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JainDigest
that have been accumulated over many lifetimes. This dependency on anything external-beyond our soul- is accumulated water needs to be removed so we can called Mithyatva. move forward in our journey. One way of removing it is Observing austerities or tapa are inner and outer by allowing the water inside the boat to evaporate in the practices, and involve increasing awareness of the purity heat of the sun, in its own time and rate. This could be of our soul, along with the independency of the soul, to like "Akaam Nirjara".
take our mind off the desires. Observing austerities can
be a consistent action over a longer period of time. The more proactive way is for the boatman himself to work hard to throw out this accumulated water with The six external austerities include the following: 1) his own hands. This is what is referred to as "Sakaam Anasan, fasting for a day, for some days, or throughout Nirjara". Under this reflection, one thinks about the one's life, renouncing food and drink completely; 2) evil consequences of karma, and striving to destroy the Unodari, eating and drinking less (water) than one's previously acquired karma by austerity and meditation. hunger and thirst call for; 3) Vritti Sankshep (reducing This means that our prayers for liberation come with an desires), managing to live with the minimum amount inbuilt responsibility for us to take action and that we are of necessities; 4) Rasa Tyag, renouncing food and drink responsible to create the life we want.
that provoke the passions and encourage the instinctive
excitements and provocations; and 5) Kaya Klesh and 6) Just like de-cluttering makes it easier to find inner peace, Samlinata, ways of building bodily endurance. to focus, and to keep our attention on what is most important and meaningful in life, clutter can create stress The six kinds of internal austerities are mainly related to the mind: and confusion that you may not be aware of. After you 1) Prayaschit (atonement), in which we review and have uncluttered, you usually feel calmer and lighter, introspect our faults that have occurred through a bit more upbeat and are able to think more clearly. thoughts, words, and actions, and repent and make Uncluttering a drawer, a shelf, or some kind of space in atonement for the faults; 2) Vinay (politeness), mindful your life can be an unexpectedly positive experience, not politeness towards elders and spiritual superiors and just practically, but both emotionally and mentally. refraining from condemnation; 3) Vaiyavachch (service),
serving with devotion religious teachers, ascetics, and Similarly, the practice of Nirjara connects us with the inner virtuous people; 4) Swadhyay (spiritual studies leading source of energy whose power makes us face ourselves, to self-realization), which involves studying, learning, allowing us to free ourselves from physical, mental, and reflecting on sacred books to support and inspire emotional, and spiritual clutter forever. It is the connection us to attain self-realization and avoid entanglement in with the inner source of energy that results in Nirjara. mundane life; 5) Dhyan (meditation), or concentrating
all the inclinations and potentialities of the mind on a So, what should a soul do to remove its karmas? The contemplation of the true form of the Atma; 6) Vyutsarg answer is the practice of both the internal and the external (renouncing attachment to the body), which involves tapas or austerities or penances. This leads to proactively renouncing all bodily inclinations and activities, and then shedding the accumulated karmas in a short time, or attaining stillness. before their maturation. In addition to getting rid of the existing karma, one also needs to stop accumulating One important thing to note is that all the above austerities new karma - that is the subject of "Samvar Bhavana" - have to be done with a clear understanding of why one is covered in another article in this magazine.
doing them. Nirjara Bhavana is the contemplation of the
main goal of such activities - which is shedding of karma We all live with attachments to worldly life, because we and as a result, attain higher spiritual state. believe that our happiness comes from worldly things and people. This attachment to worldly life enhances "It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack the influx of karmas. Tapa, or tyag, is about releasing away at the inessentials." - Bruce Lee the belief that anyone and anything outside of us is responsible for our happiness. The belief that leads to
NIRJARA BHAVANA - CONTEMPLATION OF SHEDDING OF KARMA Contemplation of various ways of shedding karma by external and internal austerities and doing so with
right knowledge and with intention of achieving spiritual elevation is Nirjara Bhavana.
