Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi Godiji Jain Derasar Mumbai

Page 43

The Doctrines of the Jainas
of tumbaka (Lagenaria vulgaris). The taste of the blue lesya is more pungent than black pepper and dry ginger. The taste of grey lesya is more pleasant than that of ripe mango. The degrees of the lesyas are three or nine or twenty-seven or eighty-one or two hundred and fortythree. Each of these degrees is threefold: low, middle and high. A man who acts on the impulse of the five sins, who commits cruel acts, who is wicked and mischievous, develops the black lesya. A monk who has anger, ignorance, hatred, wickedness, deceit, greed, carelessness, love of enjoyment etc., develops the blue lesya. A man who is dishonest in words and acts, a thief, a deceiver, develops the grey lesya. A man who is humble, restrained, well disciplined, free from deceit, and lawabiding, develops the red lesya. A man who controls himself, who is attentive to his study and duties, develops the yellow lesya. A man who controls himself, who subdues his senses, who is free from passion, develops the white lesya. The black, blue and grey lesyas are the lowest lesyas, through them the soul is brought into misery. The red, yellow, and white lesyas are the good lesyas, through them the soul is brought into happiness. In the first and last moment of all these lesyas, when they are joined with the soul, the latter is not born into a new existence.1 Those who cherish right views, do not commit sins and are enveloped in white lesya, will reach enlightenment at the time of death.
The Buddhist idea of contamination of mind by the influx of impurities from outside, illustrated by the simile of a piece of cloth dyed blue, red, yellow or the like, would seem to have some bearing on the Jaina doctrine of the six lesyas, which is merely hinted at in the Sutra1. Uttaradhyayana, XXXV.