Mokshamala

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 58

Then the Lord said, 'Gautam, the man thus could not explain the royal splendor and happiness that he had experienced. He knew it, but could not express the same in absence of comparable objects. Similarly in absence of analogy I cannot describe the incomparable liberation or even an infinitesimal part of absolute, everlasting, conscious and delightful bliss thereof.'
Those, who doubt the bliss of liberation, are guided by wrong notions. Being immersed in transitory happiness they cannot conceive of true bliss. Some unrealized persons even argue that since there is no happiness superior to what is available here, the philosophers termed the bliss of liberation as infinite. This betrays their lack of discernment. Everyone enjoys the sleep, but what happens during that time is not seen or known. At the most one might remember the dreaming stage, which presents unrealities. There could of course be dreamless sleep, in which everything, subtle as well as gross, is known while undergoing the quiet unobstructed sleep. Is it, however, possible to describe it? What sort of analogy could be drawn for the purpose? This is a gross illustration, which has been given for consideration of the ordinary people, who are bereft of discernment. The story of the tribal man has been given here with some verbal changes for the sake of explaining the concept.
Lesson 74: Wholesome meditation, Part 1
The Lord has stipulated four kinds of meditation, viz. Arta (Worrisome), Raudra (wrathful), Dharma (Wholesome) and Shukla (Pure). The former two are to be averted, while the latter two need to be resorted to for seeking the realization. Wholesome meditation is helpful in making out various parts of scriptural knowledge, in getting competency for contemplating over the scriptural contents and in understanding the essence of Lords' words. The truth-seeking persons need to adopt, resort to and contemplate over the same. There are 16 aspects thereof. The first four are Äjnävichay, Apäyvichay, Vipäkvichay and Sansthänvichay,
Ajnävichay: Ajnä means command and Vichay means contemplation. One needs to contemplate that what the omniscient Lords have said about the religion is true and there is nothing to doubt about it. 'I find it difficult to understand it because of adverse times or of unavailability of superb knowledge or of shortage of my intelligence or any other account. The Lords have not said anything untrue or misleading, because they were unattached, renounced and desireless. They had no reason to tell lies, and being omniscient they would not say wrong even out of ignorance. Where is the scope for telling anything wrong when there is no ignorance?' Such sort of contemplation constitutes Ajnavichay.
Apäyvichay: Apäy means misery, unhappiness. Apäyvichay therefore consists of contemplating over the unhappiness arising out of attachment, resentment anger, passions etc.
Vipäkvichay: Vipäk fruits, consequences etc. of wholesome or unwholesome Karmas. Vipäkvichay therefore consists of contemplating that the misery and unhappiness that I undergo from time to time, my moving from birth to birth, my current ignorance etc. are due to my Karmas.
Sansthänvichay: Sansthän means shape of universe. The shape of universe is similar to a man standing with legs apart and with hands set at waist. The universe is full of living beings and lifeless matter. The size of middle world is immense. There are innumerable landmasses as well as vast seas and there are innumerable abodes of luminous bodies, forest gods etc. It is subject to three astonishing phenomena of rising, passing away and constancy. There are minimum 20 and maximum 170 Tirthanakars in two and a half landmasses (where human beings exist). Moreover there could be other omniscient Lords and monks moving over there. Let me bow, offer obeisance, venerate, revere and resort to them for my well being and bliss.
There is the infernal abode, which is larger than the middle world. There are dwelling places of miserable infernal beings and of mansion-dwellers. On account of wrong perception this soul has taken births in all