ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 332

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Dr. Poddar remarks, 'Historians of literature and critics of the Uttarajjhayana hold the opinion that these pieces are of comparatively recent origin. Dogmatisms must have been a later formulation of the religious renaissance that gave birth to the Ardhamāgadhi (and also Pāli) religious literature, its first preferences naturally being religious teachings through discourses and appropriate narratives and not stuffing the audience with dogmatism. Therefore, the opinion of the historians and the critics seems plausible.24
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY
Farenga
Chapter XXVI is titled samācārī and reveals rules and regulations of an ascetic order. Besides ten points of code of conduct an ascetic should beginning with sunrise divide his day into four parts. The first part is for scriptural study, the second for meditation, the third for collecting alms and the fourth again for scriptural study. Likewise in the four parts of the night beginning from sunset he should study, meditate, and sleep then study in the fourth again. He should regularly practice penitential retreat (pratikṛmana), expiation (prayaścitta), examination of his belongings (pratilekhana) etc.
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STUDIES
Chapter XXVIII titled Mokşa-marga-gati elaborates Right Austerity on the path of emancipation as well as the constituents of Right Knowledge, Right Faith and Right Conduct. The significance of each and a fine blend of all are important for emancipation. Five types of knowledge, six substances (dravyas), nine fundamentals (tattvas), description of right faith, its characteristics, its types, its significance and its eight limbs, five kinds of conduct are discussed in detail.
Uttaradhyayana-sūtra 19.15
25 Uttaradhyayana-sūtra 19. 40-42.
Chapter XIII is titled Tapomärga and discusses in detail the twelve-fold austerities. Through Tapas i.e. austerities one can destroy the karmas accumulated over crores (millions) of births.25 The divisions and sub-divisions of the six-fold eternal austerities and six-fold internal austerities are enumerated.
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
Chapter XXIX is Samyaktva Parakrama and contains 73 questions and answers on Right Exertion. The chapter is very important for understanding right exertion and illustrates the fruit of each act of exertion enumerated and their spiritual significance. The soul has been exerting since time immemorial but it has always been in the wrong direction. This chapter gives minute details of exerting in the right direction with right understanding and right faith.
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