$JES 401 Jain Philosophy and Practice 2 Level 4 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 75

04. Tapächär (Code of Austerities)
aren-fagfin får wà, aförare-anfge yan-f अगिलाइ अणाजीवी, नायव्वो सो तवायारो. पंचाचार के अतिचार
Bärasavihammi Vi Tave Sabbhintar-Bähire KusalDitthe
Agiläi Anäjivi Näyavvo So Taväyäro --- Panchächär Sutra
External and internal austerities laid down by Omniscients, are of twelve types; enthusiastic observance thereof without regard for livelihood is known as the code of austerities.
Jain tradition lays considerable emphasis on the observance of Tapa. Really speaking. Tapa is a part of Chäritra. In view of its special importance to the spiritual aspirants, it has been considered as a separate part of the spiritual code and is called Tapächär. Let us examine its significance in spiritual pursuit. Since time immemorial, the worldly soul has been ignorant about its true nature and it is has been associated with Karmas. Consequently, it has been entangled in an apparently unending cycle of birth, death and reincarnation.
It can however be liberated from that cycle by removing its ignorance about its true nature and removal of its Kashaya (anger, greed, ego) which eradicates all of his Karmas. This is known as Nirjarä. It is of two types. One that is achieved automatically by simply bearing the consequences of old Karmas is Akäm Nirjarä. During such Nirjarä, most of the time the person happens to react to the given situation with craving or aversion. Such Nirjarä therefore leads to acquisition of new Karmas and as such cannot lead to liberation.
The other one that can be achieved with the purpose of gaining liberation is Sakäm Nirjarä, which does not lead to new Karmas. One of the ways to achieve such Nirjarä is to resort to austerities. Sakäm Nirjarä should be accompanied by remaining equanimous which closes all the doors of karmas.
However, it is hardly remembered that observance of austerities is a means, and not the end. In order to avoid misconception of the term, Jainism has laid down the concept of Tapa or the austerities in great details. Austerities have been actually conceived as the physical and mental exercises that can be helpful for achieving Nirjarä. The physical exercises are termed as external or Bähya Tapa and mental ones are termed as internal or Abhyantar Tapa. Since internal austerities are concerned with inner aspects, it will be evident that they are meant for spiritual development. External austerities, on the other hand, are useful only to the extent they are helpful in undertaking the internal ones. Both these categories of Tapa are divided into six subcategories each. There are thus twelve types of Tapa. Bähya Tapa (External Austerities)
Panchächär Sutra lays down external austerities as under.
अणसण- मृणोअरिया, वित्ति-संखेवणं रसखाओ.
काय - किलेसो संलीणया य बज्झो तवो होइ.
पंचाचार के अतिचार
Anasan-Moonoariyä Vitti-Sankhevanam
Rasachchäo
Käya-Kileso Sanlinayä Ya Bajzo Tavo Hoi . --- Panchächär Sutra
Fasting, eating less, curtailing the desires, avoiding the tastes, facing physical hardships and occupying restricted space are the external austerities.
Anashan: Fasting
Ashan means to eat and Anashan means not to eat which is known as fasting. Such fasting is usually termed as Upaväs. (As mentioned above that is misleading because Upaväs has a very different connotation.) Upaväs means staying close to the soul. When a person stays tuned to the nature of soul, he may not remember the physical body or other physical needs like hunger. So refraining from food can be a consequence of Upaväs, but is not the essential part of it. Instead of using the term Upaväs, the
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