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[Essential Sutra]
Even when enclosed in a box of pure glass, a person can see the objects outside, but a person enclosed in an iron box cannot see. A swimmer, who remembers the art of swimming, can reach the bottom of deep water and even with tons of water on his head, he will not drown, but one who is ignorant of the art of swimming can drown in a little water. In Jainism, sadhana (spiritual practice) begins only from the fourth gunasthana (stage of spiritual progress) called Aviratsamyaagdristi.
Maya-Mrishvivarjit - Maya devoid of falsehood. Maya-Mrish is the seventeenth Mahapapa (great sin) among the eighteen Mahapapas. It is the first of the three Shalya (spiritual thorns). Just as a thorn pierces deep into the foot and is not visible, but the traveler cannot move forward on the path due to the prick of the thorn, similarly, a Mayaavi (deceitful) sadhak, who hides his faults, cannot take even a single step on the path of sadhana for the attainment of his goal. Just as a snake and a rope cannot be recognized in the dark, similarly, a person deluded by Maya cannot recognize Adharma (unrighteousness) and Dharma (righteousness). Therefore, a sadhak should purify himself by criticizing and atoning for his past sins in the present. If there is a boil in a healthy body, a doctor can remove the pus by surgery with a scalpel. If only ointment is applied without surgery, the pus can spread throughout the body.
Adhhaijjesu Deevasamuddesu
At the end of this text, all the sadhus (ascetics) residing in the two and a half islands and fifteen karmabhoomis (fields of action) are saluted with a bow of the head. The meaning is:
1. Jambudweep, Dhaatki Khandadweep and Ardha Pushkardweep, and in comparison to them, the Lavana and Kalodadhi oceans and the fifteen regions - karmabhoomis are the fields of sadhana of Shraman Dharma. There are no humans in the further regions, nor is there any sadhana of Shraman Dharma. Therefore, I bow to all the sadhus, sadhvis, rajoharan, punjani and pratigrah (those who accept offerings), the followers of the five great vows and the holders of eighteen thousand sheelangarath, and those who are Akshat Aacharavan - Adhakarma etc. who avoid 42 doshas (faults) while taking food, those who avoid 47 doshas while taking food, those who follow the Akhand Aachar (unbroken conduct), such sthavirakalpi, jinkalpi muniraj with my head, mind and forehead.
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In the present sutra, the text 'Shirasa, Manasa, Matthaena Vandami' comes. It means - I bow with my head, mind and forehead. The question may arise that head and forehead are the same, then why are they mentioned separately? The answer to this question is: The head is the main part of the whole body. Therefore, bowing with the head means bowing with the body. Mind is the inner consciousness, therefore it is indicative of mental bowing.