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JAINISM AS A FAITH
ŚREE CHAND RĀMPURIA
Vice-Chancellor Jain Visva Bhārati
LADNU
THE WORLD AND ITS SIX CONSTITUENTS
The World a Reality The world we live in is not illusory. It is not a creation of imagination but a fact and it exists as a reality. The elements of which the world is composed are six in number.
The Six Constituents (1) Jiva (2) Dharma (3) Adharma
(4) Akasa (5) Kāla, and (6) Pudgala Jiva is the animate substance having consciousness as distinguished from the other five components which are called Ajivas or non-living substances. Jiva or Soul is a conscious substance and is characterised by Jñana or knowledge and Darjana or perception. Dharma is the substance which helps in the movements of Jivas and Pudgala, the unconscious matter. It does not move itself but helps the movements of moving objects much like the Railway Lines which are passive or inactive assistance to the moving Locomotive Engines. Adharma is just the opposite of Dharma and is necessary to help the stoppage of objects coming to a standstill. It is thus an indirect cause of fixation of objects. Akāśa is the container of all the substances. It allows. them room or space. Kāla is the substance which is the cause of change in things and creates the past, present or future. Pudgala is the substance which is called Matter by the modern science. It is perceivable by all the sense-organs as it possesses colour, taste, smell and touch as distinguished from the other four Ajīvas (inanimate substances) which are not at all perceivable by the senses.
Theory of Conservation The modern science recognises the matter as indestructible and adopts the theory that the weight of matter in its various forms remains the same as it ever was. This theory of constant weight or indestructibility of matter is preached of old by the Jainas not only in respect of perceptible matter but also in respect of the conscious Jiva and other four immaterial substances (which though not conscious are, nevertheless, immaterial being unperceivable by sense-organs).
The Trinity Every substance or element which constitutes the world is regarded as characterised by
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Karmayogi śri Kesarimalji Surāņā Abhinandana Grantha : Seventh Part
Utpāda-birth or coming into existence, Vyaya-decay or going out of existence, and Dhrauvyapermanence or continuous sameness of existence. When a lump of gold is converted into an ornament, the existing form of gold is destroyed in taking the new shape in which it is wrought but the gold remains the same in quality, so also the soul remains the same as the basis of all changes effected in body which leaves one stage and enters the other. This origin of the new state is called Utpäda, the consequent destruction of the old is Vyaya and the remaining of the basic elements in its original natural state is called Dhrauvya. World Eternal and Everlasting
This Trinity pervades all the substances and attributes to the world a permanent and eternal character. The varieties of death or destruction and growth or origin seen in this world are but modifications of these eternal and everlasting substances. The world, thus made of realities, is itself real and permanent. It consists of six eternal substances or elements and is eternal and everlasting. The Mundane Soul
Out of the elementary substances mentioned above Dharma, Adharma, Akāśa are each of them one in number. Käla and Pudgala are infinite in number and so also are Jivas. There are infinite varieties of Jivas in this world but all may be classified under the following four categories : (1) The Hellish beings, (2) Celestial or Divine beings, (3) Human beings, and (4) Infra Human beings, i. e., beasts, birds and other beings inferior to man and possessing from one to five organs of senses. The universe is thus peopled by manifold creatures who are born in these different states for having done various actions. They undergo ever-recurring births in human or non-human existences according to their actions. The Jivas found in the above four states of existence are impure or tinged with Pudgala or unconscious matter. They differ from the Jivas in their pure or unadulterous state inasmuch as their qualities of Jñana or knowledge, Darsana or perception, Virya or power and Sukha or happiness (bliss), are subdued by the Pudgala or material particles combined with the Pradegas of the Soul. So long as Soul remains combined with the Pudgala, it cannont realise its own sublime nature which consists of four infinities viz., that of infinite perception, infinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite happiness. It roams about in this world of four existences and takes birth and dies again and again. The aim of Jainism is to teach the process of freeing the Soul from the bondage with the matter, and get the same in its pure splendid character.
