Preface : The author of this book is Acharya Vidyanand swamy whose period is believed to be around 775A.D. to 840 A.D. These were the times when there used to be serious debates between various philosophies in the courts of the kings and people also used to take deep interest in them. Prominent philosophies in those times were Naiyayik, Vaisheshik, Samkhya, Vedanta, Bauddha and Jain. Acharya Vidyanand have written several scriptures which are followed even now in several universities. These are Ashta Sahasri, Tatvarth Shloka Vartika, Aapta Pariksha, Praman Pariksha, Satya Shasan Pariksha etc. The present book under our consideration is Aapt Pariksha. It has only 124 Karikas or shlokas which compare different philosophies for their belief of Aapt or the Omniscient Guru. It is established with indisputable arguments that out of all the philosophies the form of Aapt or Omniscient Guru believed by Jains is quite valid and true while all other beliefs have some flaw or other. It is important to keep in mind that the objective of the book is not to criticize or ridicule other philosophies. While it is charitable and noble to say that all religions are alike; when one considers the objectives, the path and the results, the differences can be explicitly observed. Even Jain followers get doubts sometimes between the concepts of Jain and other philosophies. Therefore it becomes necessary to use a mechanism to decide between the right and the wrong. Without knowing what is right how can anyone follow it? For taking such decisions what kind of tests one should apply, is the subject of this book. This line of subject was known as Nyaya ( Logic) and a significant amount of Jain scriptures dealt with this subject. Notable among the authors were Acharya SamantBhadra, Acharya Akalank, Acharya Vidyanand etc.
Tatvartha Sutra written by Acharya Umaswamy in 1st
century is considered to be the most widely followed Jain scripture. Large
number of commentaries have been written by later Munis and Acharyas on this
book to explain it in detail. Its
Mangalacharan itself has been subject of great admiration and reverence.
Acharya Samant Bhadra (3rd century) wrote Aapt Mimamsa simply based
upon this Mangalacharan which again is source for several subsequent books by many authors. Acharya Vidyanand
himself wrote Ashta Sahasri as a commentary on this book. The present work of
Aapt Pariksha also uses the Magalacharan of Tatvartha Sutra as basis on which
the decisions on form of Aapt i.e. the
most venerable Guru is taken.
Acharya Vidyanand
even wrote the commentary on Aapta Pariksha himself to explain the various
karikas in detail. Therefore there was no need for any other author to write
commentary on the same. For writing this translated version I have made use of
simplified versions edited by Prof
Veersagar Jain and published by Akhil Bharatiya Digamber Jain Vidwat Parishad,
and another written by Umarao Singh Jain
written in 1914, both of which I
gratefully acknowledge. Basically I have not attempted word to word translation
but conveyed the gist of each karika in simplified form in my own words.
Aapta
Pariksha
Karika 1 : Mangalacharan : Myself Vidyanandi Acharya hereby offer my
obeisance to Jinendra Deva who is like a moon which has destroyed the darkness
of Moha and has known all the objects by means of his knowledge of the form of
sun.
In this Mangalacharan Acharya Vidyanandi has offered
obeisance to Jinachandra which could mean all the Jinendra Devas or eighth
Teerthankara Shri Chandraprabhu. Further in describing him acharya has cleverly
incorporated all the salient qualities of omniscient which are going to be
subject of this book. These three qualities are omniscience, detachment and
capability to preach the Moksha Marga.
Now he says why Mangalacharan is carried out –
Karika 2 : Great saints have told that with the pleasure of Parameshthi (Paramatma)
one attains the Moksha. Hence in the beginning of scripture one should offer
him obeisance.
In the commentary several aspects have been explained:
1)
The Moksha is described in two way: In first
with the destruction of four types of Ghati karmas the Arihant state is
attained. This leads to attainment of infinite knowledge, infinite vision,
infinite bliss and infinite strength form infinite foursome qualities. The
other is the attainment of siddha state with the destruction of eight types of
karmas.
2)
The destruction of all the karmas of the soul
is not without proof since praman (proof) for the same is available.
3)
The bondage of karmas is also not without
proof since for that also praman is available.
4)
The cause for bondage are Mithyadarshan
(deluded belief), Avirati(lack of restraints), Pramad( carelessness) ,
Kashaya(passions) and Yog (vibration of
soul space) . The means for Moksha are Gupti, Samiti, Samvar, Nirjara etc.
5)
The attainment of Moksha can be described in
three ways. One is production of non existent, second is attainment of desired,
and third is attainment of right knowledge. Here the first is not applicable
since the context is that of knowledge.
6)
The pleasure of Parameshthi is explained.
