Sunday, November 28, 2021

The Essence of Pravachansar…..14 (Concluding part)

 

Gatha 253 provides the guidelines that for when the Shubhopayogi should undertake talking with other people and when it is not. For providing services to diseased, Guru, young and aged Shramans it is not objectionable to talk with worldly people having shubhopayoga.

With the nimitta of providing services to diseased, Guru, young, and aged Shramans having pure soul manifestations, it is not objected to in the scriptures for Shubhopayogi shraman to undertake talking with people without have pure soul manifestations. But for other purposes it is not advised.

The shubhopayoga as described above can be divided into two categories as told in Gatha 254 wherein the primary and secondary roles are defined. Such pious services are carried out secondarily by Shramans while the householders play the primary role. Thus it is told in scriptures. Due to this in due course of time, the householder is immensely benefited.

From the aspect of belief, the Shraman as well as householder are the same since both have faith in pure soul. However from the aspect of conduct, the Shraman primarily indulges in pure soul manifestations applicable to Munis and the shubhopayoga is secondary. For the Samyakdrishti householder due to lack of pure soul manifestation applicable to Munis, it is preferable to indulge in Shubhopayoga to avoid Ashubhopayoga. The efforts of Samyakdrishti householder to engage in Shubhopayoga in this manner are indirectly minor  efforts for   purification. With weak recourse to pure soul dravya, the ashubha manifestations change into Shubha manifestations and further with strong efforts for pure soul dravya, the Shubha manifestations change into shuddha manifestations.

Now it is described in Gathas 255-257 that in Shubhopayoga If the recipient  is negative then the result is also discordant. Just as in this world the seeds put in different types of lands give different kinds of results on fruition, in the same way the Shubha raga also leads to different results depending upon the suitability of recipient.

Same seed would result in very good crop in a fertile land while it may  give poor crop in waste land. In the same way the shubhopayoga of  excellent nature may give rise to different fruitions depending upon the suitability of recipients since effect depends upon the cause.

Those Jivas who spend their time in  following deva-guru-dharma etc. as described by ignorant people and indulge in studies- fasting- vows- dhyan-charity accordingly, they do not attain Moksha but acquire good fortunes due to their shubhopayoga.

The benefit of Shubhopayoga in the omniscient prescribed activities is attainment of Moksha with the accumulation of punya. However if cause is incorrect  then the result is also discordant. The activities prescribed by ignorant people are all incorrect. The result of shubhopayoga in those activities like studies- fasting-vows-dhyan-charity etc. is devoid of Moksha and  fruition of punya may be of the form of birth in deva, manushya etc.

The result of providing services, benefaction, charity towards people who do not know the nature of reality and who are indulgent in sensual pleasures-passions, is in the form of birth in Kudeva or KuManushya.

The procedures prescribed by ignorant people are incorrect only as they are (1) devoid of knowledge of pure soul (2) the preachers are without manifestations in the form of pure soul being  indulgent in sensual subjects-passions. The attitude of Shubhopayogi Jivas to provide service, benefaction or charity to such people results only in fruition of punya which may be of the form of birth in KuDeva or KuManushya forms.

Again it is stressed in Gathas 258-259 that when cause is negative  then how can the result be positive? Positive results can only be attained with positive efforts.

It is declared in scriptures that when sensual subjects-passions are pap, then how can the people engaged in such activities be guides to cross the worldly ocean?

The one who has given up pap and who has equanimity towards all co followers, who is experiencing the qualities, such person  traverses the right path.

Firstly it is quite clear that sensual subjects-passions etc. are pap forms only and hence people engaged in them cannot be cause of punya to their followers. Then how can one expect them to guide across the worldly ocean? Hence when cause is negative, the result cannot be positive.

Further who have given up pap and have equanimity towards all co-followers of dharma, such shraman, who are manifesting in the form of unity of samyak darshan-gyan-charitra, who are following the right path, they are the means for Moksha for self and others. Therefore one should understand that with positive reasons one gets positive results.

The same aspect is specifically explained further in Gatha 260. Those who are free of Ashubhopayoga and are manifesting in the form of Shuddhopayoga or Shubhopayoga, such Shramans can  guide others to cross the worldly ocean. Jivas reverent towards them acquire glorious punya.

