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श्री पुष्करमुनि अभिनन्दन ग्रन्थ : पंचम खण्ड
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JAINA MYSTICISM
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Dr. Kamal Chand Sogani Reader in Philosophy, University of Udaipur, Udaipur
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In the cultural history of mankind, there have been persons who regard spiritual quest as constituing the essential meaning of life. Inspite of the marked environmental differences, their investigations have exhibited remarkable similarity of experience and expression. Such persons are styled mystics and the phenomenon is known as mysticism. Like the mystics of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam etc., Jaina mystics have made abundant contribution to the mystical literature as such. They have dealt with mysticism quite systematically and in great detail.
The equivalent expressions in Jainism for the word 'mysticism' are : Suddhopayoga, Arhat and Siddha state, Panditäpanditamarana, Paramātman-hood, Svasamaya, Parädrsti, Ahinsa, Samatva, etc. All these expressions convey identical meaning of realising the transcendental self. The traditional definition of Jaina mysticism may be stated thus : 'Mysticism consists in the attainment of Arhat-hood or Siddha-hood through the medium of Samyagdarśana (right attitude or faith). Samyagiñāna (right knowledge) and Samykcaritra (right conduct) after dispelling Mithyadarsana (wrong attitude), Mithyājñāna (wrong knowledge) and Mithyācäritra (wrong conduct). Kundakunda (1st cent. A. D.) records departure from this terminology when he says: 'Mysticism consists in realising the Paramātman (transcendental self) through the Antarātman (internal self) after renouncing the Bahirātman (external self).' Haribhadra (7th cent. A. D.) also employs a different terminology when he announces : 'Mysticism consists in arriving at the state of Vrttisaṁkşaya (cessation of mental states) through the stages of Samyagdrsti and Caritri after abandoning the stage of Apunarbandhaka (Mithyadrsti in transition). At another place he says: Mysticism consists in attaining to Parādrsti (transcendental insight) through Sthiră (Steady spiritual insight), Kāntā and Prabhā Drstis (elementary and deep meditational insights) after passing through Mitra, Tārā, Balā, and Diprā *Drstis.
All these definitions of mysticism are fundamentally the same. Paramätman refers to Arhat-hood and Siddha-hood, Parādrspi and the state of Vrtrisankşya; Antarātman points to Samyagdarśana, Sthirädrsţi and Samyagdrsti; and consequently to Samyagjñāna, Samyakcăritra, the state of Caritri and the Kānta and Prabhā Drstis. Bahirätman refers to Mithyadarśana the state of Apunarbandhaka along with Mitrā, Tārā, Bala and Diprā Drstis and consequently to Mithyājñāna, and Mithyācāritra.
Thus we may say that the Paramātman is the true goal of the mystic quest. The journey
*
The type of enlightenment accruing from eight Drstis may respectively be compared to the type of light give out by the sparks of straw-fire, cowdung-fire, wood-fire, the light of a lamp, the lustre of a gem, the light of the star, the light of the sun, and the light of the moon. Thus it varies from the indistinct enlightenment to the most distinct one. The first four Drstis (Mitra, Tārā, Balā, Diprā) occur in the stage of apunarbandhaka (MithyādȚsti in transition) hence they are unsteady; while the last four, in the stage of Samyagdrşți and Căritri, hence they are steady.
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