Jain Digest 1992 10 Vol 19 No 04

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 24

Jain Digest Deepawali, The Nirvan Day of Lord Mahavir - Oct. 25
by Manubhai Doshi M.A., Chicago, IL
Lord Mahavir attained Nirvan in 527 B.C. That oneself. For this purpose, He stayed in total concentration means that He gained salvation 2,519 years back. Since then, and meditation. The concentration and meditation made we have been celebrating the day of His Nirvan as Diwali or Him oblivious of the physical needs. He did not fast for the Deepawali, the festival of lights. Salvation is the ultimate sake of fasting, but His concentration did not keep Him liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Thereby the aware of the appetites. His absorption in the nature of the soul stays in eternal peace and perfect happiness forever. soul did not permit any concern for what was happening to We find all around that people have been yearning to gain the body. He could therefore face, with equanimity, the happiness, but hardly anyone obtains it. Questions may unbearable pain inflicted upon him. therefore arise how anyone can gain unending happiness. Our search for happiness does not succeed because we are
During the last fifty years, mankind has gained haunted by the desires that happen to be unending. It is the physical comforts undreamt of by the earlier generations. human nature that when one achieves whatone was longing They, however, do not experience higher level of happiness. for, new desires arise that demand fulfillment. After On the contrary, we have been witnessing a higher level of carefully examining this aspect of human nature, Lord agitation, uneasiness, etc. This is mainly because we do not Mahavir arrived at the truth underlying the entire existence. realize that happiness is a state of mind. In search of He has therefore laid down that the path of gaining lasting happiness, we therefore continue to hanker for more and happiness is the path of "desirelessness". It lies in pursuing more physical comforts. Paradoxically enough, with all the the truth of Self to the exclusion of worldly situations.
amenities and physical comforts, mankind has been currently
living under heavy stress. Everyone wants to gain peace and Lord Mahavir was born in a
tranquility, but no one gains that. Can royal family and had all the worldly
the life of the Lord offer any lesson? comforts and amenities at His command. He however noticed that the life does
Ample evidence is now available end and is subject to old age and disease;
to show that peace and tranquility can be that physical comforts are empheral and
obtained by concentration and mediation. do not last forever. He also could notice
Our Samayika is the practice of the human nature of yearning for what
equanimity. It is a powerful tool and our he does not have. He was intent upon
religious books have rightly emphasized seeking the real happiness that stays.
its importance. They have gone to the Therefore, at the young age of 30, He left
extent of stating that one single Samayika the worldly life and spent more than 12
can help in averting the life in hell. It is years in spiritual pursuit. During that
meant for maintaining balance of mind period, he observed acute austerities and
that can lead to true happiness. Kausagga, faced all sorts of adversities and distress.
which is a part of Samayika, is an exercise We get highly impressed and marvel at
in concentration that is highly necessary His capacity to stay without food for
for attaining peace and tranquility. months together and to face the acute physical pain. With a view to follow
The beneficial results of Samayika Him, some devotees try to renounce the
are not forthcoming because we happen worldly life and/or fast for days and
to undertake it lightly. It is a powerful sometimes for weeks together. Do we,
tool of attaining peace and tranquility.
Lord Mahavir however, try to realize what was the source of His extraordinary capabilities? What was He
We may celebrate the ensuing Nirvan day of the doing during that long period of spiritual pursuit? Did he Lord with usual lights, etc. Let us, however, think of the spend most of the time in sleep or reading scriptures or dawning of the light within ourselves. For this purpose, let something like that?
us decide on the eve of that occasion to regularly practice
true Samayika and gain peace and tranquility. Thereby, we During most of the period of His spiritual pursuit can show to others that Jainism is not simply a bundle of Lord Mahavir stayed in Kausagga or Kayotsarga. This term mechanical rituals. It has a noble mission and a technique to literally means giving the body. His sole objective was to make everyone happy. That would be a most fitting tribute realize the everlasting peace and tranquility inherent within to Lord Mahavir.
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