Book Title: Tattvartha Sutra
Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp Printers

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Page 395
________________ अध्याय-९ is beset by extremely cold wind or suffers from frost, he does not think of remedies enjoyed by him formerly, but dwells in the inner apartment of the house of knowledge. His endurance of cold - sitapariṣahajaya - is praiseworthy. In summer, the forest has no breeze, no water, and the trees become shadowless as their leaves fall off due to scorching heat of the sun. Still, the ascetic enters the woods and suffers from thirst because of internal causes, such as fasting. Owing to forest-conflagration, scorching wind and oppressive heat of the sun, his throat and palate become parched. Still he does not think of remedies experienced by him formerly on several occasions. He is keenly intent on avoiding injury to living beings and safeguarding his conduct. This is described as endurance of heat-uṣṇapariṣahajaya. Here the word 'dańśamasaka' - mosquito-bite - is a synecdoche. For instance, 'Let the ghee be safeguarded from crows.' Here the word 'crows' implies all those birds which can damage the ghee. Similarly, 'mosquitoes' imply all kinds of insects such as bees, gnats, small bees, bugs, maggots, ants and scorpions. The ascetic endures pain caused by the biting of such insects without thinking of harming them. His only mantle is the determination to attain emancipation. This is called patient endurance of insect-bites-dańśamaśakapariṣahajaya. The saint embraces nakedness like that of the newborn child. His nakedness is free from stigma. It is extremely difficult to adopt this form. This form frees him from the evils of begging, safeguarding, injury, etc. The saint adopting this form is free from attachment; it is the sole cause of attaining emancipation. The mind of the saint embracing nakedness is free from the excitement of passions and agitation. As he safeguards his celibacy perfectly, his endurance of nakedness-nāgnyaparīṣahajaya - is blameless. The ascetic is indifferent to pleasures of the senses. He stays in vacant houses, temples, tree-hollows, or in mountain-caves - places devoid of singing, dancing, instrumental music, etc. He is immersed in, and derives pleasure from, study and meditation. His heart is closed to the thoughts of worldly pleasures witnessed, heard of, and experienced 363

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