Shramans as described above, who have destroyed moha, improper raga, dwesha, thus are free of ashubhopayoga , who sometimes manifest in Shuddhopayoga form free of all passions or manifest in shubhopayoga form on account of fruition of commendable raga, they themselves are of the form of Moksha and therefore can  guide others also for the same. Those who are reverent towards them also earn commendable punya.

Now in the next three gathas 261-163 , the protocol of interaction between different Shramans is described.

On sighting the subject under consideration ( here it is shraman in digamber state without any corruption) , firstly they should be respected by standing up etc., then subsequently they should be treated according to their qualities.

In the scriptures, it is directed that the Shramans having higher qualities should be respected by standing up, reception, service, reverence, salutations etc.

It is appropriate for the Shramans to offer respect, reverence, salutations etc. to the Shramans who are knowledgeable of the Jina Sutras, proficient in Samyam, Tapa and Gyan .

On sighting another Shraman, they should be respected believing them to be having great qualities. Later, after introduction, they should be treated in accordance with their qualities. In the scriptures it is not denied that other Shramans having higher qualities should be respected, received, revered, offered salutations etc. However these activities are permissible towards those shramans who are having great Samyam, Tapa and knowledge etc. For other Shramanabhas ( those who appear to be shraman but are not actually worthy ) these protocols are not permissible.

The Shramanabhas is described further in detail in gatha 264. In spite of being equipped with Sutra, Samyam and Tapa, if that Jiva does not have belief in the Jina described soul substance, then he is not a Shraman- so it is said in the Agam.

In spite of being knowledgeable of the Agam, adopting restraints, practicing Tapa , if that Jiva does not have realisation of the soul who knows the entire world in the form of subject of knowledge, then that Jiva is Shramanabhas.

The next three gathas 265-267 describe the consequences of not respecting fellow Shraman  or expecting obeisance from  greater Shraman or offering obeisance to lesser Shraman in spite of being greater.

On observing fellow Shraman engaged in the order of JinaDeva, if one criticises him unduly and is unhappy with his conduct, then his own Charitra gets blemished. If he expects obeisance from a shraman much higher in qualities then the self, then he takes births infinitely. On the other hand if he offers obeisance to a Shraman much inferior in qualities then the self, then his own conduct gets tarnished.

Those Shraman who have dwesha towards another fellow Shraman and therefore speak unwell of them being dissatisfied  with his conduct, then that Shraman tarnishes his own conduct due to passions generated out of dwesha.

In  spite of having lower qualities, and with the attitude of ‘I too  am Shraman’ , he expects Shraman having much higher qualities to offer him obeisance then due to his pride he may have to take infinite births ( continue in transmigration infinitely).

On the other hand in spite of having greater qualities, those who engage in offering obeisance etc. to Shramans of inferior qualities, then on account of their Moha, they blemish their own conduct.

Further in Gathas 268-269, keeping the company of worldly people is condemned, defining the form of worldly  people.

The one who knowing  the Sutras and their meanings has realised the form of subject of knowledge i.e. soul and has destroyed the passions and in spite of  having performed great Tapa, does not relinquish the company of worldly people, then he loses his restraints and becomes Asamyat ( non Samyat).

The worldly people are defined as follows:

Those jivas who in spite of taking vows of Samyam (abstinence), still indulge in worldly activities, then such people are called worldly only.

Those Jivas who are Samyat i.e. (1) they understand Shabda Bramha and its subject the soul , (2) who have subdued the passions, (3) who are practicing high level of Tapa; such Jivas also become Asamyat in the company of worldly people. Just as in the company of fire, the water gets corrupted into heated form, in the same way by not relinquishing of worldly people the Samyat gets corrupted into Asamyat form. Hence company of worldly people should be given up in all respects.

The worldly people have been described as those who had taken the vows of Samyam but on account of high degree of Moha, still indulge in worldly activities of interaction with non Samyat people discarding appropriate pure conduct. Hence they lose their own qualities of being Samyat.

Therefore appropriate company is advisable, thus it is told in Gatha 270. In the company of worldly people, even Samyat becomes non-Samyat. Hence if the Shraman want to get rid of miseries, then  he should keep company of Shramans of same quality or greater qualities.

