Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 66

Code of Conduct for a Jaina Monk : 59
the inflow of new Kārmic particles, i.e. Asrava and thus, saves the soul from new bondage, it is the right austerity, which exhausts the pervious bondage of Karmas. For complete purification of self and perfect unfolding of the potentialities of the self, observation of right austerity is essential.
The pursuit of self-purification must culminate in realisation of the true nature of the self and according to Jainism the true nature of self is nothing but the state of equanimity or complete self absorption, in which self remains undistrubed by the flickerings of aversion and attachment. It is the state of Nirvikalpa citta, which can be acheived through the practice of meditation or Yoga, i.e., the controlling of the activity of mind and body.
The word Yoga, in early Jaina literature, has a different sense. Jaina canonical works as well as Umāsvāti (c. A. D. 375-400 ) explain it as one of the five causes of bondage. If we go in the history of the meaning of the word Yoga, we find that in Roveda and other early works of Vedic literature the word Yoga is used in the sense of connecting or yoking. In this very sense of connecting, the word Yoga is used in Jaina literature also. For Jainas Yoga means which connects the soul with Kārmic particles and thus, it is the binding principle. Later on, the term Yoga is adopted in the sense of the activities of mind, body and speech and it is considered that due to these activities that the soul comes into contact with the Kārmic particles which, inturn, bind the soul. Though in some early Jaina texts the word Yoga also means check or control upon the senses. In this very sense the term has also been used in some of the later Upanişadas. Though in Vedic tradition from the time of Pāṇini the term Yoga attained its technical meaning - yuj-samādhau and is explained as control of the modifications of mind (yogahcittavrttinirodhaḥ ), yet in Jaina tradition it is Haribhadra ( active