Sumati Jnana

Author(s): Shivkant Dwivedi, Navneet Jain
Publisher: Shantisagar Chhani Granthamala

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Sumati-Jñāna
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the approach of death. The practice of sallekhana is to be followed when the body is about to perish, like a dry leaf or a lamp without oil. Self-restraint, study, austerities, worship and charity, all become useless if the mind is not pure at the last hour of life. It is practice of reducing passion and the body. Nudity: Afflictions or hardships Some people raise doubt regarding nudity, and related aspects whether Jain monks feel cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and impact of rains. Twenty-two types of hardships (Parishaha) are observed by Jain monks to bear with the sufferings of hunger, thirst, cold etc. for sake of dissociation of karmas in endurance. Gradually by practice the body develops a great adaptation to all kinds of unfavourable conditions and tolerates them with peace and attentiveness, this is called “Tapa" i.e. austerity. Undergoing penance in order to destroy the accumulated Karmas is real austerity.
Inspite of nudity and undergoing penance, Jain monks are seemed to be less diseased. The reason is that these monks happen to be very careful about their body which is a means to obtain the ultimate objective i. e. Moksa. Several kinds of restrictions in food, walk, sleep, language and even thoughts etc. keep their body away from evils and karmas. The Tapa' or austerity makes them strong. Thus, several disease factors do not have impact on them. Their body is more exposed to sun-rays, therefore, automatically get natural cure too. People who bear more clothes are prone to various kinds of skin diseases because of sweating and humidity but such condition does not arise with nude monks.
Some people describe nudity as oppression or outrage on body, but it a misconception. If one has been able to understand the soul then nudity would not be any outrage otherwise it is. Any torment or anguish becomes a hindrance to observe and sustain nudity. One should adopt nudity as per the capability otherwise it would be a kind of violence or injury. The nudity is described as the deep search of the attribute of a thing. The nudity is always independent because nothing is required. It is also very much concerned with environment and its conservation. Nude monks always walk bare footed, thus do not harm any component of biodiversity. Since nothing is required for bearing, covering and sleeping etc therefore, they take least from environment and give more by having compassion on all living beings, taking precaution in all activities and observing self restriction for using several things.