Book Title: Concepts of Parmatma Antaratma Anatma in Philosophy of Dada Bhagwan
Author(s): S R Bhatt
Publisher: S R Bhatt

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________________ transcendental. This seems to be the journey of human consciousness in the spiritual path. With this starting point we shall dwell upon the concepts of (i) anatma representing jagat (and samsara) and jiva (saksi caitanya, antahkarana and sarira), (ii) the antaratma, the Indwelling Self (Is'vara or Bhagavana) and (iii) the Paramatma, the Supreme Self (S'uddhacaitanya/ s'uddhatma). (Though the word bahiratma (employed in the Jaina tradition) does not occur in his collected talks I have come across, it can represent the outer world. The word 'Anatma' can better describe it. Pratisthitatma is another term which can stand for it. This trifurcation is rough and only for our convenience. In reality there can be no such division.) The above stated tripartite classification goes back to Kundakundacarya (See selections from his Atthapahuda in the Samanasuttam, Gatha 178&9) who writes, Jiva havantitiviha bahirppa taha ya antarappa Paramappa vi ya diviha arahanta taha ya siddha ya Akkhani bahirappa antarappa hu appasamkappo Kammakalankovimukko paramappa bhannae devo Muniraja Yoindu(Yogindu) in Paramatmaprakas'a (2-5, 90-6) elaborates this three-fold distinction. He writes as follows: Appa rivihu munevi lahu mudhau mellahi bhavu Muni sannane nanamau jo paramappa sahau Mudhu viyakkhanu bambhu paru appa tivihu havei Dehu ji appa jo munai so janu mudhu havei Dehavibhinnau jnanamau jo paramappu niae Paramasamahi paritthiyau pandiu so ji havei. In Yogasara (6-11) also he discusses this point and writes, Ti-payaro appa munahiparu antaru bahirappu Para jhayahi antara sahiyu bahiru cayahi nibhantu. According to Jainism the souls are of three types on the basis of the states of their existence, (i) conditioned and embodied (bahiratma), (ii) awakened and indwelling (antaratma), and (iii) Pure and Supreme (paramatma). The embodied soul is that which is identified with the body and the senses and the outer objects. The awakened is the Indwelling Soul which is self-aware. The Supreme Soul is the one who is free from all karmic taints. He is divine. The embodied soul has perverted vision and is devoid of real knowledge. The awakened has right vision and right knowledge. The Supreme Soul is devoid of all attachments, is omniscient and pure. Brahmadevasuri, in his commentary on Brhaddravyasamgraha (14) states that, "Atra bahiratma heyah, upadeya bhutasyanantasukhasadhakatvadantaratma, paramatma p unahsaksadupadeya ityabhiprayah." i.e., "The bahiratma is appalling and to be discarded. The antaratma is to be resorted as it gives infinite bliss. Paramatma is to be ultimately realized." The summum bonum of human life is attainment of the state of paramatma after passing through the state of antaratma and renouncing the state of bahiratma. These are the three stages of spiritual evolution. Human being looks outward before he looks inward, and he

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