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THEMES OF SOTERIOLOGICAL REFLECTION IN
JAINISM-II
We shall now turn our attention to traditional Jaina exposition of twelve themes of soteriological reflection citing occasionally parallel statements from the Buddhist sources. II. i. ANITYĀNUPREKSĀ
The first great theme is the fact of universal impermanence. Nothing in our phenomenal existence strikes us so starkly as the transitory nature of all things, the fleeting and evanescent character of everything that surrounds us, the law of constant flux and transformation of all that we see, feel and possess. Reflection on this truth of impermanence is called anityānuprekşā or adhruva-bhāvanā. “All that originates is destroyed invariably,” jam kimci vi uppannam tassa viņāso havei ni yameņa. This strongly reminds us of the Buddhist theory of impermanence and change. “Whatever is a rising thing that is a ceasing thing,” yam kimci samudayadhammam sabbam tam nirodha dhammam. Nothing in this world is eternal, everything is subject to change and decline. Association with loved ones, wealth, and prosperity, pleasures, health, body and youth, indeed existence itself-all these are impermanent.
That which is seen in the morning is not seen at noon, and that which is seen at noon is not seen at night; such is the impermanence of all the things of this world. The only foundation of embodied beings for achieving all their objectives is the body; but even this body is destined to destruction like the clouds devastated by strong wind.4 This universe, peopled by gods, men and beasts, disappears like foam; the supernatural powers are like knowledge attained during a dream; all the visible things are liable to destruction; all the pleasures are fleeting like lightning; all the dwelling places are impermanent like bubbles in water.5
1. Kartikeyānuprekşa, verse 4. 2. Mahāvagga (Nalanda edition), p. 15. 3. Prašamaratiprakarana, verse 151.
Cp. Dharmasamuccaya, verse 181
anityam adhruvam sarvam pariņāma kasuk ah saja. 4. Yogaśastra, IV. 57-58. 5. Bhagavati Aradhana, vv. 1711-1712; cp. Uttaradhyayanasūtra, XIX. 12.
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