________________
248
YAŚASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
II) The whole of Book VI, after a preliminary discourse on the doctrines of other schools of thought, is devoted to the interpretation of Samyaktva, the great tutelary deity of man' (narāṇāri mahati puruşadevatā). Samyaktva or Right Faith depends upon a certain attitude of mind produced by the realisation of the nature of the categories, just as gold is said to be produced by the mere contact of fire with specially treated mercury. It is not necessary to master the scriptures or subject the body to austerities or journey elsewhere or wait for the lapse of time for acquiring Samyaktva. It is the prime cause of salvation; just as the foundation is the mainstay of a palace, good luck that of beauty, life that of bodily enjoyment, royal power that of victory, culture that of nobility, and policy that of government.
Samyaktva is primarily faith in Apta, Āgama and the Padārthas or Categories. It may be produced in two ways, has eight components, and is characterised by prasama and other qualities, and free from erroneous beliefs (müờhatva). Before considering the various aspects of Samyaktva, Somadeva explains in detail the nature of Apta, Āgama and the Padārthas (VI. 2, 3.).
III) The Apta, as the Jaina Tirthaṁkaras are generically called, is defined as omniscient and free from all blemishes; he is the lord of the universe and the benefactor of all creatures, He extricates the world from the ocean of suffering by teaching the fundamental truths, and is therefore to be regarded as the lord of the universe, whom the three worlds obey. He is pure and free from the eighteen defects common to all living creatures such as hunger, thirst, fear, passion, birth, old age, disease, death, anger, sorrow, sleep etc., and is endowed with infinite knowledge, and is the only source of words of wisdom. Passion, hatred and ignorance are the cause of telling a lie, but as the Apta is free from these, he has no occasion for uttering a falsehood. He resembles in shape the heterogeneous creatures (i. e. men), is a mirror unto the universe, and the master of the worlds.
1 'तस्मादधिष्ठानमिव प्रासादस्य, सौभाग्यमिव रूपसंपदः, प्राणितमित भोगायतनोपचारस्य, मूलबलमिव विजय प्राप्तेः, विनीत.
त्वमेवाभिजात्यस्य, नयानुष्ठानमिव राज्यस्थितेरखिलस्यापि परलोकोदाहरणस्य सम्यक्त्वमेव ननु प्रथम कारणं गृणन्ति
T ip: I' P. 274. 2 सर्वशं सर्वलोकेशं सर्वदोषविवर्जितम् । सर्वसत्त्वहितं प्राहुराप्तमाप्तमतोचिताः ।। 3 patais Cardinateriali a T: 61YTTET: || P. 274. 4 क्षुत् पिपासा भयं द्वेषश्चिन्तनं मूढतागमः । रागो जरा रुजा मृत्युः क्रोधः खेदो मदो रतिः। विमयो जननं निद्रा
विषादोऽष्टादश ध्रुवाः। त्रिजगत्सर्वभूतानां दोषाः साधारणा इमे ॥ एभिर्दोषैविनिर्मुक्तः सोऽयमाप्तो निरअनः । स एव
हेतुः सूक्तीनां केवलशानलोचनः॥ 5 TTIGT AT&T HTEIT aga TIC atariahro aftli P. 274. 6 उच्चावचप्रसूतीनां सत्त्वानां सदृशाकृतिः । य आदर्श इवाभाति स एव जगतां पतिः।।
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
