Niyamsar …01

 

Preface

Acharya KundaKunda has played a major role in the spiritual upliftment of the Jain followers from the beginning of first century. A significant amount of the scriptures were lost since they were conveyed with word of mouth and the capability of people to memorise it was waning. It is difficult to imagine what would have been the form of Jainism if he had not authored those five Paramagams. These are called as Param Agam since they carry the original information and are referred to in case of controversies or doubts. Of these the four Samaysar, Pravachansar, Panchastikaya and Ashta Pahud are already part of this blog. The fifth is Niyamsar and I am happy to incorporate it in this blog.

Acharya himself says in Gatha 187 that he has made this Niyamsar for his own purpose unlike the other four which he has authored for the benefit of others. When we read Niyamsar, we understand why he made such a distinction with Niyamsar. Niyamsar is enriched with intense spirituality wherein he has described the way he would practice the meditation. Generally the conduct of religion is rituals based but here it is soul based with emphasis on Nishchaya form of practices. Hence the reader can visualise that what should be the underlining thought process behind any vyavahara practice.

Niyamsar has 187 gathas which have been divided into twelve adhikars (chapters) as follows:

(1) Jiva Adhikar  (2) Ajiva Adhikar  (3) Shuddha Bhava Adhikar  (4) Vyavahara Charitra Adhikar  (5) Paramatha Pratikraman Adhikar  (6) Nishchaya Pratyakhyan Adhikar     (7) Param Alochana Adhikar (8) Shuddha Nishchaya Prayashchit Adhikar                     (9) Param Samadhi Adhikar   (10) Param Bhakti Adhikar  (11) Nishchaya Param Avashyak Adhikar (12) Shuddhopayoga Adhikar.   

The commentator of Niyamsar is also different from those of other four Paramagams. Acharya Padmaprabhamaldharideva has contributed in this commentary with 311 shlokas and have laid bare the subject of Niyamsar quite elaborately. In shloka 212 he has introduced himself as the future Tirthankara. Considering this no further words are needed to introduce him any further.                 

                                                                        1. Jiva Adhikar

Firstly in the beginning of the granth for writing commentary of Niyamsar written in Prakrit Gatha form by Shrimad Kundakundacharya, by name “Tatparya Vritti” in Sanskrit, Muni shri Padmaprabhamaldharideva offers invocation by means of seven shlokas.

Shloka 1: O Paramatma! With you being present, why should I worship Bramha-Vishnu-Mahesh and Buddha who are worldly like me and are influenced by  Moha and Kaam etc. I worship only those who have conquered the rebirth- such illuminated one you may call as shri Jina, Sugat (one who has attained Keval gyan), or Giridhar ( for having infinite strength), or Vagishwara ( for imparting divine discourse), or Shiva ( benefactor of all).

Note: Here the various names are representative of the qualities those words imply.

Shloka 2: I offer prayers to voice of Jina bhagwan, which has the characteristics of Syadvad which describes all by means of two nayas, who is prime amongst the Munis having restraint over the voice.

Shloka 3. I offer prayers to Indra amongst Munis i.e. SiddhaSen who is like husband of Uttam Siddhaant form Lakshmi, to  Acharya Bhatt Akalank who is like sun  for making lotus bloom in debates, to Acharya Pujapad who is like moon is to ocean in oratory.

Shloka 4. For the benefit of Moksha for Bhavya Jivas and for attainment of purity of own soul I shall narrate the commentary on Niyamsar, named as ‘Tatparya Vritti’.

Further:

Shloka 5. Created by Ganadharas who are adorned with qualities and described magnificently in the tradition of Shrutadharas, who are we with limited intellect to narrate the meaning of this Paramagam?

Even then:

Shloka 6. At this moment our mind is being favourably attracted again and again towards the essence of Paramagam which is guiding us. [ It is motivating us to write this commentary]

Shloka 7. The sutrakar (author) has described five astikaya, six dravyas, seven tattvas and nine padartha (substances) and the activities of Pratyakhyan etc. in the beginning.

No need to describe more, that is enough. Let this description be blessed.

Now the Gatha Sutra written by Shrimad Kundakundacharya is incarnated:

Gatha 1: Offering salutations to Jina Veer who has the nature of infinite and supreme form knowledge and vision, I shall narrate the Niyamsar depicted by Kevali and Shruta Kevalis.

Commentary: With this Gatha extraordinary Mangal (invocation) has been depicted in the beginning of the shastra .

