ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 217

eat), Ācārya Pujyapāda and Ācārya Vādirāja (a leper himself getting rid of his as well others leprosy), 23rd Tirthamkara Pārsvanātha (who is credited with removing the worldly pains of snake couple (Padmāvati and Dharaṇendra gods etc)), the four Dādāgurus, and now Acharya Mahaprajna spearheading healing of physical ailment through Preksā meditation. Now a day's almost all the monks and nuns have started offering healing touch to their followers also. We find use of meditation, prayers, charity, yantras, tantras and mantras being used as the factors of healing
Metaphysical considerations Jains believe in the duality of existence i.e. living beings (jīva or sentient beings) and non living beings (ajīva or insentient beings). Jīva in pure form is called siddha or pure soul, and when it is associated or defiled with matter impurities called karmas, it is called empirical soul or saṁsārī-jīva. So a Jain considers, 'I am the soul, am immortal and responsible for all my acts and actions - reactions'. Diseases or even death are momentary stages of the body associated with me. Hence both do not disturb my state of equanimity. I am the master of my own self and have the capability to remove all impurities and causes of pain associated with me and achieve my nature of infinite knowledge and bliss. Right faith-knowledge-conduct together is the path of attaining this pure state of my soul.
Jiva suffers pains /sicknesses due to de-meritorious karmas or enjoy good health and pleasures due to meritorious karmas associated with it. One of the karma types called body building or Nāma karma (93 sub types) details each sub type responsible for different types and ailments of the physical body associated with saṁsāri-jīva. Similarly life span or death is determined by another type of karma called Ayu. The karma literature, (Karaṇānuyoga), is full of explanations of the cause and effect i.e. influx, bondage, stoppage of influx and dissociation of existing karmas.
The whole mundane careers or transmigration of the soul, from one realm to another, result from the association of passions and yoga with the empirical self. Hence the avoidance of terrestrial comforts and curses, in the first place, means the cessation of influx of karmic particles so as to ward of the incessant assault of the subtle karmic enemies. Secondly it means the suffocation of the indwelling foes of the Karmas till they die. In other words, 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 appear to be easy enough to be actualized as the self is so much addicted from beginning less past
Page 204 of 273
STUDY NOTES version 5.0