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The path of exception is like the sharp edge of a gleaming sword. Not every seeker can walk on it. The seeker who has deeply studied the Acharaanga and other Agam literature, understood the profound secrets of the Cheda Sutras, and has clear knowledge of the Utsarga and Apavada paths, only such a great seeker can adopt the exception. If a seeker who does not have knowledge of the country, time, and situation, adopts the path of exception, then he may deviate from his practice. A skilled merchant understands income and expenditure properly and conducts business, he makes maximum profit with minimal expenditure. Similarly, a seeker, in a particular situation, increases his virtues by consuming the fault.
Acharya Bhadrabahu has written about the virtues of the seeker - he has knowledge of income-expenditure, cause-non-cause, deep (glance)-non-deep, object-non-object, appropriate-inappropriate, capable-incapable, effort-non-effort, and he also knows the result of duty and work.
The seeker has the responsibility to consume the exception himself or allow others to consume the exception. A non-seeker cannot decide on his own to consume the exception. The seeker has knowledge of substance, field, time, and emotion, which allows him to progress on the path of practice.
Pracharaya Sanghadasagani has explained the Utsarga and Apavada paths through a beautiful metaphor. A traveler is moving towards his destination at a fast pace. Sometimes he takes fast steps, sometimes he runs to reach quickly. But when he is very tired and sees a difficult path ahead, he sits for a few moments to rest, because without rest, it is difficult for him to take even a single step. But the traveler's rest is for moving forward. His rest is not for rest, but for progress.
The seeker also walks on the path of Utsarga. But due to some reason, he has to take recourse to the path of exception. That exception is only for the protection of Utsarga, not for its destruction. Imagine - there is a terrible poisonous boil in the body. To protect the body, the boil is surgically removed. The cutting and piercing of the body is not for the destruction of the body, but for the protection of the body.
If the seeker is fully capable and can willingly embrace death in a specific situation, then he should embrace it with equanimity. If equanimity is disturbed in embracing death, then he should strive to protect his vows to save his life.
In the commentary of Proghaniryakti, Acharya Drona has written that the results of the seeker who consumes the exception are completely pure, and completely pure results are the cause of liberation, not of the world. The seeker's body is for vows.
1. Ayan karan gaadhan vatthu juttan sasatti jayanan cha. Savvan cha sapadivakkhan phalan cha vidhivan viyanah.
-Brihatkalpaniyuktibhashya 951 Dhavanto uvvao maggantu kim na gachchai kamanam. Kim va maui kiriya, na kirae asahuoo tikkhan.
-Brihatkalpabhashya Peethika, 320 3. Na yavirai kim karanam? Tasyashayashuddhataya vishuddhaparinamasyacha mokshahetutvat.
-Opanyukti Teeka Ga. 46
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