Istopadesa The Golden Discourse

Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp

Page 42

Verse 7
the true nature of reality and is incapable of discriminating between what is beneficial to him and what is not. Such perverse attitude, owing to partial cleansing or purification, appears along with its purified state and becomes mixed right and wrong belief. When perverse attitude is restrained by virtuous thought activity, the faith deluding karmas become quiescent and no longer obstruct right belief. The individual then is said to be having right belief with slight or occasional wrong belief. The Jainas liken the three classes of faith deluding karmas to the results arising from eating the grain ‘kodrava' by a man. If the grain be eaten without any preparation it causes the most intense giddiness, enough to bewilder the man; such is the effect of wrong belief (mithyātva). If the husk of the grain be removed before eating, the effect is less stupefying; akin to mixed right and wrong belief (samyagmithyātva). If the grain be thoroughly cleansed, the occasional slight uneasiness it may cause is comparable to right belief slightly clouded with false belief (samyaktva).
Wrong belief may be innate or acquired. The manifestation of disbelief in the true nature of reality, on the rise of perversity karma, without teaching by others, is the first variety. The second variety, which is based on the teaching by others, is described as consisting of five perversities: absolutistic attitude (ekānta), contrary attitude (viparīta), doubtful attitude (samsaya), nondiscriminatory attitude (vainayika), and ignorant attitude (ajñānika).
The identification of a thing and its attributes as 'this alone' or ‘thus alone' is absolutistic attitude. 'Everything is permanent,' or ‘Everything is momentary,' are example of absolutistic attitude. ‘An ascetic with material possessions is a passionless saint,' or 'The Omniscient Lord takes morsels of food,' are contrary attitudes. The indecisive view, whether the three gems of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct lead to liberation or not, is doubtful
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