“ Jina” is one who has conquered all the Moha, Raga, Dwesha etc. which are the cause for forest of rebirths.   “Veer” implies one who reveals bravery, strength etc. and showing  gallantry conquers the enemies of the form of karmas. To such Veer- who is known as shri Vardhaman, shri Sanmatinath, shri Ativeer and shri Mahaveer, who is Param Ishwara, Mahadevadhideva, last of the Teerthankara, who is conjoined with absolutely pure Keval Gyan-Darshan capable of knowing and seeing all the dravyas of all the three loks who are sentient-insentient, who are described by means of dravya-guna-paryaya; offering salutations I narrate. What do I narrate? I narrate Niyamsar. The word ‘Niyam’ implies Samyak Darshan Gyan Charitra and Niyam-Sar is its essence i.e. form of pure jewel trio. How is it? It has been described by Kevalis and Shruta Kevalis.  “Kevali” are those who have attained complete direct knowledge and “Shruta Kevali” who are knowledgeable of complete Dravya Shruta (scripture) ; described by such Kevalis and Shruta Kevalis I narrate the Niyamsar Paramagam which is beneficial for all the Bhavya Jivas. In this way by offering worship to specific favourite Deva, the sutrakar (author) acharya Kunda Kunda deva guru declares his intention.

Thus all the segments of the gatha were explained.

Shloka 8. Who has destroyed Kamdeva by means of pure bhavas, who is worshipped by people of all the three loks, complete knowledge is his kingdom, world of devas salute him, who has destroyed the seed of the tree of rebirths, who resides in Samosharan, in whom  keval gyan darshan form Lakshmi resides, that Veer Bhagwant is victorious in the world.

Gatha 2: The Marg and the fruit (result) of Marg , in these two ways it has been depicted in Jina Order. The Marg is the means for Moksha and its fruit is Nirvana.

Commentary: This is the preamble for description of Moksha Marg and its result.

“Samyak-darshan, Samyak-gyan, Samyak-Charitra is Moksha marg. ” This is the statement in shastra. It implies that the marg is pure jewel trio and the fruit of the marg is marriage with salvation form beautiful woman. In this manner the marg and fruit of marg has been depicted by earlier acharyas having four types of gyan ( having Manah Paryaya gyan), in the order of supreme veetrag omniscient. The Samyak belief-knowledge and conduct form manifestation in own Paramatma tattva is the pure jewel trio form marg which is completely independent means for Moksha and its result is attainment of own pure soul.

Shloka 9. People sometimes engage in generation of happiness by means of desire towards women and sometimes they apply themselves for protection of wealth. Those Pandits who immerse themselves in their own soul by attainment of marg of Jinavar, they only attain salvation in reality.

Gatha 3: Niyam implies the one which is definitely worthy of carrying out, which is Gyan Darshan Charitra. To renounce its opposite bhavas the term “Sar” is used in the word “NiyamSar”.  

Commentary: In this gatha the explanation is provided why the word “sar” is used along with “Niyam”. By means of it the form of natural jewel trio is depicted.

The one which is stationary within simple supreme Paarinamik Bhava, such own bhava infinite foursome - pure consciousness manifestation is Niyam ( Karan Niyam = causal niyam). The Niyam (karya Niyam= deed niyam)  which is definitely worthy of being done – such objective form is gyan-darshan-charitra. Of the three the form of each is described- (1) Without taking recourse to other dravya, engaging own upayoga completely within own self, thus knowing own supreme self is Gyan (2) The supreme belief in own pure Jivastikaya i.e. the Jiva dravya having innumerable Pradesh elements which is the birth place of own real bliss by the person desirous of deriving pleasure of Bhagawan form own supreme soul; that only is Darshan. (3) Remaining  immersed in Nishchaya Gyan Darshan form Karan Paramatma only is Charitra (conduct). This Gyan Darshan Charitra form Niyam is means for Nirvana . To avoid opposite meaning the term “Sar” has been suffixed in “Niyam”

Shloka 10. In this way taking recourse to supreme jewel trio without external bhavas ( bhavas of vikalpa) I attain the bodiless, pleasure of soul beyond senses, generated with the salvation form beautiful damsel.

Gatha 4: The jewel trio form Niyam is means for Moksha and its result is supreme Nirvana. However the undifferentiated is explained by means of differentiation, therefore these three are described separately.

Commentary: This statement describes the characteristics of jewel trio individually by differentiation.

