The Essence of Pravachansar...10

 

Question arises that what is the activity of the soul? This is answered in Gathas 184-185. In reality soul is doer of his own bhavas and definitely not of the pudgala dravya form bhavas. Residing in the middle of pudgala dravyas, the jiva in reality neither accepts pudgala karmas, nor discards them or engages in them.

Firstly soul  engages in his own bhavas which is really his dharma (nature). Soul has the power to manifest in such manner hence it definitely is his task. However soul does not carry out pudgala form bhavas since they are dharma of others. Soul does not manifest in their forms hence they are not his vocation.

The fact is that the one who manifests into other forms, cannot be devoid of their acceptance or renunciation. Just as fire does not accept or reject the iron ball. In the same way, in spite of occupying same space, soul does not accept or reject other dravyas. Therefore soul is not responsible for pudgala to manifest in the karma bhava form.

Elaborate explanation is given in Gatha 186^th on how soul acquires pudgala karmas in spite of soul not playing any role in it. In the worldly state, the soul being responsible for his own impure manifestations  accrues or discards the karma matter.

In the worldly state, the Jiva is responsible for his own impure manifestations in which the manifestations of pudgala karmas are nimitta only. The jiva is definitely not the doer of other dravya. Now with the nimitta of that impure manifestation of jiva, new pudgala matter manifests into karma form and bonds with the jiva or with the nimitta of pure manifestation of jiva, the karma matter dissipates and sheds away. In this manner depending upon the manifestation of jiva, the pudgala karmas accrue or are discarded.   

Who decides the natures of different types of karmas being accrued? This is answered in Gatha 187^th. When the soul manifests into shubha or ashubha forms on account of raga-dwesha, the pudgala matter manifests into gyanavarana etc. karma forms.

Just as with the fall of fresh rain water, the earth undergoes various peculiar changes on its own e.g. generation of  different kinds of greenness, mushrooms and insects; in the same way the soul manifesting in shubha -ashubha bhava forms on account of influence of raga-dwesha attracts various kinds of gyanavarana etc. karma matter  on its own. This establishes that the bondage of different kinds of karmas is due to their own nature and not due to soul.  

Now it is declared in Gatha 188^th that soul alone is the cause for bondage. The soul occupying finite spatial elements, corrupted by moha-raga-dwesha at its own time, gets bonded with karma matter which is called bandh.

Just as in the world, a cloth occupying finite spatial elements gets corrupted with bleach, alum etc. and is seen to adopt colours like red etc., in the same way the soul, having finite spatial elements, at its own time, gets corrupted with raga-dwesha-moha leading to bondage with karma matter which is termed as bandh. This should be accepted from aspect of Nishchaya since it deals with one dravya alone.

It is to be noted here that bondage of soul is termed as bondage with raga etc. bhavas which are paryayas of the soul and these are declared as bandh within the soul only from aspect of nishchaya. This is further elaborated in next gatha.

The harmony of Nishchaya and Vyavahara is described in Gatha 189. The bandh from aspect of nishchaya has been described as above by Arihant Bhagwan to Munis. The Vyavahara has been described differently.

The manifestation in the form of ragas alone is the deed of the soul. Soul only is the doer of raga and soul only renounces the ragas. This is from the aspect of Nishchaya naya which deals with pure dravya only. It is to be noted here that subject of pure dravya implies with the manifestation of one dravya alone (here it means soul alone). Therefore pure and impure manifestations of same dravya are treated as subject of Nishchaya naya. On the other hand stating that soul is doer of pudgala from manifestations as their receiver or discarder is statement from aspect of Vyavahara naya, which deals with impure dravya (more than one dravya). In this manner, in two ways the dravya is described. Between the two,  Nishchaya naya is declared as right means since objective is purification of soul while Vyavahara is declared as worthy of discarding since it deals with impure dravya only.

