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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
PRINCIPLE OF NIRJARĀ
Nirjară means the annihilation or shedding off the karmas. In the order of sapta tattvas (seven essential elements), it comes after samvara. Samvara stops the inflow of new karmas; while nirjara means the destruction of previous bound karmas. As the water of a pond dries up by the sharp sun-light, air, etc., if the inflow channels have been stopped. So the karmas, previously bound with the atma-pradeśas are annihilated gradually, if the inflow of new karmas have been stopped by samvara. By this point of view nirjară means the partial separation of karma-vargaṇās from the atma-pradeśas.1 According to Dvadasanuprekṣā, nirjarā means the separation of karma-vargaṇās or aggregate of karmic matter from atma-pradeśas. Umaswati says in his Tattvärthabhāṣya, being ripen by penances etc., the separation of karmas is called nirjarā.3
Suppose, a man is washing his dirty coat with washing powder or soap; but the dirt does not come out at the very moment. It comes out gradually as the soap enters through the threads of the coat. As much as the soap enters through the threads, the filth comes out. This can be an example of nirjară. The ascetic or devotee as much indulges himself in penances, so much the karma-vargaṇās separate from ātma pradeśas. Here we may take coat or cloth as atman, the threads of which it is made as pradeśas and filth as the karmavargaṇās or the karmic matter. The ascetic has checked the inflow of new karmas by samvara and began the penances; but the filth of previously accumulated kärmic matter takes time to separate. As much as the filth of karmas removed from ātman, so much the spirit or soul becomes pure. Complete exhaustion of karmas is the pure state of soul and this is the salvation.
Nirjară is like the ladders for getting the pure state of soul. As a man reaches the upper storey by step by step and every step should be firm and steady. So to get salvation atman also have to march forward by steady steps.
1. Tattvärtha-sarvārthsiddhi, 1/4
2. Kartikeya-dvādaśānuprekṣā, 66.
3. Tattvärtha-bhāṣya, Haribhadrīya-vṛitti, 1/4.
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