Characteristics of Jaina Mysticism

Author(s): Shanti Jain
Publisher: Z_Pushkarmuni_Abhinandan_Granth_012012.pdf

Page 1

५००
श्री पुष्करमुनि अभिनन्दन ग्रन्थ : पंचम खण्ड
nego
Characteristics of Jaina Mysticism
Dr. (Miss) Shanti Jain, Athens (Greece)
Mystical experience is sui generis. It is an integral experience which is a bonafide way of knowing the empirical and trans-empirical objects. It is the direct vision of the soul in its purest form. In Jaina mystical literature various expressions of mystical experience or mystical vision are invariably found. Words like "Svasamaya', Suddhopayoga', Suddhabhāvas', 'Svarūpsatta', *Niscayanaya', 'Antarātman', 'Paramātman', 'Tattvānubhava,'Ahimsa', and so on are indicative of mystical expression in Jainism In view of this the question whether mysticism is possible in Jainism seems to be insignificant.
Let us now turn to the marked characteristics of Jaina mysticism. In point of fact, mystical consciousness entails certain expressions, by virtue of which its presence may easily be recognized. In other words, these characteristics may serve as the criteria of Jaina mysticism Though to recognize mystical states, is not as easy as may be thought. Jaina mystics have endeavoured to present some such characteristics as may give an idea of the presence of this mystical phenomenon. In view of its abstruseness there is every likelihood of its being misunderstood, Only those who are mystically-minded and are prone to mystical way of life can ascertain the presence of mystical experience. Stace rightly says that 'the impossibility of communicating mystical experience to one who has not had such an experience is like the impossibility of communicating the nature of colour to a man born blind. This is the reason why the spiritually seeing man, the mystic cannot communicate what he has experienced to the non.mystic'. It may be said that these mystical experiences do not possess objectivity of gross type, but it does not mean that they are purely subjective in the narrow sense of the word. In fact, they are subjective, yet they are very much objective. Hence, in Jaina spiritual literature certain characteristics are invariably found. These characteristics consist of spiritual knowledge, spiritual joy, spiritual steadfastness, intuition, ineffability, activistic attitude, moral elevation, freedom from fear, permanency and so on We may say that these are the articulate expressions of mystical life. (i) Spiritual Knowledge
First, self-knowledge or spiritual knowledge is a characterizing feature of transcendental life. Know thyself' is an often quoted maxim. Knowledge of the Aiman is the supreme knowledge. The Samayasāra pronounces that the self with spiritual knowledge knows his true nature, and he lacking in the knowledge, blinded by his own nescience is unable to perceive his true nature. In other words, the self with spiritual knowledge, by contemplating upon the pure self, becomes himself pure. But the self which contemplates upon the impure nature of the self becomes himself impure. Moreover, knowledge is the self, there cannot be (any) knowledge apart from the self. The self who knows the true nature of reality becomes 'Jitamoha' or conqueror of delusion, who, by subjugating the delusion realises that the self is intrinsically of the nature of knowledge. Therefore, the realization of the self as the knower by nature leads towards the
0
0