Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

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

Page 38

THEMES OF SOTERIOLOGICAL REFLECTION
Arhatship; an Arhat is called kşînäsrava; he is called an Arhat because he has destroyed his äsravas which are like enemies of spiritual life.
It would appear that functionally the asravas have almost an identical negative role in soteriological cultures of Buddhism and Jainism. Their consequences are evil and lead to bondage according to both the systems. To put an end to these enemies of ultimate release is the aim of both these ascetic spiritualities.
II. viii. SAMVARĀNUPREKṢA
The term samvara may be said to sum up the whole range of Jaina ethics. The practical form of Jaina religiousness can indeed be called samvara-marga, 'the way of restraint. The triad of asrava, samvara, and nirjard is a special feature of Jainism and it has inspired a great body of ethical literature. Literally, samvara means. traint, control, arrest or stoppage; ethically it means deliberate act of arresting the process of all those bodily, vocal and mental movements that lead to defiling phenomena. In short, 'restraint is the cessation of defiling influx' (asravanirodhaḥ samvarah). The process of taking in of karmic stuff by the self is obstructed by means of a conscious ethical effort; this obstruction or interruption is called samvara, and it is of supreme importance in the technique of annihilating karma in all its forms. To uphold in one's self an idea which does not acquire either good (punya) or evil (papa) process of karmic formation, and to remain stilled (in one's self); this is the restraint (samvara) taught by the Teacher and one should reflect upon this.70 To think of merits of restraint is called reflection on restraint (samvaraguṇānucintanam samvaranuprekşā)." To stop carefully the oncoming mass of the dust of new karmas with the helping hand of concentration, and to uphold the banner of right principles, this is called samvara by saints and this is for the benefit of the soul." In short, cessation of all defiling processes of karmic technology is known as samvara." Cessation of all defiling processes of karmic technology demands complete control of sense-organs and protection. of the self from onslaughts of sense-pleasures which delude the mind. To meditate on the ways and means of effecting arrest of asravas is called samvaränuprekṣa. The practice of samvara is the heart of the Jaina theory of ethical and religious behaviour (cäritra).
The stress on samvara is equally characteristic of Buddhism. The notion of three
69. Tattvärthasutra, IX. 1.
70. Prasamaratiprakarana, verse 158.
29
71. Sarvarthasiddhi on IX. 7, p. 318.
72. Yasastilaka, II. 135.
73. Yogasastra, IV. 79.
74. Kärttikeyanuprekṣa, verse 101.
69