YJA Convention 1994 07 Chicago IL First

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 55

Knowledge; Namo Siddhanam is related to Right Faith; and Namo Arihantanam, Namo Airiyanam and Namo Loe Savva Sahunam are related to Right Conduct.
which are detrimental. "Dirt" will not wait for our invitation. There is much that we collect without any effort on our part. It is like the dust and grime that collect in our homes. However, we must make an effort to cleanse ourselves.
The Sadhu is the practitioner striving for mastery of the inner self. By right practice - that is, Right Conduct - he can begin his journey in attaining this mastery, and the result is the next state - that of the Acharya. The Acharya represents perfect control, self-discipline and guidance for others in self-discipline. Control leads to self-mastery. The Sadhu who attains the highest result of Right Conduct through practice reaches the state of the Arihant. In this case, Right Knowledge and Right Faith are also naturally attained.
The mind can easily become filled with confusion, depression and sadness if it is not disciplined. The Namokar Mantra erases mental conflicts by creating permanent attitudes about our divinity and breaks identification with the lower animal nature.
The Upadhaya is one who attains divine knowledge through direct experience. By this way he also attains Arihanthood. He is the symbol of knowledge - the Sadhu who has attained Right Knowledge and Right Conduct.
When repeating the Namokar Mantra, which is basically an auto-suggestion, the mind consciously and unconsciously accepts the Arihant as its goal. When autosuggesting, we are affirming only the positive. Do not think, "I am not bad." (Using the word "not" will lessen the effect of our positive affirmation.) Rather think, "I am good. The Arihant is my goal, my true state. His qualities are mine." If faith is perfect, and we repeat the Mantra over and over again, while affirming our goodness, then we can reach the highest state of consciousness.
The state of Siddha-consciousness is the symbol of Right Faith and Perception (omniscience). This ultimate state is the result of Right Conduct and Right Knowledge.
In the Namokar Mantra we pay homage to the five divine personalities, but they are not separate from us. They are actually symbolic of noble qualities, or state of consciousness, which we are striving to attain. They do not represent different paths to the goal of liberation but rather, various stages in the evolution of the soul. If we are spiritual practitioners, then in essence we are Sadhus, and we can progress to the ultimate states of Arihant and Siddha, and attain liberation.
The various states of mind also relate to the chakras and Right Knowledge, Right Faith and Right Conduct. The conscious mind is the source of knowledge. The subconscious mind is the source of perception and faith. The unconscious mind is the source of conduct and energy. Consciousness corresponds to the centers above the throat. Subconsciousness corresponds to the centers below the throat to the navel. Unconsciousness corresponds to the centers of the navel to the base of the spine. Karmic particles are stored at the base of the spine preventing and awakening of the kundalini. When the powers of the unconscious are awakened, then the Karmic obstruction is removed and we can realize our perfection. This brings us to the state of superconsciousness, or samadhi.
Removing Mental Conflict
The Namokar Mantra is a great positive affirmation, bringing us to a state of oneness with God...with the Arihant. We constantly collect positive and negative subtle material from thoughts, food, the company we keep, and the environment. Simply by living in the world, we collect these vibrations, many of
RIGHT KNOWLEDGE Consciousness (Source of gross senses) Chakras: Throat center
Third eye center
Jain Education Intemational