Pristine Jainism

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 46

Kalparkṣas (Forests) in Jainism : (43) Jainism. Ignorant people are generally lazy (Pramādī) and want easy gains without efforts and are therefore mislead by mischievous manipulators, cheats and even pseudo saints. It needs arduous efforts to do good deeds, reduce wants and follow righteous path to earn good luck (Karma). People shirk it, fall prey, and suffer.
In Jaina literature Kalpavṛkṣa is not one particular tree but all tree species grouped in ten broad categories. In Tilloypanṇatti by Yati Vṛṣabhācārya there is mention of ten types of Kalpavṛkṣas (trees);
पाणंगतूरियंगा
भूसणवत्थंगभोयणंगा य ।
आलयदीवियभायणमालातेजंगआदिकप्पतरू ॥
Tiloyapanṇatti, 2nd Part 4th Chapter, verse 242
The ten types are pānānga (yielding liquid products for drinking), Tūryānga (giving wood and other material for making musical instruments), Bhūṣaṇānga (giving material flowers etc for ornamentation), Vastränga (giving fibres, flosses, dyes, chemicals, gums etc. for clothing), Bhojananga (giving edible fruits, seeds, nuts, leaves, flowers etc for food), Alayanga ( giving timber etc for construction of houses), Dīpānga (giving material used for fire, lighting), Bhājanānga (from which material for utensils is available), Mālānga (giving decorative flowers etc), Tejānga (which protect from harmful radiations of sun).
It is significant to note the word 'etc' '3' i.e. there are other types also. Though forests (trees) have been destroyed over vast areas and many species are even extinct, yet the remnant existing forests have types of trees mentioned above which if preserved, developed and propagated, the era of Kalpavṛkṣa, the Sukhamā (Happy), and even Sukhama-Sukhamā (Happy-Happy) State can be achieved, the descending cycle can be stopped and reversed to ascending (progressive) order. Time can be arrested and sustainable stable conditions established as cited in the case of some areas mentioned in next chapter.