Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): S R Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 68

56 Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy and cloud is useful here. As there is always some light, though the sun is covered with the dense veil of clouds so the Self retains some fragment of its intrinsic purity and enlightened knowledge, though it is covered with the dirt of karma.44 The intrinsic nature of substance or jiva is its dharma (dhammo vatthu sahavo, i.e. svabhava); it is permanently fixed and is an inalienable part of dravya. Any vibhava paryaya is deviation, distortion, limitation, or modification of the innate nature (svabhava) of the Self and as such it is adventitious, transitory or impermanent. Such deviation can be understood as jiva not being established in its nature and signifies distortion of its gunas (qualities), viz. darsana (indeterminate intuition or nirakara upayoga) and jnana (determinate knowledge or sakara upayoga). Upayoga may be said to be attentiveness, manifestation, function or operation of consciousness or consciousness in action. The passions, attachments, aversions, etc. are modifications, distortions, or impurities of svabhava. This signifies that the innate nature and qualities of the conscious Self, or the spiritual magnificence and glory of the essentially self-luminous reality, i.e. the soul, is not actualized or present in the person having impure dispositions. In other words, the Self is not established in its own intrinsic nature, i.e. svabhava. A person who is ignorant of the true nature of the Self, because of his erroneous identification with an alien substance, i.e. body and the senses, develops impure dispositions. He is always prone to mental tensions, which are the result of his passions, desires, likes and dislikes, attachments and aversions. Such a person lacks discriminative insight or an enlightened view (samyagdarsana) and, as Acarya Samantabhadra states, is never at peace with himself and always miserable due to "bhayakama-vasyo". 45 In other words, he is enmeshed in two contradictory thought processes, fear and the desire or lust - fear of death and desire of seeking his well-being in gratification of the senses. He is unnecessarily afraid of death, when there is no escaping from it, while he endlessly and mistakenly strives to seek his well-being in enslaving desires, sensual pleasures and passions, etc.46 Awareness of the transitory character of passions and attachments, etc. enables one not to cling to objects of transitory nature and impels him to practice equanimity, self-control, etc., and thereby to realise the goal of peace, happiness, freedom and selfrealisation.