ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 348

S m yika should be performed three times a day, i.e., in the morning, noon and evening. The great Am tacandra3 says that the householder should consider the act of S m yika as obligatory and perform it at least twice a day, i.e., in the morning and evening. He further remarks that its performance at other times will conduce towards the enhancement of the spiritual and moral characteristics; hence it is not improper, but beneficial.
Sitting and standing postures are generally recommended for the performance of S m yika.
The aspirant should purge the mind of sensual pleasures by concentrating on the sermons of the Jina, adopt submissive and surrendering gestures, and finally, either repeat the devotional hymns mentally or absorb himself in self-meditation.
Nature of S m yika can be broadly classified as:
1. N ma i.e. nature of the name assigned to any entity, good or bad does not affect the practitioner as the soul is without any name. Name is assigned to the body only.
2. Sth pan i.e. looks of an entity whether beautiful or ugly does not affect the practitioner as he assigns these attributes to matter and not to soul.
3. Dravya i.e. costs, appearances or use of any entity does not affect him as he thinks these are the attributes of matter and not soul.
4. Ketra i.e, the places whether cool or hot, pleasant or unpleasant etc does not affect him.
5.
K la i.e. time or season like morning, afternoon, cold season or hot season or monsoon does not affect him.
6. Bh va i.e. the state of an entity old/young/attractive etc. do not bother him as he considers soul to be immortal.
From the practitioner's view point S m yika can be classified as
• S m yika of householder i.e. for example 48 minutes per day generally but can be extended or reduced according to his capacity.
• S m yika of monks is for the entire life and all the time.
Bhadrab hu has classified S m yika in three categories namely: Samyaktva to firm up the practitioner's beliefs in the Mok a M rga and provides him the knowledge of discrimination; ruta provides clarity of thought and beliefs and C ritra, which becomes pure with the above two. We shall now see how it is detailed in different categories like va yakas, ik vratas, Pratim s and type of conduct for monks.
3.0 S m yika as va yaka
va yaka literally means essential duties to be performed by the practitioner of Mok a M rga. A separate text considered as canonical was written immediately after Mah vira's nirv a by some cryas at that time. va yakas are supposed to be practiced by monks and householders alike; however there is difference for each category. These are enumerated in a scientific manner as follows:
1. S m yika or State of equanimity of the self
2. Caturvi atistva or reciting the virtues of the 24 tirtha kars.
3. Vand n or veneration of the holy teacher/s.
4. Pratikrama a or visiting the mistakes committed during the day and seek forgiveness and punishment.
5. K yostarga or relaxation i.e. developing a feeling of separateness of body and self.
6. Praty kh na or determination not to commit the faults again.
vetambara tradition accepts these va yakas as common to both householders and monks, while Digambara tradition accepts these for monks and for householders they have different va yakas, namely Devap j (worshipping theomniscient), Gur-up sati (veneration of the holy teachers), Sv dhy ya (self study), Sa yama (self restraint), D na (charity), Tapa (Austerities), Praty kh na or vowing not to make mistakes or practice Mok a M rga in future. These va yakas do have all the
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0