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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
[Ch. XI
The BhS reveals Sramana Nirgrantha-Dharma with all its aspects in a consolidated manner which is rarely found in any of the Āgamas in the form of conversations between Lord Mahāvīra and his disciples.
In this work he is found to have developed and systematized the fundamental principles of Sramaņa-Niryrantha-Dharma laid down by his predecessors and placed them on a solid metaphysical basis by making some improvement on them, as it was a historical necessity demanded by the religious conditions of his time.
In regard to the conception of Sramaņa Nirgrantha Dharma the BhS explains that soul (ātmā) is the ultimate object of worship and meditation and spiritual realization. To know this reality there should be the right attitude of mind (samyaktva) to truth and the absence of perverted attitude (mithyātva) of one-self.
• As already discussed in the first section of the seventh chapter, this canonical work gives a full conception of this religion in a nut-shell in one Sūtra thus that the desire for liberation (sañvega), disregard of worldly objects (nirveda) upto complete renouncement of four kinds of passions and eighteen kinds of sinful acts, forbearance of pains (twenty-two parāsahas) and that of the last part of death--all these ultimately end in perfection.
It reveals two aspects of Sramana-Nirgrantha Dharma, viz. Āgāra-Dharma or Srāvaka-Dharma consisting of twelve vows and Anāgāra-Dharma (monasticism), based on the conditions of the individuals. It deals with different phases of the monastic life, such as, initiation to asceticism, practice of austerities and meditation, observance of religious vows and rules, external and internal austerities, classification of monks into five categories, viz. Pulāka, Bakuša, Kuśīla, Nirgrantha and Snātaka. The BhS reveals that the aim of religion is self-realization of the Universal and absolutely Real, embodying the highest qualities reorientated into the ultimate objective values—truth, goodness and eternal bliss.
i Bhs, 17, 3, 601.
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