Samkit Faith Practice Liberation

SR No.: 007764
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amit B Bhansali
Publisher: Amit B Bhansali
Publication Year: 2015
Total Pages: 447
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 7 MB

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7. Vaatsalya (Spontaneous affection and compassion for co-religionists
Vaatsalya means affection or tenderness (esp. towards offspring), fondness or love. Vaatsalya is free from expectation and selfishness. In this context, vaatsalya means spontaneous love and affection for co-religionists. Just as a mother loves and protects her child without any expectation and does not look for personal gains from the relationship, one who has samyaktva harbours such feelings of unselfish love for his co-religionists. His generosity towards them is unblemished by feelings of ego, desire and selfishness.
Vaatsalya has commitment and affection. It is the fondness for religious scriptures.
To serve the Jinaas, the five supreme beings (navkar mantra), the religion, the ascetics, the lay community who are co-religionists and the teachings of the Jinaas encapsulated in the religious scriptures is to show true vaatsalya. If any one of the above is threatened, the person who has attained samyaktva should be ready to protect them with all his might.
To hold the ascetics and nuns in high esteem and in deepest affection, the way one holds one's own immediate family, is to show vaatsalya towards them.
The Digambara tradition of Jainism gives two subdivisions of vaatsalya:
A) sva-vaatsalya - love and compassions towards one's own soul in order to ensure that it stays
firmly on the right path
B) para-vaatsalya - love and compassions towards others in order to ensure that it stays firmly on the
right path
8. Prabhaavanaa {promulgation and promotion of the Jinaas' teachings
Prabhaavanaa means promulgation and promotion. Religious prabhaavanaa involves establishing the importance of religion and helping more and more souls attain liberation.
Prabhaavanaa of the true faith is done by explaining the true religion through one's knowledge and one's conduct and helping them develop firm conviction in the teachings of the Jinaas. No prabhaavanaa could be higher than helping others attain samyaktva.
Aachaarya Samantabhadra has explained prabhaavanaa as under: "The darkness of ignorance blights the hearts of worLdly beings. This darkness should be removed by the light of the truth of the Jinaas' teachings. To make efforts in this direction is known as prabhaavanaa.” Uttaraadhyayana Suutra; Verse 28.31 (Page 156, Publisher: Sudharma Sanskriti Rakshak Sangh, Jodhpur, year V.S. 2065)
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