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Identifying with the body which is a common mistake made by all newcomers to the field of spirituality. Nishchaya samyaktva arises when the seeker ceases to make this error and realises that only the soul is his, the body is external. Such a person can sense the boundless light of his soul, which is encased by his body but does not form a part of it. As the seeker advances, he can perceive his transcendental self when he looks inwards. Therefore, pondering upon the pure unblemished soul is nishchaya samyaktva.
When the seeker attains self-realisation, he begins to see his body as a means to attain salvation. It is merely an instrument to him. He does not sully his soul by identifying with the body or other external objects. His identification with the soul is so strong that he will choose his soul over his body every time someone asks him to choose one over the other. When faced with a lifethreatening situation, he will calmly give up his body and remain serenely immersed in his soul. For him, the body has ceased to be of any importance. Only the soul matters.
The ancient Jain seer, Aachaarya Sthuulibhadra had won over his sensual desires. He was skilled at remaining immersed in his inner self. He stayed for four months in the home of a courtesan called Kosha. He was surrounded by debauchery and sensuousness but remained completely unaffected by it because his awareness was firmly fixed on his inner self.
Each and every spiritually awakened person remains focused on his inner self.
A blind man may not be able to see a needle but he can still feel its prick. Similarly, shouting from rooftops that the soul exists shall not help one experience the soul or attain samyaktva. But experiencing the pure soul and staying with that experience is truly samyaktva.
Question: With the attainment of samyaktva, it is said that a person considers all non-self objects to be heya {worth giving up). Hence is it obligatory for him to become a monk?
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Question: Does only a monk who follows the path of samyak darshana, samyak gynaana, samyak chaaritra and samyak tapa attain true samyaktva?
Answer: Considering non-self objects to be heya (worth giving up) and considering the soul to be upaadeya (worth accomplishing) is concomitant with samyaktva. One who has samyaktva considers false beliefs to be false belief. But owing to the rise of chaaritra-mohaniiya karmas {conduct-deluding karmas}, he cannot take up the five major vows of asceticism. He does what he can, to the limit of his abilities. But his conviction is firm.. This concept is explained eloquently in the 'Dharmasangraha":
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