Kartikeya Anupreksha ….14

 

Choolika (Addendum) of Dharmanupreksha – Dwadash Tapa ( 12 tapa)

Describing the choolika (addendum) of Dharmanupreksha , Acharya narrates twelve types of Tapas:

Gatha 436: Means for Karma Nirjara are twelve kinds of Tapas as described in Jinagam in brief. Their details would be stated here.

Meaning: Means for Nirjara are Tapa which are of twelve types- Anashan (fasting), Avamoudarya (eating less), Vritti Parisamkhyan ( imposing conditions for breaking of fast), Rasa Parityag ( renouncing specific taste), Vivikta Shayyasan ( isolated place for sleeping), KayaKlesh ( Physical austerity ),  these six are external forms of tapa. Prayashchit (repentance), Vinay (respect), Vaiyavritya ( pious service to saints), Swadhyaya ( studies), Vyutsarga( renunciation of body attachment) and dhyan , these six are internal Tapa. They shall be described further.

Firstly Anashan tapa is stated in four gathas:

Gatha 437: Munindras have declared immersing of mind within own soul nature, preventing the senses to wander into sensual subjects, as Upavas. Hence Jitendriya (conqueror of senses) are said to be practicing Upavas in spite of taking food.

Meaning: Conquering the senses is Upavas, hence Yatis in spite of taking food are practicing Upavas since they manifest restraining the senses.

Gatha 438-439: The one who has conquered the mind and the senses, who is free of the sensual desires pertaining to this lok or the Parlok, who does not have any wishes, who remains within own soul nature and is engaged in swadhyaya (studies), who abandons food with pleasure without misery in moments for attaining nirjara of karmas with a duration of one day, he practices Anashan Tapa.

Meaning: Without getting involved in activities of senses and the mind, remaining within the soul is Upavas. Conquering the senses, not having desires of subjects of  this lok or the Parlok, remaining immersed within the nature of soul or studies of scriptures are the prime activities of Upavas. Further without generating misery as if playfully, renouncing food for a day is Upavas. Such Upavas constitutes the tapa by name Anashan.

Gatha 440: The one who remaining engaged in Upavas carries out household activities with Moha, he was already miserable with household work, secondly without food he is miserable due to hunger and thirst also, while no nirjara of karmas is attained.

Meaning: If someone abandons food and does not renounce the sensual subjects, passions and activities then  he was already miserable and second misery of hunger and thirst is added; with such upavas how can nirjara of karmas be achieved? The nirjara of karmas is attained by abandoning all miseries and remaining in equanimity.

Now Avamoudarya ( eating less)  tapa is stated in two gathas:

Gatha 441: The Ascetic who without strong desire for food, partakes a very limited quantity of food as prescribed in the scriptures, he undertakes Avamourdaya tapa.

Meaning: Munis avoiding 46 blemishes, 32 hindrances and 14 impurities, take pure and suitable food, even then they undertake Oonodar (taking less than desired) tapa, consuming less than the desired quantity. The amount of food has been declared to be between one to thirty two morsels. Reducing it according to own wishes is Avamoudarya tapa.

Gatha 442: The Muni who takes limited food for the sake of fame or deceit or for the benefit of tasty food, his second Avamoudarya tapa is a failure.

Meaning: The one who thinks that by taking less food I shall be famous and by deceit I shall be successful to meet some objective, or by taking less food I shall be offered more tasty food , with such objectives if he carries out Oonodar  tapa, then it is meaningless. This is not  tapa but fraud.

Now Vritti Parisamkhyan is described:

Gatha 443: When Muni starts for food, then before hand he decides in the mind that today I shall take food from one house only  otherwise I shall return, or I shall go upto two houses. He takes vow that the donor should offer in such manner in such pot then only I shall take food, or he decides that such specific food tasty or untasty shall be offered then only I shall take. Thus with pre decided vow he  proceeds that if the food is offered in specific  way then he would  partake or otherwise not. The food is also consumed like a cow or animal who do not look around and concentrate only on food. Such is Vritti Parisamkhyan tapa.

