Jain Digest 2003 01 Vol 22 No 1

SR No.: 527087
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 36
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, USA_Jain Digest, & USA
File Size: 9 MB

Page 22

THE ART OF FORBEARANCE: The Atmavidya
Dr. C. Devakumar, New Delhi, India
There are any number of people who are constantly seek with the attitude of either passiveness or selective authorship (i.e., ing solutions to the myriads of problems confronting them day in if its effect is good to me, it is because of me and if not, it is not by and day out. They seek astrologers, seers and wisemen for the elu- me!). By doing so, you accumulate fresh harvest of karma which sive solutions. They are ready to do every trick in the book; wear will give their effect in their due course but they certainly shall, this gem or that, perform yagna or some mantra or tantra. Invari- otherwise, Newton's third Law would fail. What you sow, that ably, I have come across, people squarely blaming the surround- you reap! You are thus caught in the vicious cycles. ings for all the ills afflicting them. There is none in the mundane
What is the way out? The way lies in de linking your world who is not bitten by the bug of suffering. This prompted
involvement on the two-karma chetana. Instead, you focus on your me to search solutions for this puzzle in Jainism.
pure intelligence. Ignore the good and bad effects of karma just Suffering is a part of the organic world. There are descriptions like a mute observer. Do not despair when the pain strikes you but and prescriptions to this malady in religious texts as well as under forbear. More so, do not go overboard when a bout of pleasure medical context. It is better to get to the root cause of suffering encompasses you. Either way, you will be trapped. Keep your cool sooner than latter. Any amount of cosmetic dressing cannot heal and calmly watch their disappearance because they are always shortthe deep-rooted wound without this course. A combined reading lived. In other words, no moment of pain or pleasure is permaof Law of conservation of mass and energy (Energy and therefore nent and these moments are always oscillating like a pendulum mass can not be created nor destroyed but only be changed) and with disharmonic motion. Secondly, do not overindulge in worldly the Newton's third law of motion (For every action, there is an activities. This way, you can put a ceiling and censure on the influequal and opposite reaction) clearly reveals that the cosmos is not ence of karma. The more you do, better is the result. By this paa chaotic place but is the sum total of all actions and reactions. No tient watch and ever willingness to face the trials and tribulations, act takes place without any reason or rhyme.
you are exhausting your past reserves and records of karma, accuThe same idea is clearly propounded in the Karma theory of mulated due to ignorance, emotions or desire but at the same time Jainism. An individual functions under three types of experiences you are blocking the fresh influx. The key words are: be proactive viz., intellectual, emotional and desire to do something or the other. rather than reactive or passive. As this process goes on, a day will These are respectively stated in Sanskrit as gyana chetana, karma come when you will become absolutely free from all pains and phala chetana and karma chetana. The first one is said to be the pleasures which are ephemeral, wavy and dependent. In stead, you intrinsic nature of Self and to pursue this, you really need no ex- attain your own intrinsic attributes of super intelligence wedded ternal assistance whatsoever. But, what we invariably are involved with eternal bliss. While adapting this path, you would require with, are with the other two. The last two necessarily are inti- boosts of strength, which you can derive in plenty by sincerely mately linked with the physical and physico-biological world and contemplating on the persons, their acts and achievements of past thus you become dependent. Karma chetana propels you to do conquerors of this path so that you overcome the apples of tempmore and more worldly activities and you are paid in terms of tations and trepidations. This path is called the art of forbearance. Karma credits. While experiencing the physical act, you too con- Are you ready for it? currently experience the effects of past karma phal which is the emotional content of you. You feel up and down every moment. Dr. C. Devakumar, Principal Scientist, You keep keeping changing your mental and physical postures as Division of Agrochemicals effectively as TV channels, remote-controlled. You like to disown Indian Agricultural Research Institute your authorship to be the causes of pain and suffering and would New Delhi-110 012, India like to pass them on to others. This is almost a natural tendency. cdevakumar@yahoo.com There lies the trap of karma. Each one has been so conditioned by the perennial pouring of karma, we think it to be inevitable and even give it a status of godly act and providence. It is said that you are ever trapped in the mire of karma tyranny if you succumb
20/JAIN DIGEST- Spring 2003
Jain Education Interational 2010_03