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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
austerity which is undertaken, some Jainas are found to celebrate it with pomp. They give publicity to the austrities undertaken during Paryuşana holy-days and publicly honour the persons undertaking these austerities. When the Jainas give so much importance to these austerities, it is necessary to treat this subject in proper perspective.
We have already noted that the performance of penances is the process of Nirjara when accumulated karmas are shed away by conscious efforts. One thing which is very important to note, and which is not properly understood by lay persons, is that neither Lord Mahavīra nor any of the seers who followed him and interpreted his doctrines, has taken the doctrine of Tapascarya as a bare physical exercise and a matter of demonstration and publicity to the outside world. It is therefore a gross insult of Jainism to give publicity and celebrate the occasions of such penances.
The fuadamental principle behind the idea of penances and austerities is the 'Bhāva', the emotional awareness, to renounce. Unless such a 'Bhāva' is there all penances and austerities are mere physical exercises having no more value than the crude exhibition of bodily power to withstand the pangs of hunger or thirst. Even though the inner aspect of penances is duly emphasized in Jainism, yet the importance of external penances is also not underrated. External austerity involves physical endurance and renunciation of something perceptible, whereas the internal austerity involves control of mind.
The penances are classified under two heads : external and internal. To put more emphasis on Bhāva, the Tírthařkaras have repeatedly said that Abhyantara Tapa is better than Bahya. The external austerity being something physical can be pursued even by a man who is not possessed of right attitude.
Abhyantara means the thing which emanates from within. Bahya means 'outward'. Ācārya Hewacandra? says in his 1. निर्जराकरणे बाह्याद श्रेष्ठं आभ्यन्तरं तपः ।
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