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 77

44
Pravacanasara
Gold, though heated, does not lose its yellow colour; so, though operated on by karman, the Jñänin does not leave his jñänitva; his aim is to discriminate the pure soul from passional states. Being free from all attachments, when one concentrates oneself on his self, there is no more contact with karman and Nokarman (181-192).
The pleasures etc. of a man of right faith, because of the complete absence of attachment etc. in his case, only exhaust his karmic deposit. He has fully realised that his soul is only jñāyaka not to be identified with anything else. Attachment etc., even to the extent of a primary atom, cause a great danger to self-realisation, even though one has mastered all the sacred texts. One should absorb oneself in his self, which is an embodiment of knowledge, and thus be satisfied: that is excellent happiness. A Jñanin, being free from attachment etc., is not rus ted by karman, like a piece of gold thrown in mud; while the ignorant person is to be compared with a piece of iron. A man of faith is endowed with nissankā and other virtues, and is free from fear etc. (193-236).
If a man, with his body besmeared with oil, stands in a dusty place and takes exercise of various kinds, he is coated with dust; similarly a man of false faith, passing through various states of attachment etc. and acting in various ways, is bound by karmic dust. On the other hand, when the oil is removed, the dust would not stick to his body inspite of his various exercises; so a man of faith, who is not at all attached to anything, though he acts in various ways, is not bound by karman. One should be always indifferent to the effects of karman. Really speaking bondage results from [p. 47:] impure thought-activity, whether a sinful act is committed or not. Though the thought-activity proceeds from some object or the other, it is not the object but the thought-activity that is responsible for bondage (237-287). A person, bounded in shackles, cannot get himself released, if he simply thinks of shackles without thinking of breaking them; so a man in samsara must break the bonds of karman that he might be completely free. The chisel of selfdiscrimination will help him to cut off these karmic shackles, and then the pure self is realised (288-307).
In the case of an Ajñānin the fruition of karman leads to further bondage, while the Jäänin feels spiritually light, when the karman gives its fruit. It is wrong to accept absolute denial of agency in the case of Jiva as done by the Samkhyas (340), because thereby the relation of cause and effect and of doer and enjoyer cannot be established. The psychic states of attachment and aversion are seen in the soul and not in material objects. It is the alert sense of absolute non-attachment that raises the soul to great heights of spiritual magnanimity. Knowledge and self are perfectly identical, neither less nor more; nor knowledge can be found elsewhere, nor be identified with anyting else. Leaving all external emblems one should apply oneself to the pursuit of liberation and be ever absorbed in oneself, so that eternal bliss might be achieved.
CRITICAL REMARKS ON SAMAYASARA:-Samayasara is considered by the Jainas to be the best work of Kundakunda, and its contents, according to the orthodox opinion, are too sacred to be read by house-holders. The reasons are quite plain: the work deals mainly with spiritual topics such as bheda-vijñāna; the discussion is