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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Unless there is deep and unshakeable faith in the soul and its true nature, one's mind remains immersed in the external mundane world. Interest in one's own true nature begins when one begins to do things in a detached manner, without attachment or aversion.
When one attains a calm and dispassionate disposition one crosses the bridge from pravritti {activity/exertion/indulgence/application/attachment to the external world) to nivritti {inactivity/ abstinence/rest/repose/detachment from the external world).
Detachment helps the seeker choose the path of goodness over evil. To achieve this, the soul takes the shelter of right dev, right guru and right dharma. At this juncture, the samyaktva of the soul shall be known as 'saraaga samyaktva' {enlightened perception not free from likes and dislikes}.
To express it simply, first the path of saraaga samyaktva is taught. Using this as the starting point, faith is developed in viraaga samyaktva {enlightened perception devoid of attachment and aversion}. Thus, saraaga samyaktva contributes to viraaga samyaktva.
In other words, vyavahaara samyaktva is the stepping-stone to nishchaya samyaktva. He who has vyavahaara samyaktva, has some element of nischaya samyaktva in his soul.
In his 'Panchaastikaaya saara', Aachaarya Kundakunda has written that vyvavahaara samyaktva is the seed for nishchaya samyaktva. As the foreign elements of attachment and aversion depart from the soul, it progresses on the path of nishchaya samyaktva. As there is progress on the path of nishchaya samyaktva, faith in nishchaya samyaktva increases proportionately.
Thus, after understanding the attributes of samyaktva, one has to reflect upon them. Let us first ponder upon vyavahaara samyaktva (enlightened perception from the practical/empirical viewpoint). Jain scriptures have described a number of attributes to vyavahaara samyaktva. But the two key attributes of vyavahaara samyaktva are as under: 1. yathaartha shraddhaana {insightful faith on the substances as explained by the Tirthankaras 2. deva-guru-dharma shraddhaana {deep and unshakeable faith in the Tirthankaras, in the
preceptors who follow in the footsteps of the Tirthankaras and the teachings of the Tirthankaras One who has the above two attributes is said to have samyaktva. Hence, these two attributes are seen as the key attributes of vyavahaara samyaktva.
The oldest example of yathaartha shraddhaana has been cited in the Uttaraadhyayana Suutra and the Tattvaartha Suutra.
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