WHY THE SOUL ROAMS ABOUT Two Causes : Asrava & Bandha
The Jivas roam about in this world on account of their conjunction with Pudgala or matter-particles. As water gathers in a pond through its inlets, so also the material particles gather and assimilate in the Soul Pradeśas on account of certain inlets called Asravas. There are five main inlets for the flow of material particles in the soul. Five Types of Asrava
(1) Mithyātwa-It means non-belief or perverted belief in the realities. Jainism enjoins on one to have strict faith in the following principles : (1) That there are Jīvas or Souls having consciousness, (2) That there are Ajīvas or lifeless objects, (3) That the Jiva combines with the Ajiva Pudgala and roams about so long as it is in the combined state, (4) That the bondage of
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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.O.OO.O. Jīva and Ajīva is due to certain causes, (5) That the bondage results either in a happy or in a painful worldly state, (6) That this bondage is temporary and does not change the nature of the Soul in its es sence, (7) That there is way for stopping fresh combination, (8) That the existing combination may be severed; and (9) That the Soul resumes its natural pure state after liberation from the Pudgala-matter and attains salvation. These are called Nine Tattvas or Principles by the Jainas. To be more precise, these nine Tattvas are: Jiva ---Soul, Ajiva-Non-soul, Punya - Auspicious Karmas, Pāpa-- Inauspicious Karmas, Asrava--Inflow of Karmas, Samvara-Stoppage of the inflow of Karmas, Bandha--Bondage of Karmas, Nirjarā-partial shaking off of Karmas and Mokşa-Complete annihilation of Karmas. One who does not believe in these principles or Tattvas, or has wrong belief therein is Mithyātwi. Due to this delusion or want of faith the Jivas go on acquiring fresh matter (Karmas.) (2) Avirati - Vowlessness or non-abstinence in respect of -
(i) Sins, and
(ii) Pleasures of sense-organs. (i) There are five main kinds of sins in this world : (1) To hurt or kill beings, (2) To tell a lie, (3) To steal others' property, (4) Sexual indulgence or intercourse, and (5) Attachment for or possession of property.
A man who does not abstain from these sins by taking a vow, keeps his inclinations open and as such his Soul remains constantly polluted by the advent of fresh matter which clings to the soul in which it enters. As a military watchman makes himself liable to be punished if he does not keep proper vigilance even though nothing wrong has happened; similarly, the Soul which does not guard and protect itself by solemn promise or vow, suffers even though there may not be actual commission of the vice. The want of proper care is greater mens rea in the domain of spirituality than in the field of civic life.
(ii) There are five Sense-organs: (1) Ears, (2) Eyes, (3) Nose, (4) Tongue, and (5) Body. Sound is the object of ears, colour that of eyes, smell that of nose, taste that of tongue and touch that of the body. The free indulgence of the different organs in these sense-pleasures and the enjoyment of worldly objects is another cause of the inflow of the matter. One who does not restrict one's desires but allows them full play suffers innumerable births and deaths in the world by acquiring new particles of matter.
(3) Pramāda or lethargy is want of zeal in the observance of religious activities. This is the third cause of inflow.
(4) Kaşāya- Anger, Pride, Deceit and Greed are the four Kaşāyas which form the fourth Asrava or inlet.
(5) Yoga or activities of mind, body and speech. The sinful indulgence of these three instruments of action is the fifth Asrava or inlet.
Punya or Päpa and Bondage . In this world Jiva and matter exist side by side or it may be said that Jiva is surrounded *by matter on all the ten sides. Under the influence of the above Asravas the Jiva draws in the particles of the neighbouring matter from all directions which move in through the medium of Dharma and retains the same in the space of its Pradeśas by the help of Adharma.