Meaning: This tapa is meant for frustrating the desires of food. Getting food in accordance with pre conceived vow is very fortunate. Such difficult tapa is undertaken by Maha Munis.

Now Rasa Parityaga tapa is described:

Gatha 444: The Muni who considering the form of worldly miseries thinks that subjects of the senses are like  poison only. By consuming poison one dies once only but with sensual subjects one has to undergo several births and deaths. Thinking so, he undertakes tasteless food , thus he practices pure Rasa Parityaga tapa.

Meaning: The tastes are of six kinds- ghee, oil, curd, sweet, salt and milk or sour, salty, sweet, bitter, pungent and spicy. One or two or all  are renounced with firmness in Rasa Parityaga. Here someone enquires that what is the difference between Rasa Parityaga and Vritti Parisamkhyan since both are undertaken in the mind with resolve. Its reply-

Vritti Parisamkhyan renounces several kinds of things while here only taste is renounced. The other  difference is that Rasa Parityaga is for longer duration which can be known even to the shravak while Vritti Parisamkhyan is for a limited duration.

Now Vivikta Shayyasan tapa is stated:

Gatha 445: The Muni who abandons the asan (seat) and  shayya(bed) which are cause of raga-dwesha etc. and remains within his own soul nature at all times, being detached from sensory subjects, that Muni practices the fifth tapa by name Vivikta Shayyasan.

Meaning: Asan ( seat) and Shayya (bed) inclusive of places for meeting nature’s call  etc. are so chosen that there is no scope for raga-dwesha and detachment is enhanced. In such lonely place the Muni should sit or sleep since Muni has to immerse in his own soul nature and sensory subjects are not his objectives. Therefore lonely places are recommended.

Gatha 446-447: The Maha Muni who is impartial in Pooja etc., does not desire own pooja, fame etc., detached with world, body and enjoyments, who is expert in studies, dhyan and internal tapas with continuous practices, who has weak passions, peaceful attitude, very brave from aspect of attitude, who is bestowed with forgiveness etc. qualities, who stays in cremation ground, deep forest, lonely places, dangerous gardens etc. , he surely practices Vivikta Shayyasan.

Meaaning: The Maha Munis practice Vivikta Shayyasan tapa. They sleep, sit in such lonely places where there are no objects which can cause perturbation of the mind like, abandoned house, cave of mountain, hollow of tree, householders constructed dwellings in garden, temple etc., cremation ground etc. Such lonely place they carry out studies and dhyan. Thus they are detached from the body and sensory subjects and attached to own soul nature, those munis are practitioner of Vivikta Shayyasan.

Now Kaya Klesh (Physical Austerity) Tapa is stated:

Gatha 448: The Muni who is conqueror of conditions of strong calamities, is not discomforted by heat, cold or wind and is not disturbed in the mind , he practices Kaya Klesh form Tapa.

Meaning: The Maha Munis practice meditation at  the peak of mountain where the sun’s rays are hottest and the ground, rocks  underneath are heated in summer. In winter, they practice yoga by the side of river, open ground where cold is very severe by standing still. In rainy season when winds are strong, mosquitoes are biting, they stand under a tree and practice difficult asan etc. Thus they practice Kaya Klesh with equanimity without getting perturbed mentally.

Thus the six forms of external tapas were described.

Now six types of internal tapa shall be described. Firstly Prayashchit (repentance) tapa is stated:

Gatha 449: The Muni who does not commit fault by mind-speech-body by himself or by asking others and does not endorse the same being committed by others  either, he practices supreme purity.

Meaning: Here purity term implies Prayashchit (repentance) since the word “Prayah” implies supreme conduct , so such conduct who practices with his “Chitta’ (mind) is called as Prayashchit. Therefore ensuring purity of soul is Prayashchit. Another meaning is repentance for the faults committed and thus purifying the mind. The Muni who does not commit the fault by means of mind-speech-body and does not tell others to do the same nor approve of the same, he practices Prayashchit Tapa.

Gatha 450: Or other wise if due to some  carelessness some blemish has been committed in the Charitra, then approaching the flawless Acharya, he should carry out Alochana (self criticism) free of ten types of blemishes.

