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This has been proclaimed by the Arahants (embodied spiritually perfect personalities) that having renounced the perverted self in threefold ways (mentally, bodily and vocally) and having become an awakened self, (the person desirous of spiritual progress) meditates upon the supreme self. Birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow, type of family, grade of existence, concomitants (psychical and physical) of self, different categories of self and transmigration in the four grades of mundane existence- all these do not belong to the nature of self. (Senses of ) colour, taste, odour and touch, bodily form, structures of bones, modification (of self) in the form of men, women, etc.-all these do not belong to the self. Having kept empirical standpoint in view, the Ācāryas have spoken of all the modifications in the form of men, women, etc. as belonging to the self. (Verily), from the transcendental point of view, all the Jivas (beings) are the possessors of the nature of perfect souls. (In this way) selves from the two perspectives have been proclaimed. The Jiva (self) is devoid of taste, colour, odour, and sound He is imperceptible. Consciousness is his characteristic. His comprehension is without inferential reasoning. His form (of existence) has not been indicated. Know this The self is devoid of mind, body and speech. He is without mental dualities, without mineness, and without body. He lives without support, without attachment, without flaw, without infatuation and without fear. The self is without possessions, without altachment, without the mental stings of deceit, of other worldly desires, and of spiritual ignorance He is free from all imperfections. He is without lust, without anger, without pride and without vanity. He who is the knower is the self He is neither passionate nor dispassionate i.e. (He transcends these mental states). Thus the self is pure The self which has been known is for certain the knower The self-realisers speak thus
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Samaņasuttam-Vol I
49
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