ISJS Transactions 2018 07 To 09 Vol 02 No 03

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

Page 39

The Celebration of the Soul..... 31
for several reasons. "The first control' is intended to curb activity. The second regulation is intended to indicate regulation of activity, in the case of those who cannot curb it altogether, by giving proper directions. And the object of the tenfold virtues or duty is to avoid spiritual inertia or negligence, while engaged in activities such as movement."
Besides Jain scriptures, some non-Jain scriptures also speak of these eternal virtues, which are very similar to the Jain ones. Srimad Bhāgavata Purāņa mentions 'truth, purity, compassion, forgiveness, renunciation, contentment, simplicity, mental control, sensory control, austerity, equality, tolerance, worldly disinterest, scriptural obeisance, experiential knowledge, detachment, power, courage, illustrious personality, vigour, remembrance, endurance, radiance, strength, lordship, profundity, mental stability, faith in God, worthy of reverence, and humility as eternal virtues. Ācārya Sankara also mentions these virtues for getting liberation (mokşa). He says, “If indeed, thou hast a craving for liberation, shun senseobjects from a good distance as thou wouldst do poison, and always cultivate carefully the nectar-like virtues of contentment, compassion, forgiveness, straightforwardness, calmness and self-control."
Classification of the ten virtues:
The first four virtues are 'bhāvas' or dispositions that are to be "cultivated' (uttama-ksamā. uttama-mārdava, uttama-ārjava and uttama-sauca). The next four (uttama-satya, uttamasamyama, uttama-tapa and uttama-tyāga) are the practices for adoption to put into practice) and the last two (uttama-ākincanya and uttama-brahmacarya) are the essences to experience the true nature of the pure soul - the ultimate goal of Jain Philosophy.
Another classification needed to be kept in mind is the adjective uttama or supreme affixed on each. Adjective uttama implies the individual virtue of supreme soul that is free from any form of delusion (mohanīya karma) and hence is the ideal to be attained. The embodied soul tries to practice these virtues with utmost care and as per their own spiritual purification level with an intention to move up the ladder. In this paper, we will onlytalk of the first and most important virtue i.e. Supreme Forbearance without the suffix uttama i.e. from practical viewpoint (vyavahāra naya) for practice by us, the mundane souls. We shall also discuss from absolute viewpoint (niscaya naya) briefly.
Uttama kşamā (Supreme Forgiveness/ forbearance)
Kșa means 'to destroy' and mā means 'to protect. Or to destroy anger (opposite of forgiveness) and protect the spiritual virtue of soul - 'Supreme forgiveness' or 'forbearance'. Forgiveness is a natural attribute (svabhāva) of the soul. Just as water is cool by nature, the soul is forgiving by nature. Like water becomes hot due to heat, but gradually becomes cool again, similarly, due to external provocation, the soul develops dispositions (vibhāva) of anger, etc., but comes back to its peaceful state with time. Kşamā is the foremost spiritual virtue.
Ksamă implies samatā, or equanimity. To be in a state of equanimity, one has to be free from tainted emotions (kaşāyas) like anger (krodha) as it destroys the soul's nature of forbearance. It is easy for us to slip from one 'K' to another i.e. from krodha to kşamā, without taking a