Meaning: If some fault has been committed by carelessness, then approaching the Acharya he should carry out Alochana free of ten types of defects. The Pramad (carelessness) are of 15 types- pertaining to five senses, sleep, 4 types of passions, 4 types of useless talks and affection. The Alochana has ten types of defects- 1. Hoping for less Prayashchit from acharya  by generating compassion within him by service etc.2. Praise the Acharya to please him so as to get less punishment 3. Only known defect is recounted and unknown is not described. 4. Bigger mistake is confessed but smaller one is not confessed. 5. Smaller mistake only is told thus hiding the bigger mistake. 6. Recounts the fault in some other person’s name thus hiding self. 7. Speak under noisy conditions so that no one could hear it. 8. Checking the punishment prescribed by one acharya with another acharya. 9. Only when the fault is explicit then only owning it up. 10 without revealing own fault, undertaking Prayashchit based upon similarity of other’s fault.

Hence without committing these ten types of blemishes one should perform Alochana with simplicity  like a child.

Gatha 451: After criticising the faults, whatever Acharya prescribes as penance , he should accept it with humility without keeping a doubt in the mind that this penance is less or more.

Meaning: In Tattvartha Sutra nine types of Prayashchit are described- 1. Alochana- describing the fault truly is alochana 2. Pratikraman- negating the fault is Pratikraman. 3. Tadubhaya- carrying out both alochana and pratikraman is tadubhaya. 4. Vivek- renouncing for future is vivek. 5. Vyutsarga- carrying out kayotsarga is Vyutsarga. 6. Tapa- engaging in fasting etc. is tapa. 7. Chhed- Reducing the seniority of the Sadhu to shorter duration is chhed. 8. Parihar- Abolishing him from the group is Parihar. 9. Upasthapana- Ordination afresh is Upasthapana. Within these also there are several divisions. Depending upon place, period, condition, capability and fault, accordingly acharya prescribes the Prayashchit. That should be accepted humbly without doubt.

Gatha 452: After carrying out Prayashchit for the fault committed, one should vow not to commit it again even if own body is shattered into hundred pieces. With such resolve the Prayashchit tapa is undertaken.

Meaning: One should be resolute that even if body gets shattered into hundred pieces, I shall not commit the fault again. Such is Prayashchit Tapa.

Gatha 453: The Gyani Muni who contemplates of the knowledge form soul again and again and detaching from different Pramad (carelessness)  forms always experiences the gyan only , he carries out best Prayashchit.

Meaning: Nishchaya Prayashchit is such in which all the divisions of Prayashchit are included within the same. Renouncing Pramad, he contemplates of the pure knowledge form soul wherein all the Paps gets destroyed. In this way the internal tapa of the form of Prayashchit was described.

Now Vinay (respect) tapa is stated in three gathas:

Gatha 454: Vinay is of five kinds. With respect to darshan, gyan, charitra, twelve kinds of tapa and informality- these are thus of several kinds.

Gatha 456: The pure manifestations attained in darshan, gyan, charitra and twelve kinds of tapa itself is Vinay of theirs.

Meaning: Manifestation in the form of Samyak darshan without the transgressions of doubt etc. is Darshan Vinay. Practicing  scriptures without doubts etc. form manifestation is Gyan Vinay. Conducting in Ahimsa etc form  without transgressions form manifestations is Charitra vinay. Practicing tapa avoiding all transgressions carefully in all forms is tapa vinay.

Gatha 456: Just as servants of the king conduct according to desires of the king, in the same way the one who conducts with devotion in accordance  with the words of Munis with jewel trio, he practices Upachar Vinay.

Meaning: Just as servants conduct according to desire of king, obey him, stand up on seeing him, fold their hands in respect , walk behind him and decorate his dress and armaments etc. In the same way the devotion towards Munis, giving respect, obeying them, getting up in respect on seeing them, bow with folded hands, walk behind them, take care of their equipment etc. these are known as Upachar Vinay.

