Pravachanasara

SR No.: 003289
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Publication Year: 1964
Total Pages: 612
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 16 MB

Page 62

Introduction
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they are constitutionally unfit: there is a growth of subtle living beings in their organ of generation, between their breasts, in their navel and armpits; their mind is fickle and devoid of purity; they have monthly courses, and they cannot concentrate undisturbed. If they have faith, they go along the track possessed of the ascetic emblem noted above (22-25). When a man has to accept something, it should be in a little quantity: even though there is plenty of water in the ocean, only a small quantity is taken for washing purposes; those who are free from desires are free from miseries (27).
BODHA-PĀHUDA: This pāhuộa has 62 gāthās distributed over eleven topics which are enumerated (3-4) after the benedictory verses (1-2). 1. āyadana (Sk. āyatana), spiritual or religious support or resort: The great saint, who is self-controlled in every way, who has curbed the passions etc., who is endowed with five great vows, and who, possessed of knowledge and pure meditation, has realised his self, is a religious resort or support (5-7). 2. cediharam (Sk, caityagrham), holy edifice: The soul, constituted of knowledge and pure with five full vows, is itself the holy edifice; according to the Jaina creed it is beneficial to six kinds of embodied beings; it serves as a means for bondage and liberation, for happiness and misery according to individuals devoted thereto (8-9). 3. paờimā (Sk. pratimā), image or idol: The image to be worshipped represents a bondless and passionless condition; when movable, it is that of a great saint, otherwise that of a Siddha who is [p. 31:) endowed with infinite quaternity (ananta-catuştaya), who is bodiless and free from eight karmas and above disturbances (10-13). 4. damsaņa (Sk. darśana): Darsana is a comprehensive term comprising faith, knowledge and conduct, and shows the path of liberation. As a flower is constituted of scent, milk of ghee, so darsana is materially or corporeally constituted of Right knowledge (14-15). 5. Jinabimba (Sk. Jinabimba), the idol of Jina or Arhat: It represents an embodiment of knowledge, control and passionlessness; it bestows initiation into the order) and instruction, and serves as a cause for destroying the Karman; it deserves worship and respect (16-18). 6. Jiņamuddā (Sk. Jinamudrā), the image or appearance of Jina: It is such that therein the activities of senses and passions are sealed with knowledge and unwavering self-control (19). 7. ņāna (Sk. jñāna), knowledge or enlightenment: An ignorant person, like an archer without the bow, cannot hit the target of liberation. He, who has the bow of firm mind, with a string of scriptural knowledge, has the arrows of triple jewel and has his attention set on the highest object, will never miss the course of liberation (20-23). 8. deva, the divinity: The great divinity who is free from delusion bestows on liberable souls (bhavya) the Dharma which is pure with compassion and asceticism which is free from all attachments (24-5). 9. tittha (Sk. tirtha,) the holy resort: The pure Dharma, faith, control, austerities and knowledge--these are the holy resorts; and therein the great monks should take bath in the form of dīkşā, initiation into the order, and sikşā, instruction (26-7). 10. Arahanta (Sk. Arhat), Jina, the worshipful one: The nature of Arahanta can be meditated upon from various points of view. He is above birth and death and their antecedents; and his description should be viewed from the points of guna-sthāna, mārgana-sthāna, paryāpti, prāna, jīva-sthāna etc. (28-36). His physical existence, in that stage, is above bodily defects and diseases (37); his flesh and