Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 25

of the Jaina is that it is actions (mental, bodily and vocal) polluted by passions that cause empirical bondage to the self44. The passion-free actions do not bring about any mundane bondage whatsoever. When there are no passions, there is no bondage (Bandha). It is passions that mar the spiritual career of an aspirant. 6. Mystical journey of the self from darkness to light, from slumberness
to perfect spiritual awakening
The equivalent expressions in Jainism for the word 'mysticism' are : Śuddhopayoga“, Arhat and Siddha46 state, Pandita-Pandita Marana47 Paramātmanhood48, Ātmasamāhita state49, Samatva", Parādrstis, Ahiṁsā53 etc. All these expressions convey indentical meaning of realising the transcendental self. The traditional definition of Jaina mysticism may be stated thus : Mysticism consists.in the attainment of Arhathood or Siddha-hood through the medium of Samiyagdarśana (spirital awakening) Samyagjñana (value knowledge), and Samyakcāritra (ethico-spritual conduct) after dispelling Mithyādarśana (spiritual perversion), Mithyājñāna (perverted Value knowledge), and Mithyācāritra (perverted conduct)54. Kundakunda (1st cent A.D.) records departure from this terminology when he says : Mysticism consists in realising the Paramātman (transcendental self), through the Antarātman (internal self) after renouncing the Bahirātman (external self)55. Thus we may say that the Paramātman is the true goal of the mystic quest. The whole mystic journey may be put as follows: (1) Awakening of the self, (2) Purgation, (3) Illumination, (4) Dark-night of the soul, and (5) Transcendental life. The Jaina tradition deals with the mystic journey under the fourteen stages of spiritual evolution, technically known as Gunasthānas. However, these stages may be subsumed under the above heads in the following way :56. 1. Dark-period of the self prior to its awakening :
Mithyātva Gunasthāna (First) In this Gunsthāna the empirical souls remain in a perpetual state of spiritual ignorance. The soul staying in this Gunasthāna identifies itself with bodily colour, physical frame, sex, cast, creed, family, friends and wealth. The consequence is that it is constantly obsessed with the fear of self-annihilation on the annihilation on the body and the like and is tormented even by the thought of death.
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Indian Culture and Jainism