Bhagavana Mahavira and his Relevance in Modern Times

Author(s): Narendra Bhanavat, Prem Suman Jain, V P Bhatt
Publisher: Akhil Bharat Varshiya Sadhumargi Jain Sangh

Page 142

Lord Mahāvira's Theory of Samatvayoga
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and Para-Samaya, Sva-Samaya means inner characteristics (Svabhāva Lakşaña) and Para-Samaya means resultant characteristics (Vibhāva Lakşaņa). Further, Sva-Samaya has been explained as an ultimate end. In this way according to Kundakunda also the nature and ultimate end of soul is Samatva. Not only this, but according to the Jain Ethics the way through which this ultimate end can be achieved is also Samatya which is known in Prakrit as Samaiya or Samari. In this way three basic presuppositions of Jain Ethics, the moral agent (Sadhaka), the ultimate end (Sādhya) and the path through which this ultimate end can be achieved (Sādhana Marga), are equated by the term Samatva. In Jain Ethics ends and means do not exist as same thing external to the moral agent; they are part and parcel of his own nature. They are potentially present in him. Then somebody may ask, what is the difference between a Siddha and a Sādhaka ? My answer to this question is that the difference between a Siddha and Sādhaka is not a qualitative one but it is only a quantitative one. It is a difference between a capability and actuality. By means of Sādhanā we can only exhibit that what is potentially present in us. In other words, I can say that the whole process of Sadhana is the changing of capability into actuality. According to the Jain tradition if Samatva is not our real potential nature then we can not achieve it by means of Sadhana and Sādhanā is nothing but a practice of Samatva. The threefold path of Right knowledge, Right attitude or belief, and Right couduct, solely depends on the concept of Samatva for its rightness. The threefold path is only an application of Samatva in the three aspects of our conscious activities, i.e. the knowing, the feeling and the willing. According to the Jain Ethics Samatva should be a directive principle of the activities of knowing feeling and willing.
Organic Basis of 'Samatva':
What is the justification in saying that our essential nature and our aim of life is "Samatva' or that Samatva should be the directive principle of our life ? And what is the ground for its justification ? To answer these questions, first of all, we must have to understand the human nature. By human nature I mean his organic and psychological make-up what we mean by a living organism? What is the difference between a living and non-living - organism ? By living organism, we mean an organism that has a
power to maintain its physiological equilibrium. In Biology, this