Preface
A large number of philosophies describe the art of living,
preaching their views about the soul and how to attain its purification. But rarely
do they teach about death and how to prepare for the life beyond death. It is
Jainism only where death is not a stop but just a minor milestone which has to
be traversed with the objective of salvation. Where life ends for contemporary
philosophies, for Jains it continues and will continue till the goal of Moksha
is attained.
While we look upon the Munis with great respect for being
able to undertake severe penances and renunciations without much ado, they
themselves keep preparing for the major battle of the life i.e. the moment of
departure. They are very well aware that while the entire life they have lived
with austerity and controls, those restraints would be put to severe test at
the last moments. Even a momentary lapse of detachment could cause rebirth into
lower order than envisaged. Hence a lot of planning and preparation is
undertaken to ensure that they remain detached not only with respect to the world but also with respect to the body
which is now coming to the end of its term.
Technically speaking a human being cannot carry anything
with himself to the next incarnation except his Karmic body which carries a
record of all the acts of pap and punya indulged into by him. The fruition of
those karmas decide the kind of body and life he would have in the other world,
be it in Deva, Naraki, human or Tiryanch (animal) form. But there is one thing
he can carry with him. This is the right knowledge and Samyaktva ( right belief). If in his present
life he has attained Samyaktva then it can continue with him in the next birth
unless he loses it at the moment of death due to bouts of attachment and
delusion leading him into Mithyatva (wrong belief) which would result in his
taking birth as Mithyadrishti. In that
case, even the birth need not take place in heaven ( for humans) and it could again be human, hell or animal forms also. So
one can see that the kind of upheavals it would create by the lack of
restraints at the last moment. All the gains of the previous birth would be
wiped out and he would have to restart his journey for attaining Samyaktva
again. After all the objective of Samyaktva is to progressively purify the soul
so that he could climb the ladder of gunasthanas (scale of purification of
soul) and attain Keval Gyan leading to salvation. The entire philosophy of
Jains is directed towards this objective and nothing else.
On the other hand a student who has prepared the subject
very well all the year round is very confident in appearing in examination
since he is quite sure that he would do well. In the same way a person who has
attained Samyaktva and realized his own soul would be confident in meeting
death since he knows that death does not change anything in his soul. It is
merely the body which is being changed. It is for people like him the death has
been called a festival, an occasion to celebrate their departure. They go, not
with tears in their eyes, but a smile on their face, having conquered death
with a sense of achievement.
Several authors have written extensively on his subject
including the preparations that the Muni or householder should undertake.
However a simple and small poem by Pandit Sadasukhdassji in the beginning of 19th
century is quite simple and informative. It was known as Mrityu Mahotsava or
the Festival of death. Pandit Sadashukhdas ji wrote commentary on Ratna Karand
Sravakachar authored by Acharya Samant Bhadra of around second century which
describes all the essential activities of house holder. In this as part of
Sallekhana Adhikar he created the verse Mrityu
Mahotsava. This English version is planned to be completed in two issues.
Festival
of death : Mrityu Mahotsva
1. I am progressing on the path of death and
request the bhagwan Veetrag deva to
provide assistance in the form of provision of guidance, preachment, right
knowledge, concentration to help reach
the goal of salvation.
Commentary : From the eternal times I have died infinite times
in the wrong way which are well known to the omniscient Veetrag Bhagwan. Not
once have I attained the right death ( death with right knowledge). If I had
died the right death then I would not have been the subject of deaths in the
world ( I would have attained salvation). The right death is one in which in spite
of the death of the body, the right belief-right knowledge-right conduct form nature of the soul is not harmed by the
passions and desires. Where, under influence of deluded belief, one dies under
considerable perturbation believing the body itself to be soul; that is wrong
death.
Due to the false belief, I have believed body itself as to
be the soul and thus harming my knowledge –vision form nature I have transmigrated
infinite times. Now I pray to the Veetrag Bhagwan that I should not suffer painful
death or death accompanied with lack of right knowledge of
self. Therefore I take recourse to Veetragi (detached) omniscient to grant me perturbation free death with Dharma Dhyana.
Now I teach my own soul
: Soul is with the body of knowledge.
2. O Atman ! Do not be afraid of the
continuously weakening cage of the form of the body by the hundreds of webs of
hordes of insects because your body is of the form of knowledge.
