Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

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

Page 41

FACETS OF JAINA RELIGIOUSNESS
different regions of the universe because of karmas clinging to it. Meditation on the nature and extent of loka is a way of cultivating detachment and increasing desire for reaching the sphere free from karma, the sphere of the siddhas. II. xi. BODHIDURLABHĀNUPREKSĀ
The utmost rarity of attaining enlightenment is the eleventh theme of soteriological reflection. Generally speaking, our texts on anuprekşās emphasize rarity of human birth. A human being is specially equipped with potentialities of effecting his ultimate Release. It is therefore important for him to know the difficulties and hazards which beset a spiritual career.
The term bodhi means knowledge, insight or enlightenment. In the first place, one should know that human birth is extremely rare. It is as difficult of attainment as a heap of jewels at street-crossings. After spending an infinitely long time in wanderings in several lower forms of existence, a being is born in human form.83 Knowing this rarity of human birth one must make the best use of it and seek the highest end. In the second place, having been born as a human being one must know the rarity of the discovery of Three Jewels, viz. right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct, which constitute the way to Ultimate Release. 84
It is stressed that even when one is born in human form, in a favourable country, in good family, with long life and good health, and even when one is endowed with faith, has a good teacher and has heard the true doctrine, one may still find it very difficult to attain right knowledge or bodhi.85 One must reflect on these rarities. This reflection is called bodhidurlabhānuprekşā. He who does not know the immense soteriological value of human existence, and wastes it in the pursuit of pleasures or in the acquisition of wordly possessions, is like a person who burns precious jewels for the sake of ashes.86 The jewel of right knowledge (bodhiratna) is the most precious jewel, and it is attained after suffering for numerous aeons in the course of existence-in-flux. Meditation on this fact of extreme rarity of bodhiratna is thus a most important task of human life.
The rarity of human birth has been emphasized in Buddhist texts repeatedly. A Sutra in the Pali Canon speeks of the scarcity of human birth (manus sattadullabhatā). The celebrated simile of the tortoise and the yoke-hole' is used in this Sutra and in many other Buddhist texts. Suppose there is a yoke with one whole thrown into the
83. Kārttikeyānuprekşā vv. 284-290. 84. Bhagavati Aradhana, verse 1860. 85. Praśamaratiprakaraņa, verse 162. 86. Yaśastilaka, II. 156; Sarvārthasiddhi on IX. 7, p. 319. The rarity of human birth is stressed also
by Sankara in his Vivekacū lamaņi, vv. 2-3.