At this juncture,  it is worthwhile pointing out difference in exposition of Samaysar and Pravachansar. In Pravachansar here, the Nishchaya has been said to deal with  matter pertaining to one dravya only and it therefore includes impure paryayas of the same dravya as its subject. This is true since Pravachansar deals primarily with knowledge and here it is necessary to inform that soul only is the cause for pure and impure paryayas both. Whereas in Samaysar Nishchaya has been described as pure soul dravya only without including the paryayas. This is because Samaysar deals with pure spirituality with the objective of Moksha hence subject of contemplation is pure dravya. This important difference with respect to view points should be kept in mind while studying both.

Next it is told in Gatha 190^th that by means of impure naya, one attains impure soul only. The soul who does not give up the attitude of ‘this is me and this is mine’ with respect to body, riches etc., he giving up the path to Moksha, follows the path of ruination. 

The soul who ignores the path of Nishchaya naya dealing with description of pure dravya and is attracted to vyavahara  naya form impure dravya ; manifesting in this manner and having an attitude of ‘this is myself and this is mine’ with respect to body, riches etc., does not give up the sense of oneness with them; that soul giving up the pure soul manifestation form Moksha marga, follows the path to disastrous impure manifestations. This establishes that with impure naya, one attains impure soul only.

On the other hand it is told in Gatha 191^st  that with pure naya one attains pure soul. ‘ I do not belong to others and others do not belong to me, I am pure knowledge only’ – the one who contemplates thus, that soul at the moment of meditation is pure soul form.

The soul  who remains neutral towards exposition of ashuddha dravya with  Vyavahara naya and who has  removed his moha by means of exposition of shuddha dravya with nishchaya naya; manifesting in this manner ‘I do not belong to others nor others belong to me’ thus giving up attitude of ownership with respect to others, contemplates of the pure soul only ‘I am pure knowledge only’; that soul is pure soul at the moment of such meditation. This state is called Dhyan having only single subject  of contemplation namely soul. This establishes that with shuddha naya, one attains pure soul only.

Therefore it is preached in Gathas 192-193 that such pure soul only is worth acquisition being permanent. “ I believe my soul to be knowledge-vision form, great substance beyond senses, permanent, stationary, pure without needing any assistance. On the other hand the body, wealth, pleasure-sorrow, enemies-friends- all these are not permanent; the only permanent thing is Upayoga form soul.”

The pure soul is existent without reason, without assistance from any other substance. If soul were created then it could not be permanent. The one which is permanent, cannot have a beginning. Soul is pure consciousness form substance eternally. This alone is my refuge.

Family, wealth, body etc. are all transitory and cannot be my refuge. The shubha-ashubha bhavas also keep changing hence they too  are not my refuge. Even vikalpas cannot be my refuge. Only permanent soul can be the refuge.

Further the soul is one with self and different from other dravyas due to following five reasons:

1.     Soul is knowledge natured without having capability to indulge in ragas or changing others.

2.     Soul has nature of darshan (vision) hence is one.

3.     Without assistance of senses he knows, therefore is substance beyond senses.

4.     Other substances are transitory including shubha-ashubha bhavas. Soul only is stationary.

5.     Soul does not need assistance from other dravya hence is one with himself.

Such pure soul being permanent is worthy of attainment.

Now in Gathas 194-195, it is told that with attainment of pure soul one destroys the shackles of Moha which in turn leads to attainment of pleasure beyond senses.

The one who manifests in pure soul form, contemplating of supreme soul, he definitely destroys the shackles of Moha irrespective of his Upayoga being savikalpa (with thoughts) or nirvikalpa (thoughts free). With the destruction of Moha-raga-dwesha, remaining equanimous with respect to pleasure-sorrow he manifests in Muni form leading to eternal pleasure beyond senses.

Knowing the pure soul to be subject of contemplation, one engages in savikalpa or nirvikalpa upayoga form manifestations. This leads to dhyan with singular subject which leads to destruction of  shackles of Moha. With this and having equanimity towards sukha-dukha one manifests into Muni state leading to perturbation free pleasure beyond senses.

It is reiterated in Gatha 196^th that contemplation of soul cannot be a cause for corruption. Those who have destroyed the impurities of Moha, becoming detached from sensual subjects and restraining their mind those who are stationary within their nature, they are meditators of the soul.