Commentary: Your nature is of the form of knowledge in which
all the objects are illuminated. It is non corporeal, flame of knowledge form, indivisible,
indestructible, knower and seer natured. This extremely stinking destructible
body is of the form of flesh, bones and skin which is very different from your
own form. Under the influence of karmas, they both are occupying the same space
and staying together as one ; even then there is considerable difference
between yourself and it. This body is a mass of parmanus(atoms) of earth, water, fire, air which will get scattered when
time comes but you are indestructible indivisible knowledge form. Therefore why
are you afraid of the destruction of the body?
Further it is told. Do not be
fearful of the migration for taking rebirth.
3. O Gyani ! Veetragi Samyak
Gyani preaches you – Now with the arrival of great festival of death why are
you fearful? The soul residing in this body remains in its own nature and
migrates to another body form abode. What is the reason to be afraid ?
Commentary: Just as a
person, leaving his dilapidated hut and occupies a new palace; then this is an
occasion for a big festival. In the same way if this soul remaining in its own
nature, leaving a dilapidated body form hut, goes and occupies a new body form
palace then it is an occasion for great celebration. No harm is accrued which
could be the cause for being afraid.
Staying with your own
knowing nature, discarding the belief of ownership of others, if you traverse
to other incarnation then you will take
birth as Deva in Vaikriyik (heavenly) body which is divine, devoid of metals and its variants and
having great respect you will be worshiped by several influential Devas. On the
other hand due to the fear if you spoil your knowing nature and die with a
sense of ownership of others; then taking birth in one sensed etc. forms body,
destroying your own knowledge you would become like an insentient.
Therefore leaving this soiled troublesome body occupying a
trouble free bright body is an occasion for great celebration.
Samadhi maran ( death under
meditation) is beneficial :
4. The Ganadhar etc. great people
of the past tell us about the death which results in wonderful fruits,
enjoyments of heaven etc. then how can those great people be afraid of death?
Commentary: The fruition of the results of the deeds is
received only after death. You have given shelter to six kinds of body forms
and protected their life, destroyed own raga-dwesha, desire, anger etc.,
discarding the untruth, injustice, immorality, forsaking the grabbing of others
property; with great satisfaction you have protected your own soul , then its
fruition is also enjoyable in heaven only. That enjoyment of heavenly
pleasures can be achieved only with the assistance of a friend called death.
Hence no one else is helpful to this jiva other than death.
In this humanly paryaya (form) in this decrepit body what
all sufferings would have accrued and how long it would have been required to
continue ? I might have migrated into
Tiryanch(animal) or Narak (hell) form on account of severe Art dhyan (
meditation of sufferings) or Roudra dhyan ( meditation of anger). Therefore
with the fear of death , with attachment of body, family, possessions ,
spoiling the Samadhi maran of the form of Chintamani Kalpa Vriksha ( wishes
granting tree), full of fear and sense of ownership it is not advisable to invite poor death and migrate into lowly
forms.
The King like Samadhi
delivers one from the prison:
5. My soul
had been captured into this body form cage by my enemy named Karma from
the moment I came to the womb wherein I was suffering from several different
pains of hunger, thirst, disease, separations etc. Now who else other than king
by the name of death can get me released from this body form cage which is an
abode of several sufferings?
Commentary : I had been
dropped into this body form cage by the karma form enemy wherein I was suffering
several miseries. The hunger and thirst were always causing agony, breathing air
in and out at every moment, suffering different types of diseases, undergoing
slavery of different kinds for
satisfying the hunger; facing different
problems of service, agriculture, commerce etc. ; suffering heat-cold ; tolerating the insults, abuses,
beatings etc. of the ruffians;
undergoing governance of the kings, rich & powerful, family,
wife-sons etc. Now from this body formed great prison who else other than the
powerful king named death can get me released?
How long to carry this body? To wake it up every day,
nursing it with water, bathing it, making it sleep, catering for sensual pleasures, decorating with
clothes-ornaments ; thus in spite of undergoing slavery of this body day and night, this body piles miseries upon
the soul, keeps it fearful, making it forget the nature of soul. From this
ungrateful body one cannot get released without the assistance of king named
death.
If knowledgeably, discarding the oneness with the body,
carefully, practicing dharma dhyan without perturbation and with detachment, if
I take assistance of the king named Samadhi Maran, then my soul would never
occupy the body and be a target of sufferings. This king by name Samadhi Maran
is very justice oriented and I take shelter under him so that I do not die a
wasteful death.