Now Vaiyavritya (pious service to saints) tapa iis described in two gathas:

Gatha 457: The one who without desiring own pooja, fame etc., carries out benevolence towards other yati who have suffered calamities, who are weak and sick and are old by means of his words, preachment, help etc. he practices Vaiyavritya form tapa.

Meaning: Serving Munis without expecting returns is Vaiyavritya. Ten types of Yatis have been said to be eligible for carrying out Vaiyavritya. According to one’s capability the same should be carried out.

Gatha 458: The Muni who engages in the own soul nature with shuddhopayoga with equanimity and avoiding sensory subjects, detaching self from worldly activities form external Vaiyavritya, he attains supreme Nishchaya Vaiyavritya.  

Meaning: The Muni who immerses self within soul nature with equanimity preventing influence of sensory subjects, why should he engage in external Vaiyavritya ? He attains Nishchaya (internal) Vaiyavritya. This is the nature of shuddhopayogi Muni.

Now Swadhyaya (studies) tapa is described with six gathas:

Gatha 459: The Muni who remains aloof towards criticism of others and destroys the impure thoughts from the mind, he practices Swadhyaya tapa which is means for deciding upon the Tattva and attainment of dhyana.

Meaning: The one who keeps engaged in criticising others and contemplates of Aart and Roudra dhyana form inappropriate thoughts, how can he practice Swadhyaya with shastras? Renouncing these the one who practices swadhyaya, he realises the form of tattva and attains Dharma and Shukla Dhyana.

Gatha 460: The Muni who remains aloof towards own pooja etc. and studies Jina shastra with devotion for destroying karma form impurities, he attains  pleasant  benefits of shruta gyan.

Meaning: Those who study shastra for own fame and glory , for them the studies are not beneficial. Only for own karma destruction, if they study Jina shastra, then it is beneficial.

Gatha 461: The person who studies Jina shastra and expects returns of pooja, benefits, honour etc. and is adverse to other samyak Drishti Jains  who are cofollowers, he is not Pandit (though he believes himself to be). For him the same shastra manifests poisonously.

Meaning: After studying Jain shastra if someone is highly passionate  and desirous of enjoyments and stays adverse to Jains, for such self proclaimed Pandits the shastra functions as poison only. Even if he is a Muni, his attire is that of a fraudster.

Gatha 462: The person who studies shastras pertaining to wars, sensual pleasures etc. with intents of raga-dwesha for deceiving the people, his swadhyaya is meaningless.

Meaning: The person who studies worldly shastras pertaining to wars, sensual enjoyments, Ayurveda, astrology, mantra etc. for swindling the people; where is the swadhyaya for him? Here someone enquires that Munis and Pandits study all kinds of shastras, why do they do so? Its clarification-

Studies with an objective of raga-dwesha for strengthening their income, swindling the people is negated. Those who, with an intent of dharma, study these shastras, for enhancement of knowledge, for other’s benefit, for firming up decisions of pap-punya, for understanding own and other’s faith with an objective of Prabhavana of dharma so as to Publicise the reputation of Jain Pandits; that is not prohibited. Prohibition is for fraudulent intent.

Gatha 463: The Muni who knows his own soul to be different from this impure body, of the nature of knowledge, he knows all the shastras.

Meaning: The Muni who practices shastras in limited manner but knows the form of his own soul as knower and seer, different from the impure body by means of shuddhopayoga, he knows all the shastras. If one does not know his own nature in spite of reading lots of shastras, then what is the use?

Gatha 464: The Muni who does not know his own soul to be of the nature of knowledge, different from body, he does not know Shastra in spite of studying Agam.

Meaning: The Muni who does not know the knowledge natured soul different from body, he is illiterate in spite of reading lots of shastras. The objective of studies of shastras was to realise the nature of self and to become free from raga-dwesha. Since that has not happened in spite of studies then what did he study? Realising own nature and becoming stationary within self is the Nishchaya-Swadhyaya tapa. Vyavahara Swadhyaya has five divisions namely study, enquiry, contemplation, practice and preachment but with Nishchaya only it is meaningful, without Nishchaya it is meaningless.

Continued…..