Harmless Soul

SR No.: 001196
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: W J Johnson, Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1995
Total Pages: 372
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Principle
File Size: 20 MB

Page 237

Kundakunda: The Pravacanasāra 223 innate nature is in itself foodless, inasmuch as it is void of all longing for food. This, namely, is his abstinence from food, his asceticism; for the internal is of more importance (than the external). 129
Anaśana is given at Tattvārtha Sūtra 9:19 as the first of the 'external austerities' (bāhyam tapaḥ).130 Clearly, therefore, Kundakunda and Amộtacandra are here emptying external tapas of any independent soteriological value; for if the eşaņā-samiti is not infringed, the attitude of nondesire makes even feeding not count as feeding.
This is extreme, but, given the way in which Kundakunda ascribes new values to the vocabulary of begging and fasting, we may surmise that he is here consciously reacting against excessive formalisation, the mechanistic pursuit of physical austerity. That is to say, by giving the 'true' definitions of foodlessness and alms, he provides a corrective to the mindless repetition of a practice whose underlying significance has been forgotten. From the standpoint of personal liberation this may be very necessary, but if taken as a general, social principle it clearly undermines, probably fatally, the rationale for external, ascetic practice. From the point of view of the Jaina community as a whole, it is therefore essential that some reason should be given for continuing with external tapas. Such a reason has been outlined above; it may seem philosophically weak but it is socially indispensable. The importance of public display in any religion should not be underestimated; indeed, it is what most obviously characterises a 'religion' as opposed to a private soteriology. Thus, in abstract terms, there is probably a pendulum-like
129 Faddegon's trans., p. 169, slightly emended, of: svayam anaśanasvabhāvatvād eşanādoşaśūnyabhaiksyatvāc ca yuktāhāraḥ sākṣād anāhāra eva syāt / tathāhi - yasya sakalakālam eva sakalapudgalaharaṇaśūnyam ātmānam avabudhyamānasya sakalāśanavrsnāšūnyatvāt svayam anaśana eva svabhāva / tad eva tasyānaśanam nāma tapo 'ntarangasya balīyastvāt iti ...
130 See above, pp. 196ff., and JPP pp. 250-251, on these.