Benefit of supreme bliss by means of destruction of all the karmas is called as Moksha. The means of that supreme bliss is earlier stated undivided jewel trio form manifestation. Further these three are separately described in the forms of gyan, darshan and charitra in divided form. How so? This is gyan, this is darshan and this is charitra- with such differentiation. In this shastra the gatha sutras which shall follow, will provide the characteristics of darshan-gyan-charitra.

Shloka 11. The means for Moksha for Munis is soul manifested into the form of jewel trio. Gyan is not different from it, darshan is also not different from it and charitra is also not different. This has been declared by the Arihant Bhagwant who have attained Moksha. Knowing this, the Jiva who does not go into the womb of mother again, he is Bhavya.

Gatha 5: Faith in Aapt (omniscient), Agam (scripture) and Tattvas result in Samyaktva. Whose all blemishes have been eliminated without residue, such person with all the qualities is Aapt.

Commentary: This is the description of the form of Vyavahara Samyaktva.

Aapt means doubt free. Doubt implies all moha-raga-dwesha etc. form blemishes. Agam  means the intelligent formation of words ensued from the lips of Aapt which is capable of establishing the form of all the substances. The Tattva are of two types. One is external Tattva and second is internal tattva form Paramatma Tattva. These can also be described as Jiva, Ajiva, Asrava, Samvar, Nirjara, Bandh and Moksha. Their ( that of Aapt, Agam and Tattva) right belief is Vyavahara Samyaktva.

Shloka 12. Do you not have faith in the Bhagwan who destroys the fear of rebirths? If so, then you are under the jaws of crocodile staying in the middle of ocean of rebirths.

Gatha 6: Hunger, thirst, fear, anger, raga, moha, worry, old age, disease, death, perspiration, sorrow, pride, affection, surprise, sleep, birth and agitation – these are eighteen blemishes.

Commentary:  This  is a narrative  of form of eighteen blemishes.

(1) With the nimtta of fruition of a specific kind of asata-vedaniya karma, a specific state of body which results in the form of desire to eat with the nimtta of fruition of Mohaniya karma, that is hunger.

(2) With the nimitta of fruition of specific kind of Asata-vedaniya karma, a specific state of body which results in the form of desire to drink with the nimitta of Mohaniya karma, that is thirst.

(3) Fear of this Lok, fear of Parlok, fear of lack of protection, fear of revelation of secrets, fear of death, fear of pain, and fear of unexpected- such seven types of fears are there.

(4) The harsh manifestation of person is anger.

(5) Raga can be of two kinds namely good or bad. Donation, morality, fasting, service to the Gurus etc. are auspicious ragas. The interests in listening to stories of women, king, thieves, food are inauspicious ragas.

(6) Affection  related Moha towards four kinds of Shraman Sangh is auspicious and Moha other than that is inauspicious only.

(7) Contemplations in the dharma form and Shukla form are auspicious and other than them the Aart and Roudra form contemplations are inauspicious only.

(8) The worn out state of body  on account of aging of Tiryanch and Human beings is

decrepit state.

(9) The sickness  of body on account of mismatch of mucous, bile and wind only is disease.

(10) The destruction  of Vibhava Vyanajan Paryaya of the form of heterogeneous human, hell born  etc. having corporeal senses having a  beginning and an end only has been declared as death.

(11) Generated due to bodily efforts and fruition of ashubha karmas, the collection of water droplets with bad smell is perspiration.

(12) Attainment of undesirable is sorrow.

(13) The generation of ego in the soul on account of wise oratory, handsome body, great family, strong body and great richness only is pride.

(14) Attachment towards beautiful and pleasant objects is affection.

(15) The bhava generated in jivas who do not have spirit of equanimity on observing something which was not observed earlier is Surprise.

(16) The generation in the form of Deva paryaya with Shubha karmas, generation in the form of Narak paryaya due to ashubha karmas, generation in the form of Tiryanch paryaya due to deception, generation in the form of human paryaya due to Shubha-ashubha mixed karmas is birth.

(17)  The setting of flame of knowledge on account of fruition of darshanavaraniya karmas is sleep.

(18) The worry due to separation with favourite is agitation.

The three loks are pervaded with these eighteen great blemishes. Only Veetrag omniscient is free of these blemishes.

[ The veetrag omniscient are free of dravya and bhava form ghati karmas hence how can they have fear, anger, raga, moha, Shubha-ashubha worries, sorrow, pride, affection, surprise, sleep and agitation?