Paramatma is basically Veetrag (detached) who does not have quality of being
happy with someone. However the happiness of disciples itself is the pleasure
of Parameshthi. Just as some person says that I overcame sickness with the
pleasure of this medicine. Here the medicine does not have the quality of being
pleased with someone. The patient only consumed the medicine with his pleasure.
Hence he attributes his pleasure to that of the medicine. In the same way the
disciples attribute the pleasure to that of Parameshthi for attaining the right
path.
7)
Offering obeisance to Parameshthi is
Mangal(auspicious) hence it should be carried out in the beginning, middle and
in the end for uninterrupted completion of objective.
8)
Mangal word has two meanings: One is
destruction of Pap form impurities and second is impartment of true bliss. Both
are applicable here.
9)
Although the prime purpose of offering
obeisance to Parameshthi is attainment of Moksha Marga, even so it is also carried
out for observing protocol, acceptance of existence of omniscient and
uninterrupted completion of scripture.
10) All authors offer prayers to Parameshthi even
though it may not be apparent in written form and might have been carried out
with mind-speech-body in unwritten form, since the authors are saints and they
never forget their benefactors.
Now it is asked that how the prayers to Parameshthi are
offered?
Karika 3 : The one who is leader in the Moksha Marga, destroyer of the
mountains of Karmas and knowledgeable of all the Tatvas (elements), I offer my
obeisance to him for attainment of his qualities.
This karika is the famous Mangalacharan of ‘Tatvartha
Sutra’ written by Acharya Umaswamy which has been subject of several
scriptures. Here too Aapt Pariksha has been written taking this shloka as its
baseline. On the basis of this shloka only the form of Aapt believed by several
other philosophies has been negated and it is established that the form of Aapt
believed in Jain philosophy is correct. Therefore it has become a part of this
scripture Aapt Pariksha itself.
Here three necessary qualities of the true Aapt (Guru)
are stated :
1.
Should be a leader in the path of Moksha
marga
2.
Destroyer of mountains of karmas
3.
Should have the knowledge of all Tatva etc.
thus being omniscient.
The entire Aapt Pariksha employs this yardstick to
compare various philosophies to decide whether they are worthy of following.
Karika 4 : These three extraordinary qualities which have been
described of the Aapt (in the previous karika),
have been stated for the complete negation of Aapts as believed by other
philosophies.
The other philosophies which were prevalent in those
times were Naiyayiks, Vaisheshiks, Samkhya and Bauddha who believed in Ishwara,
Kapil, Sugat etc. as their Aapts.
Now it is told that why the other’s belief need to be
refuted -
Karika 5 : The refutation of other’s believed form of Aapt and
establishment of Arhat Bhagwan as the right Aapt is necessary for institution
of Moksha Marga.
In the Loka, generally all are accepted to be Aapt and
preachers of Moksha Marga. If those Maheshwara etc. are not refuted and Arhat
Parameshthi is not established as the true Aapt then which preachment is right
and which is false, this cannot be decided. Either all will be said to be right
or all false. Therefore by negating other philosophies only the true Aapt form
need to be established. This is also necessary for the benefit of Jain
followers who may have inclination or doubts regarding the form of Aapts
accepted in other philosophies.
In this way 5 karikas form the Mangalacharan of this
book. In first Mangalacharan is carried out. In second it is told why
Mangalacharan is performed. In third the form of Mangalacharan is stated. In
fourth it is told that why Mangalacharan is carried out in specific manner. In
fifth it is told that without Mangalacharan being in such specific manner, the
establishment of Aapt cannot be carried out.
Now the validation of each of the Aapt forms is carried
out one by one.
1. Ishwara Praiksha (
Validation of Ishwara)
Naiyayik and
Vaisheshik philosophies (together they are called Yaug) believe Ishwara or
Maheshwara to be their Aapt. They say
that Ishwara is eternal and free of karmas since beginningless times, therefore
he is Siddha without making any efforts. Hence although he is not destroyer of Mountains of karmas, he
is leader in the path of Moksha Marga as well as knower of all the
Tatvas(elements) of the world.
Karika 6: Now those Yaug ( Naiyayik-Vaisheshiks) who say that in Aapt
it is not necessary to have the quality of being destroyer of mountains of
karmas, is being explained in detail.
Karika 7 : The Yaugs say that their Aapt is omniscient since there is
no proof contradicting the same. He is always Shiva, i.e. ever liberated free
of karmas. He has Veetrag and omniscient nature but he is not destroyer of
mountains of karmas since he is eternal.
Karika 8 : The Jains answer that those who are omniscient have to be
destroyer of mountains of karmas also. Other wise he cannot remain knower of
the substances of the world either. He would be like ordinary human beings.
