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three Tirthankaras, after accepting asceticism, took the oath of fasting two days only? They had immense power, but they practised Veetaraaga Shuddhopayoga (passionless pure state of Upayoga) by adopting such external means which were suitable to the state of their inner feelings.
Question: If it is so, why then fasting, etc. are termed as 'Penance"?
MOKSHA MARG PRAKASHAK
Answer: Those are described as external penances. The meaning of the word 'external' here is - "It should be visible outwardly to the others that he is an ascetic"; but one will reap the fruit according to his internal thoughts because the thoughtless activity of the body does not bear fruit.
Here he asks- "In scripture Akama-Nirjara i.e., shedding of karmas effected by enduring afflictions with patience, is also stated, which means that Nirjara is caused by enduring hunger, thirst, etc. without desire of any fruit. How then the Nirjara is not caused by enduring afflictions through fasting, etc.?
Answer: In Akama Nirjara also, the external instrumental cause is enduring of hunger, thirst, etc. without any desire and if, there, the inner thoughts are of the order of feeble passion then the sheddig of the inauspicious karmas takes place and the bondage of auspicious karmas like birth in heaven, etc. is caused. But if auspicious bondage be caused by enduring the afflictions even in the state of intense passions, then all Tiryanchas (animals) etc. would definitely get heavenly birth. But this is not possible. Similarly, someone endures the afflictions of hunger, thirst, etc. by observing fast, etc. willfully which is an external instrumental cause, but the fruit is obtained in accordance with inner feelings. This is analogous to calling grain as life (vitality) itself. By adopting such external means the internal penance gets boosted; therefore, conventionally fasting, etc. are called penance. But if someone observes external penance only and internal penance is not evolved then even conventionally it cannot be termed as penance.
Also it is stated:
" कषाय विषयाहारो त्यागो यत्र विधीयते । उपवासः स विज्ञेयः
शेषं लंघनकं विदुः ॥"
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