Book Title: Illuminator of Jaina Tenets
Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Previous | Next

Page 154
________________ 116 Illuminator of Jaina Tenets [ Lustre VI joys perfect detachment to be able to exert for attainment of emancipation. (5) The fifth contemplation is concerned with the self as eternal, imperishable, without beginning and end, as distinguished from the body' which is impermanent, perishable and ever-changing. Consequently he loses all bondage to the body and exerts himself for the highest aim of emancipation. (6) The sixth contemplation is concerned with the impurity and loathsome character of the body which is born in impurity, lives in impurity and dies in impurity. It is impossible to remove the repugnant and foul nature of the body by any means such as bathing, perfuming and the like. This asuci bhävand is an integral part of spiritual discipline in Buddhism and Samkhya-Yoga also. Here the utility of the body for religious life is not denied. What is discouraged is only the excessive attachment to it and the exclusive stress on its nourishment and embellishment, as was done by the materialists in ancient days. (7) The seventh contemplation is concerned with the evilness of the dsravas (influxes) which are like the currents of great rivers emptying the good propensities and filling up the bad ones. The sources of asravas are senses, the passions and attachment to worldly things. The result of this contemplation is the inhibition of the influx of karmans. (8) The next contemplation is on the 'inhibition of the influxes'. This contemplation is like plugging the hole in the keel of a vessel sailing on the ocean. (9) The ninth contemplation is on the nirjara (shaking off the karmans). This shaking is twofold: (i) Involuntary or unmotivated that is effected in due course, and (ii) Voluntary or motivated. The contemplation on the first type convinces the practiser of the nature of suffering as due to past accumulated kaçmans. Contemplation on the second type which is affected by means of penances and tolerance of hardships, troubles and tribulations, generates in the practiser the spiritual vigour and final enlightenment that leads to emancipation. The nirjarā is usually identified with vedanā (suffering) and vipāka (fruition) which are nothing but unalloyed suffering, The contemplation on nirjará is, on this account, contended as possessed of a pessimistic tone. But the final end of this contemplation being spiritual light the contention stands refuted. (10) The tenth contemplation is concerned with the dharma, the Doctrine. The enlightenment is its door; the five mahāvratas constitute the path ; its essence is contained in the twelve angas ; the eight matrices (viz. three guptis and five samitis) constitute its body; it is the supreme saviour, leading its practiser to emancipation. Contemplation on these five integral qualities of the Doctrine convinces the contemplator of the "well propounded character” of the Doctrine. Four excellences of the Doctrine are : (i) its capacity to lead to liberation (nairyātrika), (ii) ultimacy of its truth on account of its relativisitic approach (satyata), (iii) its absolute authenticity (samsuddhatā) because of its being devoid of attachment, aversion and delusion, and lastly, (iv) its instantaneous capability of checking the influx (asrava). These qualities of the Doctrine are comparable to the six qualities of Dhamma propounded in Buddhism. The Dhamma is : (i) svākhyāto—well propounded, (ii) samdithikorealizable in this life, (iii) akaliko--devoid of any time-gap for the generation of its result of purity, (iv) ehi-passiko-its openness to all (lit. come and see), (v) opana Jain Education International For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252