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Karmayogi Sri Kesarimalji Surānā Abhinandana Grantha : Seventh Part
The particles of matter so moving in are either Subha-Auspicious or Asubha-Inauspicious. The lucky particles are called Punya and unlucky ones are called Păpa. Punya results in good fruits and Pāpa in bad fruits. The former leads to happiness in worldly life and the latter to miseries in worldly existence. These particles of matter after moving in unite to the Soul on account of emotions of attachment or hatred. This is called Bandha or Bondage. Nature of Bondage
The union, so formed, is a sort of chemical combination of the Soul with the non-Soul. In Jaina Terminology the nature of this combination is described as that of sesame and oil, or milk-water and butter, or milk and water which is penetrating at every point and is called Ekksetra-avagahi. Even inspite of this bondage the Soul retains its essential nature of consciousness and never becomes extinct or a non-entity. The effect of this bondage is that it makes the Soul heavy which in essence has got no weight and keeps the same bound in the fetters of the body with consequential birth and re-birth. It restricts or obstructs the inherent qualities of the Soul. It is this bondage which obstructs the Soul from the realization of its four-fold greatness, as mentioned above. It is this which obscures its infinite perception, infinite knowledge, infinite bliss and infinite power. Again, it is this which retards its progress onward and stands in its way to attain salvation and everlasting and infinite bliss. Different kinds of Karmas
The particles of matter which enter the soul and get intermingled with it, are called Karmas in Jaina Terminology. The bondage (Bandha) is of the following eight kinds of Karmas :
(1) Jñanävarniya Karmas-which obstructs the knowledge of the soul. (2) Darsangvarṇīya Karma - which obstructs the perception quality of the soul. (3) Vedanīya Karma-which is the cause of sensations or feelings of pain and pleasure. (4) Mohanīya Karma-which causes infatuation and affects right belief and right conduct. (5) Nama Karma---which determines the personality of a being viz., his body, structure, height, size, colour etc., in one word, its is the cause of formation of the body to the soul. (6) Gotra Karma--which determines the Gotra - Family or descent, (7) Ayu Karma-which determines the duration of life; and (8) Antarāya Karma-which obstructs or hinders charity, prosperity, pleasure and the prowess of the soul.
Out of these eight kinds of Karmas Jñānāvarniya, Darsanāvarniya, Mohanīya and Antarāya Karmas are called Ghanaghāti Karmas as they attack the qualities of the soul and make them obscure like the thick clouds which obstruct the rays of the sun. The rest are called Aghanaghāt Karmas as distinguished from the above, they do not attack the soul nature but determine the feelings of pleasure and pain, personality, family and duration of life. Thus looking from the viewpoint of class of Bondage, it is of the above 8 varieties. Duration, Character and Extent of Karmas
The bondage of Karmas may be of a long or short duration. It may be of a mild or strong character resulting in mild or severe fruits, and it may be dense or thick requiring much efforts to remove it, or it may be light or thin requiring little efforts to remove. Whatever may be the nature of Bondage, a man has to bear the consequences of his own actions and the consequent Karmas.
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PROCESS OF LIBERATION The soul cannot be freed from worldly miseries so long as these Karmas are not got rid of. It is only by annihilation or separation of the Karmas that the soul can realise its own nature and obtain that parmanent bliss which is the monopoly only of the liberated soul. The process of the Bondage of soul has already been described above and now we shall deal with the process of its liberation.
Samvara and Nirjarā When a pond full of water has got to be emptied, the inlets of water closed upto stop further inflow. The gathered water is partly taken out by hands or pumps and then it is left exposed to the bright sun to be dried. The method of liberating the soul is also of the same kind. First of all, the inflow of Karmas has got to be stopped. Then the existing Karmas have got to be destroyed. The first process is technically called Sarvara and the second process is called Nirjarā. We shall describe the same in brief.
Samvara Sarvara is just the opposite of Asrava. Asrava is the inlet or gate-way for the entrance of Karmic matter. Sarvara is the lock-out or keeping out of the Karmic matter. The different kinds of Samvara are as follows.
