Spiritual Code and Restraints

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 16

Panchächär Sutra lays down internal austerities as under.
Päyachchhittam Vinao Veyavachcham Tahev Sajzäo
Jhanam Ussaggo Vi A Abbhintarao Tavo Hoi
It means that repentance, modesty, selfless service, study of Self, meditation and staying beyond the physical aspects are the internal austerities. Let us consider them one by one.
1) Päyachchhittam or Präyashchit: This means atonement or repentance. During our life, we happen to indulge in wrong and undesirable physical activities and evil tendencies. This may be due to addiction, weakness of mind, pitfalls or shortsightedness. A spiritual aspirant has to stay constantly aware of such indulgences. Whenever he notices any thing wrong on his part, he should repent and atone for the same. His sense of remorse should be strong enough to avert the recurrence of such indulgence. If this is undertaken with sincerity, one can surely reach the state of perfection sooner or later.
2) Vinay: This means modesty on one's own part and respect for others. Respect has to be appropriate and may even take the form of worship for the deserving entities. This would help the aspirant to proceed towards spiritual development. For instance, if one has regard for his preceptor, he would not undertake any activity without seeking the guidance from him. That would automatically keep him away from indulging in wrong or undesirable activity. He would also feel inclined to develop the attributes of the deserving entities and that can lead him towards the state of perfection.
3) Vevävachcham or Vaiyavrutya: This means selfless service. A spiritual aspirant should realize that all the living beings have the same type of soul. He should therefore feel a sense of amity and fraternity for everyone. He would then be willing to serve others without expecting anything in return. This sense of selfless service would not arise, unless one has developed a sense of dedication to the cause of serving. Such servicing can result in elimination of arrogance and lead towards modesty. The utter degree of such modesty can bring forth the faultlessness.
4) Sajzäo or Swadhyay: Literally, this means study of oneself. It takes two forms. One is to get conscious of one's own faults and limitations with a view to avoid the same. The other is to understand the nature of true Self. The aspirant learns that the soul is inherently pure, enlightened, flawless and is imbibed with infinite knowledge, perception and bliss. He would therefore strive to manifest those attributes and the total manifestation amounts to the liberation.
5) Jhänam or Dhyan: This normally means meditation. Jain tradition, however, treats it as attentiveness and specifies four types of Dhyan known as Artadhyän, Raudradhyan, Dharmadhyän and Shukladhyän. The first two categories are unwholesome and do not form part of this austerity. The remaining two are wholesome and are akin to meditation. Dharmadhyän means contemplating about the spiritual aspects so as to get rid of the