Moha only is the cause for engagements towards other dravyas. Once Moha is destroyed then there is no attachment towards sensual subjects. Just as a bird flying over a ship in the middle of ocean does not have anywhere else to land other than the ship, in the same way, with the detachment towards sensual subjects the mind does not have a refuge other than the soul. Once the mind is restrained and its fickle-mindedness towards other dravyas is prevented, it becomes stationary within the infinite-fluent-conscious nature. Remaining in this unperturbed state focussed on singular subject it is termed as Dhyan.

This Dhyan not being different from the soul cannot be cause for corruption of the soul.

Acharya himself raises the question in Gatha 197^th that what is the subject of contemplation of such omniscient bhagwan who has attained pure soul ? The Shraman (Muni) who has destroyed all the karmas, who knows the nature of all the substances directly and there is no subject unknown; which object do they contemplate upon ?

The question is elaborated as follows: Common folks of the universe are accompanied with Moha karma hence they have desires for obtaining different objects. Due to presence of Gyanavaraniya karma they do not know many subjects and even what is known is not quite clear minutely. Hence they always contemplate of the desired, unknown and  doubtful subjects. Now, in the case of omniscient bhagwan, due to absence of Moha karma, he is free of desires; due to absence of Gyanavaraniya karma, he knows all subjects clearly and totally without doubts. Therefore he does not have desire, doubt or enquiry about any subject. Then what is the subject of his dhyan?

Acharya only answers this question by Gatha 198^th saying that the one who has attained pure soul that omniscient contemplates of supreme bliss.

The soul which is beyond senses and mind, experiences unobstructed knowledge and bliss in the whole soul and contemplates of the supreme bliss.

In fact contemplation is associated with a subject but here there is no subject left hence contemplation is same as experience. The omniscient experiences unobstructed, perturbation free bliss within entire soul space at all times therefore it is said that he contemplates of supreme bliss only.   

Therefore it is concluded in 199^th Gatha that attainment of such pure soul is the path to Moksha. All kevalis, Tirthankaras, Munis have attained Siddha-hood by following this path only. Obeisance to them and that path.

It is reiterated that all the Kevalis, Tirthankaras, Munis have become Siddha by following the path of purification of soul and not by any other path. Hence it establishes that there is only one path to Moksha and none other. Therefore there is no point in talking any further. Acharya offers obeisance to all the Siddhas and Moksha Marg  by means of bhava namaskar wherein the one offering and the one being offered have become one. In this manner the pure soul is installed within himself.

In fifth Gatha Acharya had vowed to attain equanimity. Now completing this chapter of Gyeya Tatva Pragyapan, he vows to remain engaged in practice of  pure soul form Moksha Marg. Thus realising that practice of pure soul only is Moksha Marg and that soul is of the nature of knowledge only, I renunciate all the attachments and remain detached.

The commentary by Acharya Amritchandra for this gatha is quite awe-inspiring.  He says that myself who is entitled to Moksha hereby engage in the practice of pure soul with complete detachment knowing the soul to be pure knowing natured only. There is nothing else required to be done. Here he declares that with all other substances  his relationship is that of knower and the subjects of knowledge only and nothing else. Therefore soul is detached with respect to them totally. Although the nature of subjects of knowledge is such that they appear to be same as the knower but in spite of it, the knower self is different from the subjects. Hence I take recourse to my prime knowing nature only discarding Moha totally, remaining perturbation free.

Thus with the engagement in Samyakgyan having roots in right belief, remaining immersed within own self, I offer obeisance to all Siddha with whom I am one.

Acharya now tells the benefit of practicing scriptures. Understanding the subjects of knowledge in the right way we remain immersed within own pure soul substance. In this manner the knowledge illuminating self and others, knowing different subjects of knowledge within himself, glows in the soul form explicitly.

Now the relationship with respect to last chapter on Charanuyoga soochak Choolika is provided. The charan (conduct) is according to dravya and dravya is according to conduct. (The knowledge of the soul is according to conduct and vice versa). In this manner both are relative. Therefore taking recourse to either dravya or conduct, the Muni should proceed in Moksha marg.

Continued….