Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

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

Page 64

JAINA CONCEPTION OF THE HOLY PENTAD
One of the synonyms of arhat is vitaraga, he who is dispassionate or freed from attachment. According to one view arihantänam/arihadbhyaḥ referes to the fact of destruction of aforementioned four types of karma by an arhat. Arahantaṇam/arhadbhyah refers to those who teach the fearless path of the 'city of Release' among the beings overwhelmed by the terrible course of transmigration. Arahantāṇam/arahadbhyaḥ may also refer to those who do not leave their dispassionate nature even while they are in contact with the objects which cause passion. And aruhantāṇam/arohadbhyaḥ may refer to the fact that the seeds of all kinds of karma are destroyed in an arhat. These interpretations have been put forth by Acarya Ghāsīlālji."
One Jaina authority teaches that "one should meditate on the arhat (ariho), the purified soul, established in the body of bliss, who is endowed with vision, bliss, gnosis, and energy, and who has destroyed the four-fold ghati-karma", Another authority celebrates the mercy aspect of the tirthankara in the following words: "Salutation to the Arhat who comprises in his being infinite faith, infinite knowledge, infinite energy and infinite bliss; to the saviour who has constructed out of mercy the bridge to righteousness."65 A third authourity eulogizes the last tirthankara's virtues thus: "Of infinite knowledge (vijñāna), with failings outgone, of tenets irrefutable, to be worshipped by immortals; glorious Vardhamana, the Jina, the chief of authorities, the self-originated, I shall endeavour to praise."68 These great authorities are famous masters of Jaina tradition and they are speaking out of deep faith and conviction.
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Acarya Haribhadrasüri pays homage to Arhat Mahavira as 'the Lord of yogins' (joginaham) who gave instruction on what constitutes the proper yoga. Arhatship includes perfection in yoga; here yoga is understood as the unity of true knowledge, true faith, and true conduct; this kind of yoga results in union with Ultimate Release. The Arhat is the Lord of this kind of yoga. Acarya Pujyapāda praises the Jina as the propounder of the way to Ultimate Release, as the destroyer of the mountains of karma, and as the knower of the elements of the universe. Another authority pays homage to twenty-four tirthahkaras from Rṣabhadeva to Vardhamana as the knowers. of the technique of ten-fold Dharma. Forbearance, humility, sincerity, purity, truthfulness, restraint, penance, renunciation, freedom from ownership, and celebacy, these are the ten forms of supreme-Dharma. The glories, powers, epithets and
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Avalyakasutra-Munitorayi-jikā, pp. 46-47.
64. Nemicandra in Bṛhaddravyasangraha, verse 50.
65. Hemacandra in Pramāṇamīmāmsā, verse 1. Translation by Satkari Mookerjee and Nathmal Tatia. 66. Mallişenasuri in Syādvāda-Mañjarī, verse 1. Translation by F.W. Thomas.
67. Yogaŝataka, verses 1-2.
68.
69.
70.
Sarvarthasiddhi on Tattvärthasutra, opening verse.
Prasamaratiprakaraṇa, verse 1.
See above, section on Dharmanuprekṣa, for a slightly different translation of ten-fold Dharma.