For them the fruition of sata vedaniya is of the size of an ocean in which a drop form fruition of asata vedaniya exists, which in the complete absence of fruition of mohaniya karma, cannot be cause for even an iota of hunger or thirst. Definitely not. Since whatsoever be the quantity of asata-vedaniya karma, even then in the absence of Mohaniya karma the experience of suffering cannot be there. In this case, the magnitude of sata-vedaniya is infinite times, amongst which a droplet form asata-vedaniya is present then how can the manifestation of hunger-thirst occur? In the presence of hunger-thirst how can the infinite bliss and infinite strength etc. be possible? In this way the Veetrag Omniscient does not have hunger-thirst hence he does not have kavalahar ( food partaken with mouth). Without kavalahar also he has influx of param audarik body form nokarma ahar sookshma pudgala at every moment which are fragrant, tasty, free of seven dhatu, hence the maintenance of his body is accomplished.

Further the relation of purity and punya is such i.e. the absence of ghati karmas and presence of remaining aghati karmas have such relation that the veetrag omniscient does not have old age, disease and perspiration in his param audarik body due to fruition of remaining aghati karmas.

Further Kevali bhagwan do not have Shubha ashubha bhavas which could be nimitta for the rebirth, hence he does not take birth again; and after separation of body new birth does not take place hence that body separation is not called death.]

In this way Veetrag omniscient is free of eighteen blemishes.

Same has been told in other shastras also-

Quote : The dharma is where compassion is there, tapa is there where relinquishment of sensory subjects is there, deva is where eighteen blemishes are absent; there is no doubt about it.

Also shri Vidyanand swamy has told –

Quote: Attainment of desired objective is with right knowledge, the right knowledge is acquired with right shastras, the right shastras are produced by Aapt; hence Aapt people being cause for salvation for gyani people are venerable. Since saints do not forget the benevolence carried out with them.

Completing the commentary of sixth gatha , commentator Muniraj Padma Prabha Maldharideva offer obeisance to omniscient bhagwan shri Neminath –

Shloka 13. The one who is venerated by hundred Indras, whose samyak gyan form kingdom is vast, who is master of Lokantik Devas, who has destroyed the collection of devilish paps, whom shri krishna offers salutations in the feet, who is like sun to make lotus form bhavas, such blissful Neminath bhagwan grant us permanent happiness.

Gatha 7: The one who is free of all residual blemishes and are accompanied with keval gyan etc. form supreme riches; he is called as Paramatma; opposite to him are not Paramatma.

Commentary: This is a statement of the form of Tirthankara supreme Deva.

Ghati karmas which damage the qualities of the soul are the Gyanavaraniya karma, Deshanavaraniya Karma, Antaraya karma and Mohaniya karma. With their complete destruction without any residual, the one who is “ blemish free without residual” or as previously described in 6^th Gatha , the one who has eliminated the 18 great flaws, hence he is called as “blemish free without residual” and the one who is “ rich with completely pure keval gyan, keval darshan, supreme veetrag form bliss etc. “ – such paramatma – i.e. obscuration free at all times, generated with the spirit of permanent bliss form – singular form own karan (causal) paramatma, such karya (resultant ) paramatma , that alone is Arihant Parameshwara. Contradictory to the qualities of such Bhagwan Parameshwara, those having different qualities may although be burnt with the pride of being Deva, even then they are worldly.

The same thing is stated in shri Kundakundacharya in Pravachansar –

Quote: Whose brightness, keval darshan, keval gyan, pleasures beyond senses, miraculous powers, riches (greater than those of Indra etc.), and leadership of the three loks – the one having such greatness is Arihant.

In the same way Shrimad Amritchandra Suri has told in Atma Khyati-

Quote: Those Tirthankara and Acharya Deva are venerable, who wash all the ten directions with the brightness of their bodies and purify it; who with their glow obscure the splendour of  bright sun etc., with their beauty capture the minds of the people ; with their divine voice shower real nectar of happiness in the ears of bhavya jivas and are adorned with 1008 characteristics. 

Completing this commentary Muniraj Padmaprabhamaldharideva offers prayer to shri Neminath Tirthankara-

Quote: Just as bumble-bee gets contained within the lotus, in the same way in whose knowledge form lotus the lok and alok are contained, are known completely ; such Neminath Bhagwan I worship ; such that with two arms I swim across the worldly ocean having mighty waves.

Continued…..