabhavacca satkaryam." Sarkhya-karika, 9. 5. "Nasato vidyate bhavo nabhavo vidyate satan." Gita, 2.16. 6. "Jatasya ni dhruvo mrtyurdhruvam janma mrtasya ca." ibid, 2.27 7. "Kitakatve'pi pravahatstathavidhakalvat anaditvavirodhat." Pancasutrakam, p. 6. 8. See F. N. 2 above. 9. "Tatra dunkharupah, janma-jara-marana-roga-soka rupatvat, etesam ca dun khatvat, tatha duhkhaphalah, gatyantare'pi, janmadibhavat, tatha duhkhanu bandhan, anekabhavavedaniya karmavahatvat." Pancasutrakam, p. 6. 10. "Svobhava martyasya yadantakaitat sarvendriyanam jaryanti teja). api sarvam jivitamalpameva tavaiva vahastava nrtyagite. Kathopanisad, 1. 1. 26. 11. "Avidyayamantare vartamanah svayam dhiran panditammanyamanan. . Dandramyamanah pariyanti mudha andhenaiva niyamana yathandhah." Ibid, 1.2. 12. "Matrasparsastu kaunteya sitosnasukhadunkhada Agamapayino'nityastanstitiksasva bharata." Gita, 2.14. 13. Duhkhatrayabhighatajjijnasa tadabhighatake hetau." Sankhya-karika, 1. 14. Eyassa nam vochhiti sudhadhammao. Suddhadhammasampatti pavakammavigamao." Pancasutrakam, p. 6.

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Concept of Liberation and its Pre-requisites 31 15. Kadagabaddhe via vise appaphale sia, suhavanijje sia, apunabhave sia. Pancasutrakam, Shri Jaina Dharma Prasaraka Sabha, Bhavanagar, Veer Samvat - 2453, p. 10. 16. Ibid, p. 17. 17. Na ginhiija adattam, ibid, p. 17. 18. Sahudharmaparibhavana suttam - 2, bid, p. 20. 19. Pancasutrakam, p. 59. 20. Logantasiddhivasino. Ibid, p. 59. 21. Ibid, p. 59. 22. Eamanamtanamtayam. Ibid, p. 59. 23. Khinaragadosamoha acintacintamani bhavajalahipoa egantasarana saranam. Ibid, p. 2. *Head, Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit M. D. University Rohatak.