ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 425

The above table enumerates the reflections of the ancient saints and seers, who experienced reality but expressed it in different terminology. They did s dhan and through tapa i.e. austerity purified their souls just as gold was purified when subject to fire. Thus we see that the term 'tapa' was more in vogue than Yoga. The rama a is indicative of rama i.e. effort ama i.e. subduing of passions or sama i.e. balance of mind. The ramanas as well as Tapasas and Yogis saw the limitation of physical penance like fasting, mortification of the flesh, etc., and realized that conquer of senses and inner passions was important for liberation. The term tapa fell short of positive connotation; hence the term Yoga became popular, at least in the Vedic tradition. The term Yoga became indicative of the realization of the ultimate reality. It came to be considered as the best and short cut to reality.
Meaning of the Word Yoga
The word Yoga is derived from the root word 'yuj' which means to join' and it also means stability of mind. The ultimate aim of all Indian philosophies except C rv ka is liberation and this is possible by conquering the mind and transcending it. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, Yoga is defined as Yoga cittav ttinirodah ile giving up the activities of the citta i.e. consciousness (4) Gt says "Samatvam yoga ucyate" i.e. equanimity is Yoga. In Jainism it indicates the activities of body, speech and mind i.e. K yavanma ah karma yogah 15. The vibrations of the soul are termed as Yoga Haribhadhra says that what leads one to emancipation is Yoga [Mokke a joya o joggo savvo vi dhamma v v ro]
Tattv rtha Sutra further says the three-fold activity causes influx of karma' and when it is auspicious it is punya i.e. merit or virtue and when it is inauspicious it is p pa i.e. demerit or sin 8. One has to first give up all inauspicious activity (a ubha yoga); substitute them with auspicious activity ( ubha yoga) and then learn the art of uddhopayaga i.e. pure contemplation to be emancipated. The soul that is engrossed in a ubha yoga is the external self i.e. bahir tm, the one in ubha yoga is the internal self and the one absorbed in uddha yoga is the transcendental or pure self. In other words one has to check all the activities of the mind, body and speech for spiritual welfare and this is termed as sa vara i.e. stoppage of influx of karma. Just as water flows into a pond through the inlets, k rmika influx takes place through the three channels of activity (i.e. yoga). Hence the purpose of Jaina Yoga is to transcend all mundane activities and reach the ayoga state i.e. the state of soul without activities of mind speech and body, also called transcendental state of enlightenment and bliss. This state is inherent in all jv tm s and those who pursue and exert in the right direction eventually become param tm s or supreme self 9). In Jainism the term c ritra i.e. right conduct is the exact equivalent of the general term Yoga (10). It is said:
sravo ba dha hetusyat sa varo mok a k ra am,
Itiyam arhatid ti, anayat sarva prapanca am.
i.e. influx is the cause of bondage and sa vara is the cause of emancipation. This is Arhat faith in a nutshell; and rest is an elaboration of this. The five-fold regulations (samitis), the three-fold selfcontrol (guptis), ten-fold virtues (yati dharma), twelve-fold contemplations (anuprek s), conquest of twenty-two afflictions (pari ahas) and five-fold conduct (caritra) constitute the sa vara tattva i.e. stoppage of influx of karma. Besides the above 57 divisions, the twelve-fold austerities constitute the nirjar tattva 11 or annihilation of karmas. Fasting (an ana), regulated diet (unodari), taking alms (bhik cari), giving up of tasty diet (rasparity ga), physical postures (k yakle a) and control of senses (pratisaml nat ) are the six-fold external austerities. The six-fold internal austerities are:
Nine-fold expiation (pr ya citta): confession, repentance, penitential retreat etc. Four-fold reverences (vinaya) of faith, knowledge, conduct etc. Respectful service (vaiy v ttya) to ten supreme personalities. Five-fold study (sv dhy ya) teaching, enquiry, revising, contemplation and preaching Concentration (dhy na) i.e. meditation. Detachment (vyutsarga) i.e. renunciation
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0