Karika 9 : (Jains) No one can
be Siddha without making any efforts. It is not possible that someone be untouched by karmas and be omniscient.
Karika 10-11: Vaisheshiks say that you have to accept eternal
presence of Ishwara since without him the creation of the Universe cannot be
carried out. The Universe is his act in which things have been joining and separating eternally.
The existence of creator has to be accepted.
(Jains) This is not without
flaw. The cause-effect relationship is accepted when there is Anvaya-Vyatirek
relationship between the things. With the presence of right reasons, the
happening of events is called ‘Anvaya’. In the absence of right reasons the
non-happening of events is called ‘Vyatirek’. Now you believe Ishwara to be
omnipresent and permanent. Even with the presence of Ishwara all the events of
the universe have not happened at the same time ( since joining-separating is
going on even now) hence ‘Anvaya’ is ruled out. Now if you say that whatever
events have to occur, happen in the presence of Ishwara. If such is the form of
‘Anvaya’ then such ‘Anvaya’ is possible in the presence of other Jivas also who
are eternal but not Aapt. Then what is the speciality with Ishwara that in his
presence only events happen and not other Jivas? Further ‘Vyatirek’ is possible
only when in the absence of Ishwara the events do not occur. Now absence of
Ishwara has never occurred at any time therefore ‘Vyatirek’ is also not possible.
Therefore it is not possible to say that Ishwara is responsible for all the
events of the universe.
(Yaug) The preachment of Moksha
Marga cannot be carried out without accepting an eternal omniscient Ishwara.
Hence it establishes his existence.
(Jains) This point also
cannot withstand examination. Tell us whether that eternal Siddha omniscient is
with body or without body? If he is without body then he cannot be preacher of
Moksha Marga just like other jivas who have attained salvation. ( The Yaugs
believe the Ishwara only to be preacher of Moksha Marga while other Jivas who
are attaining salvation are not preachers) If he is with body then also he
cannot be preacher of Moksha Marga since he is proved to be bonded with karmas
like other worldly jivas.
Karika 12 : (Vaisheshiks) For preachment of means for Moksha, Ishwara does
not require to have body nor does he need to be without body. For each act, he
needs to have knowledge, desire and effort. All these three powers are within
him hence there is no obstruction for him to preach the Moksha Marga.
(Jains) If you believe
Ishwara to be without karmas then he cannot have desire or efforts since all
these attributes are seen in Jivas with karmas only. Further, even if we accept
that he has desire, the question arises that whether the desire is explicit or
obscured. If you say explicit then there has to be someone to express it. If
that someone is transitory then question arises that how could that person be
born without expression of the desire? On the other hand if that someone is
permanent then why did he not express the desire earlier. Therefore it is not
possible to accept desire as explicit. If the desire is said to be non-explicit
or obscured then no act can be performed by them just like the worldly people.
Karika 13 : (Vaisheshiks) Even if you do not accept desire and effort,
Ishwara can perform all the acts by means of the power of his knowledge.
(Jains) This too is
unacceptable since no example of the same is witnessed.
Karika 14-16 : (Yaugs) Just as your Jineshwara preach even without desire, in
the same way Ishwara can also be accepted to carry out acts without desire.
(Jains) The example of our
Jinendra cannot be quoted here. Jinendra Deva does not give preachment merely
on account of having knowledge, but on account of fruition of Tirthankar Naam
karma which enables him to preach. This fruition is present till the karmas are
existent in his body. The moment Jinendra Deva destroys those karmas also and
becomes Siddha , then he also cannot preach because of non availability of
karmas or the body.
Karika 17: (Yaugs): We also concede such a special dharma and specific yoga
in Ishwara just as you people accept Tirthankara Naam Karma of Jineshwaras.
(Jains): If you do so then
you will also have to accept them to
have divine body and you shall not be able to believe them to be body-less.
Karika 18 : (Yaugs): We accept Ishwara to incarnate in the form of body for
favouring the devotees or punishing scoundrels.
(Jains): This too does not withstand examination.
Karika 19-20: (Jains): If Ishwara can incarnate in the form of body without
having another body, to favour or punish, then he can as well do those deeds
even without taking the form of the body. What is the necessity to take birth
in body form? Further what is the necessity to provide bodies to others also.
On the other hand if he makes one body from another body,
then for the second body he would need to make from third body and so on. This
leads to the flaw of Anavastha (endless connotation).
Karika 21: (Jains) If you say that Ishwara does not make his own body and
his body is generated on its own then the existence of Ishwara would become
precarious since just as his body was made without his wish or efforts then all
other events of the world can happen without his wish or efforts. Ishwara would
no more be a requirement.
Continued…..
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