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## An Explanation of Namostuthunam
This is an explanation of the Namostuthunam, a hymn of praise to the Jinas. It is found in the third chapter of the Yoga Shastra, verse 123.
**The hymn states that the teachings of the Jinas are never fruitless, but always bear fruit.** This is because the Jinas teach according to the capacity of the individual. Therefore, the Jinas are true teachers of Dharma.
**The hymn then salutes the Jinas as the "Dhammanayaga" - the leaders of Dharma.** This is because they have fully realized Dharma, lived it perfectly, and are experiencing its ultimate fruits. They are free from any obstacles or hindrances to Dharma, making them the true leaders of Dharma.
**The hymn also salutes the Jinas as the "Dhammsarhi" - the charioteers of Dharma.** This is because they themselves practice and guide others in the practice of Dharma, and they control their senses and help others to do the same. They are the true charioteers of the chariot of Dharma.
**The hymn further salutes the Jinas as the "Dhammvarachaurantchakkavatti" - the supreme, four-cornered Dharmachakravartin (wheel-turner).** Here, Dharma refers to the practice of right conduct (charitra dharma). This Dharma is pure, free from any impurities, defilements, or suffering. It is superior to the Dharmachakra described by the Buddhists, as the Dharmachakra of the Jinas benefits both this world and the next, while the Buddhist Dharmachakra only benefits this world. This Dharmachakra is also supreme because it is four-cornered, meaning it ends the cycle of birth and death in the four realms of existence: hell, animal, human, and god. It is also like a wheel because it destroys the enemies of the soul, such as anger, delusion, and false belief. Thus, the Jinas are the supreme Dharmachakravartins, the founders of the supreme, four-cornered Dharmachakra.
**The hymn then explains that this sixth attribute of the Jinas, their "special name," is a testament to their special usefulness, which is further demonstrated by their five other attributes: "Dharmadata" (giver of Dharma), etc.**
**The hymn then refutes the Buddhist belief that the omniscient (kevala) being does not know everything, but only knows the "desired" things.** The Buddhists argue that knowing only the "desired" things is enough for an omniscient being, and that knowing the number of insects, for example, is irrelevant. The hymn refutes this by saluting the Jinas as the "Appdihi-varnana-dasan-dharana" - the holders of unhindered (unbroken) knowledge and vision.
**The hymn explains that the Jinas are called "unhindered" because their knowledge and vision are not limited by any substance, space, time, or state of being.** They are permanent and unlimited. They are also called "unhindered" because they have shed all the karmic coverings, revealing their true nature, which is characterized by perfect knowledge and vision. The Jinas are free from all coverings of knowledge and vision, and they have knowledge and vision of all things.
**The hymn then addresses the argument of some philosophers who believe that the Jinas are "chhadmastha" (worldly) even though they are omniscient.** These philosophers argue that the Jinas, after attaining liberation, return to the world to protect the Dharma. They say that the Jinas, whose karmic fuel has been burnt and who have destroyed the cycle of birth and death, return to the world out of fear that someone might destroy the Dharma they established. This, they argue, makes the Jinas' liberation unstable, as they are both liberated and worldly.
**The hymn refutes this argument by saluting the Jinas as the "Viattchhaumanam" - those who have shed the "chhadma" (worldly) state.** The hymn explains that the Jinas have shed the karmic coverings that obscure their true nature, and they have also shed the "chhadma" state, which is the state of being bound by karma and the impure, worldly state. The Jinas have no reason to return to the world after liberation, as they have destroyed the cycle of birth and death.
**The hymn then addresses the argument that the Jinas return to the world to defeat those who destroy or insult the Dharma they established.** The hymn argues that this is a foolish and ignorant argument, as the Jinas are free from attachment and aversion, and they would not be attached to the Dharma or averse to its destruction.
**The hymn concludes by stating that the Jinas are free from attachment and aversion, and they are not motivated by any desire to protect the Dharma.** They are simply liberated beings who have attained perfect knowledge and vision.