ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 182

SCHOOL
OF
SELF STUDY IS THE
SUPREME AUSTERITY
Farenga
परमे
•
Tattvānusāsana), Šubhacandra (11th century AD in Jñānāmava), Hemacandra (12th century AD in Yoga Sastra), Asādhara (in 13 century AD Adhyatma-rahasya) did exemplary work in propagating meditation and code of conduct for physical well being as well.
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
राप
Similarly the story literature of Jains has several stories like Maināsundari which talk of sicknesses inflicting the Jain practitioners and how they got rid of the same to ultimately achieve liberation. Then we have Samantabhadra (suffering from endless urge to eat), Pujyapada and Vadirāja (a leper himself getting rid of his as well others leprosy), 23rd Tirthankara Pārsvanatha (who is credited with removing the worldly pains of snake couple (Padmavati and Dharanendra gods etc), the four Dādāgurus, and lately Mahaprajña spearheading healing of physical ailment through Preksa-dhyana (Prekṣā meditation). Now a day's almost all the monks (male and female) have started offering healing touch to their followers also. We find use of meditation, prayers, charity, instruments (yantras), religious rituals (tantras) and mantras being used as the factors of healing as well.
Metaphysical considerations
There are infinite living beings, each independent and aiming to be happy for ever. All living beings have the potential to attain this state and have similar feelings/emotions. The differences in living beings exist due to their past and present karmas. The states/ existences of jīva and ajīva along with their interactions is described as seven verities or tattvas) or nine entities (padarthas).
The first two are jīva (empirical soul) and ajīva (matter).
⚫ They both attract each other and the movement of one towards other is called influx (āsrava). When the activity of the mind, body and speech are set free from the effect of auspicious and inauspicious physical states, there results the influx only but no bondage. This view appears to be easy enough to be actualized as the self is so much addicted from beginningless past oscillating between the auspicious and inauspicious psychical states. Jain saints have exhibited its practicability; e.g. Kundakunda talks of three types of manifestations of the soul, namely auspicious (subha), inauspicious (asubha) and pure (śuddha), the pure manifestation is the ideal which is attempted by the monks by observing the vows fully.
However when the empirical soul acts with its dispositions (bhāva comprising actively engaged with the result of the karmic activity, subsidence, subsidence cum annihilation, annihilation and the inherent nature of the soul as reflected by the six lesyās) tainted
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