Anandrushi Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Vijaymuni Shastri, Devendramuni
Publisher: Maharashtra Sthanakwasi Jain Sangh Puna

Page 778

Human Nature and Destiny in Jainism
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flares up a fire of meditation which burns the auspicious and inauspicious Karmans. While in meditation, the ascetic should have his firm activites of consciousness diverted towards the pure nature of the Ātman.'? Ethics and mataphysics go band in hand. They are inseparably connected. In other words, it can be said that one is complement to other. Here a question arises. Is it possible to get freedom only through knowledge ? Or is it not possible to be free from worldly obstacles by performing ethical doctrines ? Jain thinkers have solved this problem patiently and sympathetically. Dr. Tatia observes: “The Jaina philosophers gave much importance to carita (conduct) as to jñāna (knowledge) and darśana (predilection for truth). If Samyaka-darśana turns the soul in the right direction and samyaka-jñāna illumines the path, samyaka-carita (right conduct or rectified will) leads to the goal."18 Jain thinkers have unshakable confidence in gradual enlightenment and spiritual uplift. So long as the Jiva is bound by karma, it can never attain complete deliverance; but they hold that there are fourteen leaders which lie in the way of liberation, by which the Jiva may mount to Mokșa. In other words, these are the stages of spiritual development of aspirant. These are :
(1) Mithyādşştiguņasthāna, (2) Sāsvādana Saryagdýsti, (3) Samyagmithyādịşti,
(4) Aviratisamyagdịști, (5) Deśvrata or samyogdrsti, (6) Pramattaguņa sthāva, (7) Apramattagunasthāna,
(8) Niyatibadra or Apurvakarņa, (9) Anivșttibādarasämparāya, (10) Suksamasāṁparāya, (11) Upasāntamoha,
(12) Kșinakaṣāya, (13) Sanyagkevaligunasthāna, and (14) Ayogikevaligunasthāna.
The ethical background of Jainism is by all means serious and practicable which deserves our attention. The essential characteristic of a jiva is consciousness, purity and bliss but through the beginningless chain of karma, bondage is there and the jivas enjoy weal (Punya) or woe (pāpa). Pünya is produced by our auspicious bhāvas (activities). The auspicious bhāvas are said to consist of freedom from delusion, acquirement of right faith and knowledge, practice of reverence, observance of the five vows, etc. The manifestation of punya consists in sātāvedaniya (feeling of pleasure), śubha-āyus (auspicious life), śubha-nāman (auspicious physique) and subha-gotra (auspicious heredity).19 Pāpa is produced by inauspicious bhāvas. These bhāvas consist of delusion, wrong faith and knowledge, violence, falsity, stealing, greed etc. The manifestation of pāpa consists in asat-vedaniya (feeling of pain), aśubhaāyus (inauspicious life), aśubha-naman (inauspicious body) and aśubha-gotia (inauspicious heredity).20 It has been observed by Umāsvāti that pūnya and pāpa are nothing but the auspicious and inauspicious influx of Karmas.21
The essence of religion lies in the immediate experience of the divine. This experience presupposes as its essential condition, various forms of discipline. In the sphere of religion, yoga-sādhanā (spiritual discipline) leads to the attainment of the spiritual experience which is regarded as the summum
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