ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 543

When Gautama Ga adhara observes many people being enlightened by omniscience (kevalajn na). he becomes sorrowful and grief stricken and asks Lord Mah vra as to why he has not yet become enlightened. Then Lord Mah vra reveals to him, "You are humble and virtuous, without blemish and noble, the little attachment you have for me is an impediment for your enlightenment! This incident goes to show that none can grant liberation to another. Each one is responsible for his actions and the fruits thereof; hence one ought to judiciously exert that at every stage in life.
Ga adhara Gautama
Bhagavati Sutra begins with the curiosity of ga adhara Gautama. If Gautama is curiosity personified, Mah vra is the solution provider. What Arjuna is to K a and nand to Buddha, is Gautama to Mah v ra. Bhagavati Sutra begins with salutations to the five parame his (supreme auspicious beings), Brahmi script, scriptural knowledge and then throws light on the personality of ga adhara Gautama. His respect for Mah v ra, his humility, his attitude, his curiosity to learn, the How's and Why's of life and his thirst for knowledge are reflected in his questions, which he puts to Mah vra to seek solutions. He remained indebted to Mah vra and was faithful to him till his last breath. Besides Gautama; Bhagavati Sutra also records the questions put forth by Skandaka Parivr jaka, Somila, K lodai, Jayanti, Roha A ag ra and others.
A Study of the Bhagavati Sutra through the Fundamentals of Jainism
The Tattvartha Sutra reveals, "Jv v sravaba dhasa varanirjar mok stattvam" 19"i.e. the soul, non soul, influx, bondage, stoppage, annihilation of karma and liberation are the basic elements (the realitiess). The soul is characterized by consciousness and is said to be one as well as many. The nonsoul is opposed to the nature of consciousness. The association of the soul with non-soul causes the influx of karmic matter (a rava) and their mutual intermingling, i.e. of soul and karma is termed as bondage (ba dha). The arrest of the karmic influx is sa vara, i.e. stoppage, partial removal of the karmas is nirjar , i.e. annihilation, and complete disassociation is mo sa, i.e. liberation. When Punya and p pa, i.e. virtue and sin respectively are added to the above list, there are nine verities (realities) i.e. tattvas. Some of these nine are knowable, others are to be discarded and still others are acquirable:
Knowables (jñeya)
•
Soul (j va) Non-soul (aj va)
Sin (p pa) Influx ( srava) Bondage (ba dha)
Discardables (heya)
Virtue (punya) Acquirables (up deya) . Stoppage (sa vara)
• Annihilation (nirjar )
Liberation (mok a) One remarkable feature of Bhagavati Sutra is that it discusses different topics from different aspects i.e. Anek nta or multidimensional approach to reality. When Somila asked whether he was one or many, Lord Mah vra replied that essentially as pure soul he was one, but characteristically multidimensional and many When Jayanti asked Lord Mah vra, whether a person who was sleeping or a person who was awake was better, Lord Mah vra replied that one who took to a sinful life, it is better that he is asleep and for a person who took to righteous life, it is good that he is awake . Likewise Lord Mah vra has discussed the fundamentals of Jainism, i.e. the nine verities or realities and other topics in similar fashion so as to give a comprehensive picture of reality. Thus we find the rudiments of Anek ntav da and Sy dv da as Vibhajyav da in the gamas.
J va Tattva or Soul
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0