Further it is added: The friend providing happiness is Samadhi
Maran.
6. Those who have knowledge and
vision of the soul, they acquire the wealth of happiness with the assistance of
a friend by name death, discarding the miserable mass of body far behind.
Commentary: Those who discard this extremely impure
destructible body of the seven metal forms and acquire the divine vaikriyik
body with a wealth of several pleasures, it is all due to the effect of Samadhi
Maran of the Atma Gyani ( one knowing the soul). There is no one more helpful
to the Jiva other than Samadhi Maran.
In this body one has to suffer several types of miseries,
death after enduring great diseases and pains. Subsequently taking birth in
tiryanch body or Narak and then suffering for innumerable number of years
innumerable miseries. Undergoing infinite transmigrations in the form of births
and deaths, there is no protection against these worldly transmigrations.
Fortunately due to some weak fruition of ashubha karmas now,
human gati, uccha kula ( higher order family), completion of senses, company of
good people and preachment of bhagwan Jinendra’s param agam ( great
scripture) has been acquired. Now if one
could attain death with the accompaniment of experience of the knowledge
natured soul as different from the body, along with right belief-
knowledge-renunciation – restraints, without the attachment of family and
possessions, without any fear, under the shelter of four types of prayers then there
is nothing more beneficial to this jiva other than this in all the three worlds
and all the three times. Getting released from transmigration of the world is
the greatest blessing given by the friend named Samadhi maran.
Samadhi maran is like Kalpa
Vriksha (wishes granting tree) :
7. That jiva who could not ensure
his own benediction in spite of getting the wish granting tree in the form of
death then what can the jiva achieve later submerged in the mire of worldly
mud.
Commentary: In this humanly birth the arrival of death is
like a real Kalpa Vriksha granting all the wishes. If knowledgeably, realizing
own nature one accepts death with prayers then one attains important Deva
incarnation in heaven, Indra-hood, Ahmindra-hood and later chakravarthy- hood,
Tirthankara-hood leading to nirvana. There is no one more generous than death
in all the three lokas. In spite of getting such donor, if you remain desirous of the sensual pleasures then
the result of such desires is hell and nigod etc. If you do not take benefit of
the death named kalpa vriksha then bereft of
the great treasures of knowledge you would drown in the mire of the
world.
O Bhavya ! If you maintain the company of harmful lower
order men who are full of desires, undertake unworthy activities under severe
greed for enjoyment of pleasures by acquiring money willing to indulge in
Himsa, lies, theft, immorality, possessions
and still your desires are not fulfilled. You travel abroad leaving
family etc. behind, undertake disgraceful activities and conduct; then surely
you would die with sufferings.
If even once with equanimity you undertake death with
renunciation then giving up the worldly transmigration you would acquire
indestructible pleasures. Therefore it is best to undertake Pandit Maran with
knowledge.
Samadhi Maran is a great
benefactor:
8. The death by which the
decrepit body etc. are given up and new ones are obtained, would that death not
be cause of happiness for the wise people similar to fruition of sata vedaniya
karma ? Death for Gyani people is a
moment to rejoice only.
Commentary: This humanly body, in spite of feeding everyday,
still keeps becoming weaker day by day ; it is not devoid of old age similar to
that of devas. Every day the strength keeps reducing ; brightness and beauty
keeps deteriorating; the softness keeps hardening; all veins and joints of the
bones keep weakening; skin keeps loosening ; it becomes full of wrinkles
without flesh; the glow of the eyes is lost; hearing of ears keeps reducing;
hands and feet become weaker day by day; strength for walking is reduced; in walking, sitting or standing the breathing
is harder; cough keeps increasing; several diseases become incurable; then how
long can the miseries of this decrepit body be endured and how long can this
body be dragged?
Without the benefactor named death who will provide
residence in a new body after giving freedom
from this dilapidated body? In the derelict body one has to suffer
greatly from the fruition of asata vedaniya karmas. Without the benefactor
named death who can get rid of such asata karmas? Those who are samyak gyani,
they greatly rejoice on arrival of death and by taking care in fasting,
restraints, abdication, morality etc. they make effort that such miserable body
should not be required to be worn. Therefore the Samyak gyani treat this only
as fruition of great sata vedaniya karmas.
To be concluded .......
No comments:
Post a Comment