Swayambhustotra

Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp

Page 22

Ācārya Vidyanand - The Worshipper of The Self
Ācārya Samantabhadra, with his unparalleled intellect, had ventured into the extraordinary task of adoration of the ineffable virtues of the Tirtharkara, far away from him in terms of time and space. I also venture, with my little intellect but pure heart, into the task of describing in few words some of the virtues of the most affable Ācārya Vidyanand, near me in terms of time and space.
Who in this world would understand better the Truth contained in Jaina Scriptures than Acārya Vidyanand who has practised, in most rigorous form, the conduct required of a Digambara Muni for more than 50 years? A staunch exponent of anekāntavāda – the Jaina doctrine of manifold points of view and the root of unmatched Jaina Scriptures - he has been able to reason out all apparent contradictions and also reconcile the partial viewpoints of others. Using dual means - the pure, transcendental point of view (niscaya naya) and the empirical point of view (uyavahāra naya) – he investigates the nature of substances, souls and non-souls, and arrives at the Truth. He finds no contradiction whatsoever when, at one place, the Scripture terms repentance (pratikramaņa) as an essential element of right conduct and, at some other place, as a poison-pot. Or when, at one place, it advocates the necessity of a preceptor to guide us in our effort to acquire right faith, knowledge and conduct and, at some other place, maintains that the soul (Self) only is our true preceptor. Or when, at one place, it avers that virtuous acts, like adoration of the Arhat and giving of gifts, are essential and highly desirable and, at some other place, that any act that leads the soul into the cycle of births and deaths (samsāra) cannot be considered desirable. Having resolved all apparent contradictions with the help of the sharp-edged weapon of anekāntavāda, Ācārya Vidyanand's mind is without perturbation and is established firmly in the knowledge of the Self. Since he practises severe austerities (tapas), observes great vows (urata), and has rid
(xxi)