________________
Chapter - 4
Samayasāra (tamhi sahāvetthidā munino ņivvānam pavamti) hence ascetics who aspire for self-realization can achieve it by self-meditation (concentrating on the transcendental self].
(Jo paramatthammi du athido) If one is not anchored to [has no faith in) the transcendental but (tavam kundi) practises penance (ca) and (vadam dhārayadi) observes vows; (tam savvam savvanhu bālatavam bālavadam vimti) all such penances and vows are considered bālatapa (austerity of an ignorant one) and bālavrata [vow of an ignorant one] by the omniscient.
(Vada-niyamāņi dharamtā) Inspite of practising vows and observing rules (of ascetic conduct) (tahā sīlāņi ca tavam kuvvamtā) as well as celibacy and penances, (je paramathabāhirā te ņivvānam ņa vimdamti) one cannot succeed in attaining self-realization, if he is not anchored in the transcendental.
(Je paramatthabāhirā te mokkhahedum ayānamtā) They who are not anchored in the transcendental, because he is not aware of the path of self-realization [emancipation), (annanena samsāragamaņahedum vi punņamicchamti) desires punya auspicious karma although it is the cause of the worldly state. Annotations :
These four verses emphatically establish that full and unshakable faith in the inherent purity of the soul, that is, the perfect transcendental state of the self, is basic for the process of self-realization/emancipation. In other words the process of self-realization cannot even be commenced until the aspirant is not only fully aware of the ultimate pure and perfect (unencumbered with any alien object) state of the Self, but also has full and irreversible belief/ faith that self-realization is (i) possible and (ii) the only ultimate goal and objective of a spiritual aspirant. The aspirant must trust the records of the experiences of the omniscients and believe that the truth is not unknowable; that purity is integral to the self and its realization is not a new creation in the sense of emergence of an absolutely unprecedented state.
It has been repeatedly stated that inspite of the integral perfection and inherent purity, the soul has been obstructed from attaining self-realization (which is the same thing as the realization
- 0-: 126:- - For Private & Personal Use Only
Jain Education International
www.jainelibrary.org