Soul has  the nature of manifestation. Hence just as in the company of fire, even water becomes heated, in the same way, in the company of worldly people even Samyat becomes non-Samyat. Therefore Shraman desirous of getting rid of miseries, should keep company of similar quality Shraman or one with greater qualities. Just as the cold water kept in the coolest corner of house or in the company of much cooler ice, increases only the coolness of water; in the same way the Shraman  gains in qualities in right company.  

Thus  concludes Shubhopayoga Pragyapan.

                                                Panch Ratna Adhikar ( Chapter of five Jewels )

                                                           (Gathas 271-275)

The Pravachansar is now coming closer to completion. Hence Acharya offers five jewels form Sutras as the essence of the order of Jina Deva. These extraordinary Gathas indicate the paths of world and the Moksha clearly apart hence Acharya has offered obeisance to them to remain ever illuminated.

Firstly the worldly Tatva (element)  is described in Gatha 271. Even though they are following the order of Jina, being in the form of Dravya Lingi Muniraj , even then ‘ this is the nature of substance’ – thus being confident, they accept the nature of substances in unreal form. Therefore they shall transmigrate in this world full of infinite karmas eternally.

Those who ignorantly believe the nature of reality in another way and think that such is the nature of substance, thus believing being corrupted with Moha, even though they might have accepted the path of dravya ling in the order of Jina, they still are ignorant. Hence without proper Shraman-hood they are Shramanabhas in reality. Hence such Mithyadrishti would be transmigrating infinitely  in this world. Hence they should be known as Sansar Tatva ( worldly Tatva).

Now Moksha Tatva is revealed in Gatha 272. The Jiva who knows the meaning of scriptures and knows the nature of reality and is therefore perturbation free peaceful soul, devoid of false conduct, such completely Shraman jiva, getting free of fruition of karmas, does not stay long in this world (attains Moksha shortly).

The Shraman who is like a feather in the cap of the world, who has realised the nature of reality and now does not have any interest in others, therefore is peaceful within himself, remaining within his own nature without false conduct; such Shraman should be known as Moksha Tatva, since he has destroyed the fruition of previously accumulated karmas in short while and  does not generate new karma fruitions. Therefore without migrating into false bhavas he remains focused within his own pure nature in stationary mode.

The means for Moksha Tatva is revealed in Gatha 273. Knowing the nature of reality in right way, those who have discarded internal and external possessions and are not interested in sensual subjects, they are described as ‘Shuddha’.

Those who have known all the subjects of knowledge and the self with the means of Anekant (multifaceted reality), thus are expert in the knowledge of reality, who are illuminated internally giving up all internal and external possessions, who are immersed within themselves such that they do not have interest in external subjects, such great glorious Bhagwant are Shuddhopayogi and they should be treated as the means for Moksha Tatva. Those Shuddhopayogi only should be treated as Moksha Marg form, since they are revealing the path  to open the doors blocked by karmas keeping one entrapped in the Sansar.

Now Shuddhopayogi is praised as being the means for Moksha Tatva, which is the prime objective of people desirous of Moksha in Gatha 274. Shuddhopayogi only is described as Shraman-hood. Shuddha only attains darshan and Gyan, Shuddha only attains Nirvana; he only becomes Siddha. Obeisance to him.

It is reiterated again that the real Shraman-hood  which leads to Moksha is attained only by Shuddha i.e. practitioner of concentration in the togetherness of Samyak Gyan-darshan-Charitra.  He only experiences the darshan and gyan of the general-specific form all the objects of the universe in the true manner. Therefore Shuddhopayogi only attains Siddha-hood. Acharya says that what is the point of talking any further? He offers Bhava Namaskar to the Shuddha wherein there is no differentiation between the one offering obeisance and the one receiving obeisance, with both being the self as well as other.

Now Acharya KundKunda concludes the shastra in Gatha 275 by informing the benefit of studying it to his followers. The one who understands this preachment in the vikalpa form as well as Nirvikalpa form, in a short while he attains the essence of preachment i.e. he attains pure soul form.

Acharya KundKunda has names this shastra as Pravachan Sar which implies pure soul only, being the essence of preachment. The able Shishya who manifests in the pure darshan-gyan form and  thus being engaged in vikalpa form and nirvikalpa form activities, understanding the meaning of all scriptures, experiences the pure soul, he attains the state of Bhagwan Atma which is the blissful state of the self which was not experienced earlier at any time. That pure soul only is the essence of preachment.

                                                            The End

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