________________
1.2.10 Conduct of one who has attained Samyaktva
It is absolutely certain that there is nothing more beneficial to the soul than samyaktva. Aachaarya Samantabhadra wrote in his Ratnakarandaka shraavakaachaara that,
"Na samyaktvasamam kinchita traikaalye trigatyapi. Shreyo'shreyashcha mithyaatvasamam naanyat tanuubhritam."
Ratnakarandakashraavakaachaara, Verse 1.34 (Page 34, Author: Aachaarya Samantabhadra Publisher: Muni Sangh Svaagata Samiti (sagar), Madhya Pradesh, year 1986)
In the three periods (past, present and future) and in the three worlds (hell, earth and heaven), there is nothing better than samyaktva. And in the three periods and in the three worlds, there is nothing worse than false belief.
Samyaktva enables one to see all the substances in the universe exactly as they are. The perception of one who has attained samyaktva is so pure that despite living in the cesspool of the transmigratory world, he remains as unsullied as a lotus.
This has been explained in the Samanasuttam as under,
"Jaha salilena na lippai kamilinapattam sahaavapayadiye. Taha bhaavena na lippai kasaayavisachim sappuriso."
~Samanasuttam, Verse 2.18.9-227 (Page 74, Publisher: Yagna Prakaashan Samiti, Baroda, (Gujarat) year 1976)
Just as water does not cling to the petals of a lotus, the worthy person who has attained samyaktva remains unaffected by the passions and sensual desires of the temporal world. He is detached from the external world even though he lives in it.
One who has attained samyaktva has internalised the difference between 'sva' (self) and 'para' (non-self). Such a person attains a sense of detachment. Thus, even though he may be indulging all five senses, he is not doing it with any attachment. He is firmly convinced that sensual pleasures do not merit indulgence. He knows that it is only his conduct-obstructing karmas (charitra mohaniiya karma), which are causing him to indulge his senses. He lives in this temporal world, which is full of desire and passion and yet he remains untouched by it. He knows that sensual delectation and indulgence end in sorrow and do not lead to liberation. Thus, he lives in the material world but does not lose himself in it. Indifference to sensual pleasures characterises the life of one who has attained samyaktva.
223
