Jain Digest 2018 10

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

Page 16

JainDigest
We also need to reduce our attachments, as described is samvar followed by nirjara. Lord Mahavira calls above, as well as any aversions. Strong likes and this 'dravya drashti'. Attention is focused primarily dislikes often are reasons for karma bondage. on the center with some bare attention observing Practicing equanimity stopsthe influx of karma. external happening without any clinging. You must
give emphesis to knowing and bare attention to What capabilities and tools are needed to stop the happening on the periphery. influx of karma?
Our primary emphasis must be to our 'knowing' and As per Jain scriptures, all of the above discussion can not on what is being known. Then the discrimination be summed up in two words: Upsham (Reduction is there. Never say, "I am becoming old." Just say, of Passions) and Vairagya (Detachment). In order to "The body is becoming old." Then in the moment succeed at this we need to develop certain capabilities of death also you will know, "I am not dying; my and use certain tools as described below.
body is dying. I am changing bodies, just changing
the house." If this discrimination deepens, one day, 1) Descriminative Judgement:
suddenly, there will be enlightenment. Detachment All the happening takes place only to our periphery. from success and failure, from pleasure and pain, will When we connect with Higher Self, we are at the bring you back into connection with the only thing center and remain detached all the time. When we that is invariably present, stable, and safe: your center mentally associate ourself with peripheral activity of pure awareness and pure love. then the bondage comes into play. This association is strictly mental, illusive and voluntary arising out of Emotional detachment is necessary to reach a state ignorance. With understanding and discriminative of equanimity, and to be able to live fully in the judgement we can remain detached, and this present moment, without worries or regrets. All those detachment is not forced. You simply know it is so. who attained self-realization and higher 'gunsthan' This is not a forced detachment; this is not any effort invariably went through inner process of discriminative on our part to remain detached. Any effort to remain judgement followed by external process of 'glad detached, will take us on the periphery and that we acceptance all happening. have not known the center. The center (Higher Self) is detached; it has always been so. It is transcendental. The only way to stop the influx of new karma is to It is always the beyond. Whatever happens on connect ourself to the inner Higher Self. We must periphery never happens to the 'center'.
realize that we are pure, peaceful and powerful soul
with infinite knowledge and perception. It is the Once we have the feeling of the natural detachment, psychic bond between us and body, family members nothing can disturb us. We will remain silent. Whatever and society that prevent us from focusing our happens in the world, we will remain unmoved. Even attention inward to make a connection with Higher if someone is killing you, only
Self. A constant vigil will cleanse the body will be touched - not
the mind and thereby our you. You will remain beyond.
speech and actions. We must This "beyondness" leads you
understand and realize that all into existence, into that which
Everything is temporary; the happening in our life are is bliss, eternal, into that which Emotions, thoughts, people
just the results of our doing in is true, which is always, into
the past. The 'Glad Acceptance that which is deathless, into and scenery. Do not become
must be accompanied by wisdom life itself. Unless we move from attached, just flow with it. of discriminative judgement and the periphery to the center and
detachment from past as well as unless we become aware of the
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future expectation. eternal in us, 'samvar' has not happened to us. This is called
2) Meditation: 'samyakatv'. This 'sakshi bhav
If you practice meditation, you will (gnata-drashta bhav) arising out
notice reduction in your passions. of connection with Higher Self
You will become more clam and