Fundamentals Of Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Bharti

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FUNDAMANTALS OF JAINISM
worship for all the bhavya (those who have the potentiality to attain nirvana) jivas in the three worlds, and what language can describe the glory of that siddhâtman, the mere contemplation of whose worshipful feet is sufficient to destroy all kinds of karmas of His bhaktas (devotees)?
To revert to the subject under consideration, it will be observed that the arrangement of the gunasthānas is based not upon any artificial division of the 'path', but upon the natural effects observable in the being who takes himself scientifically in hand to control his destiny. No serious student of religion stands in need of being told that of all kinds of tapa the antaranga is the principal cause of emancipation, though the physical control of the bodily functions and organs is also necessary for bringing the wandering manas (the organ of desires) under subjection. It follows from this that the best results can only flow from a system which scientifically deals with the subject of internal tapa, and that no method which ignores or minimises the importance of this most important department of self-training can ever be relied upon as a means for escape from the bondage of karmas. Applying these observations to the non-Jaina systems of tapa (yoga), it can be seen at a glance that none of them is possessed of that scientific validity which alone can be depended upon for the realisation of the ideal in view. Indeed, almost all of them in the end leave the aspiring soul in the greatest uncertainty as to the effect of the practices enjoined and the exercises laid down by them; and even the more perfected systems of Hindu yogam-jñana yoga, raja yoga, bhakti yoga, hatha yoga and karma yoga-do little more than point out the direction in which lies the way out of the samsara, intersected by paths that certainly do not lead to ņirvana, but only to the four gatis, or conditions, of life. That the unwary traveller needs something more than a mere indication of the direction to pick out the rigth track is a matter which is not open to dispute; and the importance of accurate scientific knowledge is an absolute necessity where a single false step might prove one's undoing. The Jaina Siddhanta has throughout kept these principles in view in its schematic arrangement of the stages on the journey, and the intelligent tyro is merely required to make himself familiar with the nature of the karma prakritis to know precisely what to