The Essence of Pravachansar …03

 

                                               Sukh Adhikar ( Gatha 53-68)

Firstly in Gatha 53^rd the two kinds of knowledge and such (bliss) are compared. First one is corporeal and sensory while the other one non corporeal and beyond senses. The first one is generated by the senses based upon the kshayopasham(destruction cum subsidence) of karmas, hence is sequential, transitory, multifaceted, having nature of increase or decrease both; therefore is not venerable and discardable.

The knowledge beyond senses accompanies bliss dependent upon the conscious nature of soul hence is permanent, generated together, does not have increment or decrement, is without opposition, hence is prime, venerable and should be cherished.

The purport of the above is that sensory knowledge and pleasures are dependent hence not venerable while knowledge and pleasure beyond senses are independent, natural and are venerable.

Now in the 54^th gatha the glory and magnificence of knowledge beyond senses is described. This knowledge is direct and this soul observes and knows corporeal, non corporeal and even the invisible substances, self and others all. Being direct knowledge nothing is unknown or concealed from this knowledge. In fact no one can prevent this knowledge knowing anything, just as combustible fuel cannot prevent fire. Such knowledge beyond senses is venerable.

On the other hand Gathas 55-56^th tell that the sensory knowledge is limited having several restrictions. Although the jiva is non corporeal but it acquires a corporeal body and by means of this body he knows the other corporeal substances in the four step process of avagrah etc. Some times even then he is not able to know due to limitation of senses. The touch, taste, smell, colour and sound are pudgal which are subjects of the senses but senses do not know them together. The sensory knowledge is indirect and has limitations. It is unstable, flickering, accompanied with perturbation and non blissful. Hence this indirect knowledge is not venerable.  

In the next two gathas 57-58^th the limitations of sensory knowledge are highlighted. The senses are other substances and not of the nature of soul. Hence how can the knowledge gained through them be called direct? Such knowledge is indirect only. The knowledge which is acquired by jiva himself is called direct.

The senses have nothing to do with the soul hence their knowledge is not direct. They have limitations due to mind, others’ guidance, Kshayopasham of karmas, illumination, ordination etc. Hence it is called indirect only. The direct knowledge knows through the soul all the substances without any of the restrictions given above.

Such knowledge alone is the means of natural bliss hence is venerable. In these gathas the Keval gyan only is the subject of veneration. Although Awadhi and Manah Paryaya gyans are also direct but they are partial  with limitations hence they are not venerated here.

Therefore in Gatha 59^th, the assertion is made that the real bliss is attained by those having direct knowledge. Such knowledge is generated by means of all the soul’s spatial elements, on its own, spread over infinite substances, pure, without limitations of avagrah etc., and is singularly blissful.

Here the important point which is brought out is that such direct knowledge as described above is perturbation free and hence is blissful. It is also stressed that only perturbationlessness is the characteristics of bliss. The sensory knowledge always desires to know the unknown, has limitations due to dependence, cannot know things together, therefore is always agitated and hence is not blissful. The direct knowledge knows all and has no desire to know any more, it knows without restrictions of time, space, distance etc. and with such clarity, it does not have any regrets hence is blissful.

Five reasons can be counted justifying blissful nature of direct knowledge- 1) it is independent, 2) there are  no limitations, 3) there is no desire to know anything more, 4) there are no doubts in the knowledge 5) all are known together. With these reasons the direct knowledge is blissful only.

Some people may have doubts that keval gyan also may cause perturbation. To them it is answered in Gatha 60^th that Keval Gyan is only blissful since Ghati karmas have been destroyed. The source of perturbation are ghati karmas which result in generation of Moha which causes delusion, leading to soul manifesting in a form desirous of knowing several subjects. This causes agitation in the soul. In the absence of Ghati karmas there is no agitation. Secondly the keval gyan itself is a manifestation and there is no other form of manifestation which can have perturbation. Thirdly keval gyam itself is permanent, all pervasive over lok-alok hence by itself is vibration free hence it is pure blissful. Thus it is concluded that Keval gyan is singularly blissful.

