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the teachings of a realised soul. This means that in this life, the seeker may have attained nisargaja samyaktva owing to having benefited from the concurrent presence of the right substance, right location, right time, right motivation and bhava ruchi sampatti. Hence, the seeker attains nisargaja samyaktva and perceives reality exactly as it is. Such a person has, in a previous life, heard a sermon from a Tirthankara or from a realised soul. Else, he has meditated upon a Tirthankara. Else, he recalls something from a previous birth where he came across an enlightened monk. One of these factors that have occurred in a previous life has a role to play in his attaining nisargaja samyaktva in this life. This is why, the seeker is not lost in the jungle of dilemma and realises his soul.
It may also be stated that, nisargaja samyaktva is that self-realisation which came about without the assistance of any external factor at the time of its attainment.
(ii) The other school of thought holds that nisargaja samyaktva may be attained without the help of any external factor in this life or in any previous lives. They believe that the soul has been in transmigration since time eternal. While enduring the consequences of its karmas, it sometimes experiences a disposition which is unparalleled and unprecedented and with the help of which the soul, on its own, without the help of any external factor, destroys its mithyaatva mohaniiya karma {karmas that cause the delusion of false belief} and attains samyaktva.
We may take the example of Marudevi mataa, the mother of Lord Adinatha. She had not met with any external catalyst. And she had never heard any discourse from a Jina or an enlightened soul. Nor had she studied any scriptures based on the teachings of the Jinaas. Nor had she pursued any spiritual quest. Right from the time it had emerged from nigoda, her soul had not heard any sermon or teaching on how to attain liberation. Despite all this, as per Shvetambara scriptures, in her last life when she was the mother of Lord Adinatha, she attained enlightenment, omniscience and liberation while seated on the back of an elephant!
This example is cited by those who opine that the attainment of nisargaja samyaktva does not require any previous exposure to the Jain doctrine. Neither in the life in which samyaktva is attained, nor in a previous life. It is the soul's own innate capacity that is the substantial as well as catalytic cause in the attainment of nisargaja samyaktva.
Hence, these are the two schools of thought on this subject. Both schools of thought are supported by various learned Aachaarya s.
One may harmonise the two schools of thought in the following way, using the example of Marudevi mataa, mother of Lord Adinatha.
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