Different kinds of Samvara (1) Saryaktwa-It means true faith or right belief. It is both negative and positive at the same ti 22. It is staunch faith and belief in the realities of the world and avoidance of all perverted beliefs or notions. The negative and the positive sides of the Samyaktwa have been very properly put in the following quotations from Sūtrakstānga Sutra, one of the holy scriptures of the Jainas.
(a) Do not maintain that world (Loka) does not exist, but maintain that it exists. (b) Do not maintain that Jiva and Ajiva do not exist, but that they exist. (c) Do not maintain that virtue and vice do not exist, but that they exist. (d) Do not maintain that Asrava and stoppage of Asrava (Sarvara) do not exist, but that
they exist. (e) Do not maintain that Bondage and Liberation do not exist, but that they exist. (f) Do not maintain that the experiencing of the effects and the annibilation of Karmas
do not exist, but that they exist. (g) Do not maintain that Dharma and Adharma do not exist, but that they exist. (h) Do not maintain that activity and non-activity do not exist, but that they exist. (i) Do not maintain that Anger and Pride do not exist, but that they exist. (i) Do not maintain that Deceit and Greed do not exist, but that they exist. (k) Do not maintain that Love and Hatred do not exist, but that they exist. (1) Do not maintain that the Circle of Births does not exist, but that it exists. (m) Do not maintain that there is no such thing as perfection and non-perfection, but
there is such a thing. (n) Do not maintain that there is no place exclusively reserved for those who attain
perfection, but that there is such a place.
One who believes as enjoined above and does not believe otherwise is called Samyaktwi. By becoming a Samyaktwi one removes Mithyātwa and stops the further ingress of Karmas.
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________________ .6 Karmayogi Sri Kesarimalji Surana Abhinandana Grantha : Seventh Part (2) Virati - To stop the ingress through Avirati one has to take recourse to religious vows. The avowed determination to keep away from sins is what is called Virati. It is the second Sarvara and it stops second Asrava. (3) A-Pramadam Religious fervour or zeal is the third Samvara and it stops the third Asrava. (4) A-Kasaya-It means the subsidence of Anger, Pride, Deceit and Greed by the opposite virtues of calmness, modesty, simplicity and contentment. This is a stoppage to the fourth Asrava. (5) A-Yoga or non-activity of mind, body and speech. This is a stoppage to the fifth Asrava. Thus (1) by avoiding delusion (2) by abstaining from sins and subduing the senses, (3) by avoiding carelesesness by watchful observance of all activities and mental dispositions, (4) by freedom from passions and vanquishing anger etc., and (5) by avoiding sinful activities or complete cessation of the same, the soul becomes free from Asravas. Nirjara The prevention of Asravas by Sarvara is the first step towards the liberation of the Soul. As to free oneself from debt, man has to stop new borrowing and pay the old debt; so to free the soul from Karmic matter, the first step is to guard it from further pollution and then to remove the pollution already existing. Sarvara is the first half of the process and the second half is Nirjara or shaking off the particles of Karmic matter from the soul. MOKSA OR SALVATION After the last particles of matter are got rid of or shaken off, the soul appears in all its grandeur. It leaves its Karmic body and becomes void of all weight which was consequent upon the Karmic bondage. Thus, being free from all foreign influence, it ascends up and goes to the abode of the siddhas or liberated souls called Siddhasila, which is at the top of the universe and it resides there in excellent blessedness. It cannot go up beyond that as Dharma, the substance helping movement, it not found thenceforward. The soul onca liberated does not come in contact with the matter again and births and rebirth are ended once for all. This deliverance of the soul is called Moksa or salvation. This is complete annihilation of the Karmic Bondage. The soul so liberated is pure, it, being all-knowledge, all-perception, all-power and all-happiness. It has no visible form and it consists of life throughout.