Therefore in Gathas 61-62^nd, it is stated that Keval gyan is subject of reverence. The knowledge of Keval gyani is beyond all substances, vision spread over all lok-alok, all undesirables have been destroyed and desirables are attained, therefore keval gyan is bliss form only. In spite of this abhavya jivas do not believe it and bhavya jivas accept it with reverence.

It is clarified again that harm to nature only is cause of perturbations. The nature of soul is gyan-darshan and this nature is fully realised in keval gyan state. Therefore only bliss is experienced. The world has been experiencing perturbation form apparent pleasures so far and hence is unaware of pleasures beyond senses. Therefore the abhavya jivas experience pleasures like a mirage without true happiness. Those who are bhavya (likely to attain Moksha shortly) accept these facts wholeheartedly.

Now the form of unreal sensory pleasures experienced by the people with indirect sensory knowledge is described in Gatha 63-64^th. The Chakravarthy, Asurendra, Surendra indulge in sensual subjects due to inability to tolerate the sensory desires. Those who desire for sensory pleasures, suffer naturally, for if they are not unhappy then they wouldn’t indulge in sensory objects.

Due to lack of direct knowledge, people with indirect knowledge naturally indulge in sensory subjects for pleasures. This results in generation of Moha which is like a burning ball of iron whose thirst can never be quenched. In the same way the desires produced are unquenchable. Therefore the worldly people do not experience real pleasures and merely undergo sufferings in attempting to satisfy the sensory desires.

Senses are observed to invite desires just as an elephant desires female elephant for touch, fish desires taste of flesh in the fishing hook, bee desires smell in the closing lotus flower, moth desires the flame of lamp, deer desires listening to music played by hunter. Thus even at the cost of life the jivas are seen to be attracted to sensory pleasures.

If it is not accepted that they suffer naturally then those who are not suffering should be seen  performing activities of the senses e.g. the one whose fever has subsided, attempting to produce sweat; whose pain in eyes has subsided, putting ointment in the eye; whose pain in the ears are subsided, putting urine of goat in the ears; whose injury has cured, spreading medicine on the wound.  Just as these people, who after recovery, are not seen taking care of the senses, in the same way those who suffer sensory desires should not be seen indulging in sensual pleasures after their desires are fulfilled. Hence it establishes that they continuously are suffering. Even the king of kings Chakravarthy, King of devas Surendra and king of Asuras Asurendra are seen to be afflicted with such desires. In fact there is no happiness observed in the world and sensual pleasures are nothing but source of unhappiness.

Further in Gathas 65-66^th it is asserted that body is not means for pleasure for worldly people. In spite of enjoying sensual subjects dependent upon the touch etc. senses, the soul only manifests in the sensual pleasure form naturally  and not the body. Surely, even in heaven the body does not give pleasure to the residents, but it is the soul only which manifests in happiness or unhappiness form under the influence of sensual subjects.

Even in the embodied state, the soul only is seen to indulge in sensual pleasures on account of soul’s impure manifestation and not the body. The body is pudgala and the experience of pleasure is totally different and they do not have any relationship. On the other hand Siddha bhagwan is blissful even without existence of the body hence it is established that body is not means for happiness.

Therefore concluding the Sukh Adhikar with the next 67-68^th Gathas, Acharya make important disclosure. He says that Soul is by himself gifted with the power of manifestation in blissful form therefore the subjects of five kinds of senses are irrelevant to him. If someone already has vision to see in the dark then he does not need a lamp. In the same way when soul manifests in bliss form by himself then what is the purpose of sensual subjects? Just as the sun is bright, hot and deva by himself, in the same way Siddha bhagwan is also knowledge, bliss and deva by himself.

If one can see in the dark then why would he need a lamp? In the same way, why  the soul which can manifest in the form of bliss by himself, need sensual subjects? In spite of this the ignorant jivas believe that sensual subjects are means for pleasure and unnecessarily thirst for them. In fact they are irrelevant for the attainment of happiness. Just as the sun is bright and hot  by himself, Siddha bhagwan is blissful by himself without any perturbation and adorned with omniscience capable of illuminating self and all others.

Therefore one should immediately give up hankering after the subjects appearing to be  means for pleasure. In this way with the description of natural blissful state of the soul, this Sukh Adhikar is concluded.

