Samayik And Chaityavandan Vidhi

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 16

Each of these three Sutras bear the title like Chattäri Mangalam, Chattäri Loguttamä etc. Some people consider these titles as part of the Sutras and recite them, as if there are five lines in each of them. That is not correct. While reciting them, the titles should be separately uttered. Now let us describe the Sutras.
1) After giving the title as 'Chattäri Mangalam' which means that there are four blissful entities, the first Sutra lays down the four Mängaliks as under.
1) Arihantä Mangalam, 2) Siddha Mangalam, 3) Sähoo Mangalam 4) Kevalipannatto Dhammo Mangalam
Meanings: 'Chattäri' means four, 'Kevali' means the omniscient, 'Pannatto' means propounded by and 'Dhammo' means the religion.
The Sutra therefore states: 'The omniscients, liberated entities, saints and the religion propounded by the omniscient are blissful.'
An activity can be successful, only if one applies his mind. But mind is a peculiar phenomenon that hardly stays steady. It is continuously wavering and goes on moving from one subject to another. This happens, because it looks for the object that would give the lasting happiness. When it figures out that one object is not helpful, it turns towards another. This is done so swiftly that we hardly become aware of taking such decisions. Its motivating force lies at the subconscious level, of which we mostly remain ignorant.
Prior to undertaking anything, occurs the idea for that purpose. If such idea is seen as reasonable and useful, it takes the form of concept. The concept gives rise to the tendency to act. It is therefore said that one becomes what he conceives. If he conceives of bliss, he is going to get the bliss. We are, however, so much used to evils that the concept of real bliss does not enter the mind. We may utter that Arihant is blissful, but the concept hardly goes within. It would be a miracle, if we can genuinely think of the blissful Arihants or other entities.
Idea is the seed of every activity and the repetition of an idea functions as sowing of the seed. It is therefore necessary to recite this Sutra repeatedly. Thereby, the idea of bliss would go to the deeper level of mind and the attention would be focused towards it. When the mind is repeatedly told that the four aspects are blissful, it is induced to accept it. Then it starts to aspire for such bliss. We are not required to make any conscious effort for that. Once the mind perceives something as really blissful, it longs for the same.
2) After stating that the four entities are blissful, the next Sutra conveys that those are the highest entities. The term used for the purpose is Loguttam, which means supreme in the universe. Therefore after giving the title of the Sutra as Chattäri Loguttama the Sutra states as under.