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The Never-ending Pilgrimage
409
1. The heritage of the past
The sadhvis of our own day and age are deeply-rooted in their tradition. Any approach, meeting or endeavour to know from the inside their manner of life presupposes that one has a knowledge of this religious tradition, which is based upon a solid groundwork of doctrine.2 Here in brief are some preliminary pointers for a meeting with contemporary sãdhvis.
In the foot steps of the vitarăgas, the passion-less, the desire-less
A vitarāga is that sage who, having renounced the world, is fully master of himself; he has subjugated all his passions, all desires, and pursues his earthly pilgrimage in perfect serenity. According to Jaina doctrine, a vitarāga is an arhat, an omniscient one whose karmas such as shroud the Three Jewels have been removed. One becomes a vitaräga only at the end of a long and painful journey. The sādhvis take their inspiration from Mahāvira, the supreme vitarăga.? They are potential vitarāgas, whose whole striving is directed towards that detachment which amounts to a total self-dispossession, in order to reach a state of perfect equanimity.
The major Sūtras
These stem directly from the teaching of Mahāvira and were transmitted orally and then committed to writing for the ascetics of all future generations. 4 They convey first and foremost a certain spirit, a spirit of renunciation and equanimity. It is impossible to insist too much on this foundation-stone, upon which rests the whole structure of Jaina asceticism. In tune with this orientation, rules have been drawn up. These are numerous, repetitive and highly detailed and it is
2 Parts I and II form a preparation for this Part III.
3 One recalls the beautiful passages of AS I, 8 (117 ff.) with their sober descriptions of all that Mahāvira endured before becoming a kevalin, a vitarăga.
4 Cf. P 141 ff.
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