                                    Shubha Parinam Adhikar (Gatha 69-92)

This chapter deals with auspicious manifestations which are means for sensory pleasures. Firstly their form and fruitions are described in Gatha 69-70^th. The soul engaged in pooja, charity, modesty and fasting etc. is said to be shubha upayogi (engaged in auspicious activities). With the fruitions of shubha upayoga soul manifests into the forms of Tiryanch (animal), Human and deva and enjoys different kinds of sensory pleasures.

Here Narak gati is not included since it is result of inauspicious manifestations while tiryanch gati has been considered as auspicious. Another point is that tiryanch can take birth in bhog bhoomi which is considered auspicious and jivas necessarily take birth in heaven after being born in bhog bhoomi.

When the soul indulges in activities of auspicious kinds with leaning towards dharma then he accrues shubha karmas and acquires sensory benefits in future gatis. The only important aspect we have to note here is that though shubha upayoga results in benefits of sensory pleasures, it is not described as dharma. Dharma is described as Shuddhopayoga and pure manifestations of soul which lead to Moksha and destruction of karma bondage. The shubha upayoga is not revered since even this causes bondage of karmas. However to avoid ashubhopayoga, recourse to shubha upayoga has been prescribed.  

That’s why in 71^st gatha it is told that Jinendra deva has preached that even Devas do not have natural happiness since they too are afflicted with sufferings of body with five kinds of senses which makes them indulge in sensual pleasures. It implies that Devas are suffering only since they indulge in sensual pleasures.

Acharya clarifies that even devas have natural sufferings only since they do not have natural happiness. They are also observed to be hankering after sensual pleasures. They may appear to be enjoying but in reality they are suffering only.

The purport of the above is that even Devas enjoying fruition of punya karmas and shubha upayoga are unhappy then what is there to talk about human or animal birth? Another aspect is that there is thus no difference between punya and pap since both have resulted in bondage.

This aspect is highlighted in 72^nd Gatha. Manushya, Naraki, Tiryanch, Deva- all of them experience the sufferings of body then why do we call the upayoga of Jivas as Shubha or Ashubha?

It is asserted here that  be it Devas with fruition of punya karmas or Narakis with fruition of pap karmas, both of them are seen to be suffering body related miseries then in reality there is no difference between the shubha and Ashubha Upayogas.

Therefore from aspect of Nishchaya Naya both are same.

Although it is conceded that Punya exists but it is also cause for sensual thirst. This is revealed in Gathas 73-74. Indra armed with Vajra and Narendra armed with Chakra indulge in enjoyments of body acquired through punyas of shubha upayoga. They do appear to be happy engaged in pleasures hence surely Punya does exist. However if punya  does exist then it causes thirst for sensual pleasures even in Devas.

Acharya says that Indra and Chakravarthy acquire desired enjoyments of the body and remain engaged in them. They are like a leech which enjoys sucking dirty blood keeping continuously engaged in it. This demonstrates that punya does exist. However this also would have to be conceded that just as without thirst  the leech does not engage in sucking blood, continuous engagement of worldly people in sensory pleasures establishes the existence of thirst for them. Therefore punya leads to thirst only – this aspect is established.

Acharya mercilessly compares the punya with thirst of a leech which enjoys sucking dirty blood. Just as leech does not give up the thirst for blood in spite of severe hindrances, even the devas are not able to give up sensory enjoyments till the last moment of their life. Here even after being engaged in enjoyments acquired with punyas of shubha upayoga, their thirst for these pleasures is unquenched.

Therefore punya is also seed for miseries (Gatha 75^th). Those who are thirsty for sensual enjoyments, keep desiring for them till death and without being able to overcome their desires they continuously remain engaged in them till death.

Just as leech keeps sucking blood till its death, the punyatma jiva also keeps engaged in sensual pleasures till death. In this sense it is shown that there is no difference between a punya atma jiva and a jiva with pap karmas. Both are suffering and are miserable. Hence it is concluded that punya is a mirage form sukh and truly means for dukh only.

The message of the deliberations above is conveyed in Gatha 76^th. The pleasures attained with senses are dependent upon others, are not hindrance free, are interruptible, cause for bondage and unstable. Hence sensory pleasures are also miseries.

Continued…….