Panch sutrakam with Tika

Author(s): Chirantanacharya, Haribhadrasuri, Jambuvijay, Dharmachandvijay, V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 56

(v) The Structure of Pancasūtraka
The Pañcasūtraka is a short treatise for the spiritual guidance of Jain mumukşus. It is one whole work containing five sections closely knit together. Each and every section bears an apt title and each preceding section logically leads to the succeeding section!. These five sections form as it were a ladder leading to siddhi or mokşa (liberation). The first section treats of the nature of Saṁsāra which abounds in misery and in which the soul, chained by karmans has been wandering since times immemorial. The soul can put an end to this saṁsāra by practising the true dharma consisting of right faith, knowledge and conduct. One can attain this dharma by destroying one's sinful karmans; and these sinful karmans can be destroyed by cultivating tathā-bhavyatva (one's capacity for attaining liberation). This capacity can be achieved by three means: (i) Catuḥ saranagamana (seeking shelter in (1) the arhats, (2) the siddhas, (3) the sädhus and (4) the dharma preached by arhats). (ii) Duşkstagarhā (censuring one's misdeeds). (iii) Sukstāsevana (praising or approving of good deeds of others). The section is therefore called: Päpapratighătadharmagunabijādhāna-sūtra: "The section dealing with the destruction of sinful deeds and the sowing of the seeds of religious vows (like Abstention from injury to living beings)." The second section then describes the five sthüla (or aņu)-vratas and recommends the mumuksu to adopt them, reflect on them, and put them into practice. In due course he cultivates an attitude of mind that is favourable to adopt dikşă (initiation). This section is called, Sadhudharma-paribhavana-sútra: "The section dealing with Reflection on the duties of a monk". After reflecting on the duties of a monk the novice becomes totally disgusted with samsára. He should then obtain consent of his parents to enter the ascetic order; if he fails in his efforts to obtain their consent, he should make arrangements for their livelihood and leave them with the express aim of securing the antidote of dharma for disabusing the minds of his parents of moha (delusion) and cheerfully adopt the ascetic order at the hands of a worthy guru. The section is aptly called : Pravrajya-grahaņa-vidhi: “The mode of adopting the ascetic order." The next section deals with the strict observance of the duties of a monk including reverential attitude towards his spiritual guide and preceptor while receiving instruction and advice from him and his actual study of the scriptures. The section is appropriately called Pravrajyā-paripalana-sitra: "The section dealing with the observance of monastic life." The concluding section treats of
1. The commentator very well demonstrates how the five sections are closely interlinked when he observes
at the commencement of his Vyäk hyā: . . .न हि प्रायः पापप्रतिघातेन गुणबीजाधानं विना तत्त्वतस्तच्छ्रद्धाभावप्ररोहः, न चासत्यस्मिन् साधुधर्मपरि
भावना, न चापरिभावितसाधुधर्मस्य प्रव्रज्याग्रहणविधावधिकारः, न चाप्रतिपन्नस्तां तत्परिपालनाय यतते, न चापालने एतत्फलमाप्नोतीति प्रवचनसार एष सज्ज्ञानक्रियायोगात् ।
--P., 2. II 2-5. Professor K. V. Abhyankar, in his Foreword to the edition of Pancasuttam by Prof V. M. Shah, pub. by Gurjar Granthratna Karyalıya, Gandhi Road, Ahmedabad, 1934, observes thus:
.. "is a small clegant treatise ... The book has occupied a position of high esteem among the postAgama works on Jaina Religion. In the small treatise the author has given a cogent and logical presentation of the spiritual uplift of the pious individual in five chapters which mark the five successive steps of his spiritual progress. The presentation is fully logical although a little bit ummethodical and the expression is chaste and adequate although a little bit archaic at places. It is the semireligious character and antiquity of the book that attracted a great scholar like Haribhadrasuri to the book and inspired him to write a gloss on it." (Italics ours).
40
.