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सचित्र उत्तराध्ययन सूत्र
SHASHTAM ADHYAYAN : KSHULLAK NIRGRANTHIYA
Foreview
The title of this chapter is Kshullak Nirgranthiya. Here kshullak conveys neo initiate or junior ascetic or disciple; and nirgranth means a Jain ascetic.
The word nirgranth (knot-free) is in use for Jain religion since remote past. Bhagavan Mahavir was called Nigganth Nayaputte (Nirgranth Nataputra) and his ascetic followers were also called Nigganth or Niyanth or Nirgranth.
The word nirgranth means to be free of knot. Knots are of two types-one subtle and the other gross. Subtle knots are of 14 types including unrighteousness, anger, conceit, deceit and greed.
These internal knots give rise to external knots or 10 types of possessions including wealth and grains; they are accumulated or coveted.
In the preceding chapter prudent death was established to be beneficial. But the point to be noted is that only a detached ascetic is capable of embracing prudent death. The concept of prudent death is rooted in the feeling of detachment.
In this chapter the reo-initiate is inspired to get free of knots and be agile in his perseverance towards detachment.
In the first verse of this chapter the word avidya has been used in place of mithyatva, the popular Jain term for unrighteousness from Aagam literature. Stating that all unrighteous (avidyavaan) persons end up in misery, the neo-initiate has been advised to avoid unrighteousness.
The whole chapter has an undercurrent of detachment. The neo initiate is advised that nothing including wealth and family members can provide protection; therefore break free from fondness and attachment. So much so that even the fondness for one's own body should be abandoned.
The goal of an ascetic is to be free from attachment and aversion. The neo initiate is steered towards this goal only.
Inspiration has been given to avoid the trap of absolutists and move around carefully observing faultless ascetic code. In this chapter the knot-free state has been lucidly described for self-seeking and salvation-aspiring ascetic.
There are 18 verses in this chapter.