Handbook of Jainology

SR No.: 001346
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhuvanbhanusuri
Publisher: Divya Darshan Trust
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 288
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Philosophy
File Size: 15 MB

Page 152

Life on the marganusari path (the approach-road to 107
the path of salvation) prayers and other spiritual activities; (5) discarding calumniation; (6) praising patience in adversity; (7) humbleness in prosperity; (8) speaking sweetly and agreeably to friends according to necessity; (9) abiding by one's word; (10) overcoming impediments; (11) planned expenditure; (12) insistence on doing noble things; (13) discarding improper actions; (14) discarding such evils as excessive sleep, sensual delights, passions and scandal-mongering; (15) caring for propriety etc. If you keep admiring such virtues you will acquire them. Their effect will fall upon your mind.
Your life must be brightened by these thirty five essential marganusari virtues because afterwards if a person proceeds further and becomes a sadhu and if even after that the breaks anyone of these thirty five virtues he will fall from the lofty level to a low level. For example, the great Muni Nandishena ensnared by arrogance went to the house of a prostitute to preach to her and became morally fallen.
On account of ploughing the ground of the atma (soul) it becomes soft and pliable; and by means of the Apunarbandhak state it becomes fertile and productive of tremendous spiritual benefits.
APUNARBANDHAK AVASTHA This is a state of the soul. When the soul is in this state called Apunarbandhak Avastha, it is not bound at anytime by such karmas as darshan, mohaniya in their intense condition (several seventy crores? of Sagaropams). In order to attain this condition, basically three virtues are essential. (1) People should not commit sins with intense passion. In other words, even if one cannot be free from sins, one should retain in one's heart fear of sins, agitation regarding sins and one should also keep one's heart dispassionate and serene. (2) We should not set store by the dreadful samsar which means wandering through the four states of existence. Samsar also implies Artha, Kama and sensual passions. It implies the bondage of karmas. This samsar is dreadful. Bearing these