Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

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

Page 63

FACETS OF JAINA RELIGIOUSNESS
rally means worthy, able, accomplished, praised, celebrated, honoured, holy, a saint, a released sage. It is a technical term of profound religious significance in Jainism and Buddhism. It is one of the common epithets of Vardhamāna Mahāvīra and Sākyamuni Buddha. In Jaina texts arhat is often used as a synonym of jina, 'Conqueror', vīra, 'Hero', tirthankara, an 'omniscient teacher of Dharma' and an acknowledged leader of a gana or Order. It is also recognized that one could be an arhat without being a tirthankara. An arhat is endowed with omniscience (sarvajñatva) and therefore he is often called kevalin.
There seem to be two main strands in the conception of an arhat. One strand relates to an arhat's worthiness or holiness by virtue of which he deserves and commands respect and adoration. The other strand stresses an arhat's victory over the forces of evil rooted in the mechanism of karma. These two strands stress purity of conduct and perfection of gnosis.
The first strand is highlighted in the following two statements :
"Arhanta on account of being worthy of excellent adoration" (atiśaya-pūjārhatvād vā arhantaḥ).59
“Those who are worthy of obeisance, worthy of adoration, and supreme among gods in the world, are (called) arhats" (arahanti namokkāram arihā pūjā surauttama loe).60
The second strand is stressed in the following statements :
"Arihanta on account of destroying the enemy" (arihananād arihanta); "Arihanta on account of destroying impurity” (rajohananād vā arihanta); “Arihanta on account of non-existence of secret” (rahasyābhāvād vā arihanta). 61
“They become jinas or conquerors on account of conquering anger, conceit, delusion, and avarice; they are called arhats on account of destroying enemies and birth" (jida-koha-māņa-māyā jida lohā teņa te jiņā honti). 62 The words 'enemy' (ari), 'impurity' (raja) and 'secret' (rahasya) refer to four kinds of ghāti-karma, viz. knowledge obscuring (jñānāvarāņa-karma), vision obscuring (darśanāvaraņa-karma), confusing (mohanīya-karma), and obstructing (antarāya-karma). Freedom from these four kinds of karma is the most important achievement of an arhat. By destroying these enemies, of spiritual life, one becomes omniscient and endowed with four infinite virtues, viz. vision, wisdom, bliss and energy (darśana, jñāna, sukha, virya).
59. Dhavalaţikā, 1. 1.1 (Şarkhandāgamaḥ, vol. I, part I, p. 45). 60. Mulācāra, gatha 505. 61. Dhavalaţika, I. 1.1 (Şarkhandāgamah, vol. I, part I, pp. 43-45). 62. Mülācāra, gātha 561. Anger, conceit, delusion, and avarice are called kas āya (passions).