Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

Author(s): L M Joshi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 27

FACETS OF JAINA RELIGIOUSNESS
"Impermanent are all conditioned things--when one discerns this with wisdom, one is then disgusted with suffering; this is the path to Sanctification." The other verse is from the Mahāparinibbānasutta :
aniccā vata samkhārā uppādavayadhammino
uppajjitvā nirujjhanti tesam vūpasamo sukhol/11 "Impermanent indeed are conditioned things. They are characterized by origination and cessation. For, having originated, they are stopped. Bliss lies in their pacification."
The first half of the verse of the Dhammapada quoted above is a famous formula used by Buddhist monks as a subject of deep meditation. Similarly the first line of the second verse quoted above almost epitomizes Buddhist thought and is used as a theme of soteriological reflection. We may also note in passing that the principle of universal impermanence is the subject of one of the fundamental doctrinal statements (dharmapadāni) made by the Buddha :
1. anityāḥ sarva samskārāḥ, all conditioned things are impermanent; 2. duhkhāḥ sarva samskārāh, all conditioned things are sorrowful; 3. mirātmānaḥ sarva samskārāḥ, all conditioned things are devoid of self; 4. śāntam nirvāṇam, Nirvāṇa is the Peace.
ed thin. Te sorronanent
Those who see permanence in this realm of impermanence suffer from perverted view or false opinion (mith yādrsti). The Yoga school considers cognition of permanence in what is transient as a form of nescience (avidyā).12 The Advaita school of Vedānta lays great emphasis on discrimination between the eternal and the transitory (nityānit ya vastu viveka).13 Bhartshari has also expressed the truth of impermanence in several telling verses. He points out that life changes like a wave, beauty of youth lasts for a few days, wealth and possessions are transient like thoughts, and enjoyments are like flashes of autumn al lightning; that old age frightens men like a tigress, diseases attack men like enemies, and life flows away like water flowing out of a leaky jar.14 Somadeva has saught to sum up this terrifying doctrine of universal impermanence by pointing out the omnipotence of death which destroys all, old and young, strong and weak, alike. 15
11. Dighanikāya, vol. II (Nalanda edition), p. 120 cp. also Dharmasamuccaya, chapter V
(Anityatīvarga). 12. Yogasūtra, II, 5. 13. Vivekacūļāmaņi, vv. 19-20. 14. Vairāgyašataka, vv. 36, 38; cp. v. 41, 49-50. 15. Yaşastilaka. II. 110-111. Cp. Dharmasamuccaya, verse 211
jatyā jātya dhruvam mrtyurărogye sati ruk sthital sampattau vyasanaprāptiryauvanasahaja jarall