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Samyaktva as the basis for a divine life
A person becomes a true human when he rises above his demonic and beastly tendencies. When he attains samyaktva, his life becomes divine. Let us understand how:
Demonic and beastly tendencies impede spiritual progress. These tendencies are found in people who are full of hatred, desire, anger, avarice, delusion, deceitfulness, artifice and arrogance. When a person rises above these flaws, he becomes more human. He lives and let's live. He realises that just as he feels joy and sorrow, so do others. Such a person can rise to the extent of attaining the maargaanusaarii qualities. But the person who attains samyaktva transcends humanity and rises to the level of divinity. After attaining samyaktva, he considers all living beings of the world to be like himself. He becomes very keen to help others in their times of need. So willing is he to help others in times of grief, danger and difficulties that he does not care about his own life. Hence, samyaktva is the basis of divinity. Samyaktva has its own eternal strength. This is all about the divinity that samyaktva brings about.
Samyaktva has many other important qualities. Only samyaktva has the power to break the beginningless series of births and rebirths. Samyaktva has the ability to turn the darkness of life into the light of enlightenment. Samyaktva has the unsurpassed ability to turn the slow, stagnant pace of temporal life into the fast pace of spiritual progress. Just one moment of samyaktva is enough to destroy innumerable cycles of birth and death.
Prashnottarashraavakaachaara has said the following on the person who has attained samyaktva:
"Dhanyaaste purushottamaah sukritino lokatraye puujitaah. Saarasaara-vichaara-maargachaturaah paapaarividhvansakaah. Saaram sarvagunehagehamasamam saddarshanam ye shriyaat. Muktvaa sarvasukham nridevajanitam yaatyeva muktyaalayam." ~Prashnottarashraavakaachaara, verse 11.108
Samyagdharshana, (Author: Ashokmuni, Publisher: Diwaakarjyoti Karyaalaya, Byaawar (Rajasthan), year 1981)
He is exalted, he is the finest amongst men, he shall be worshipped in all three worlds. He is wise in dwelling upon the fruitful and the fruitless and has chosen the right path. He has destroyed the enemy of sinfulness.
He has taken shelter in samyaktva, the repository of all that is good and true and noble. After enjoying all the pleasures of worldly and celestial life, He shall certainly attain liberation.
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