People in the world have false impact about the real meaning of Activity. People live with affliction and disturbance and that is because of seeking happiness from material things. Be it a tiny insect or a human, all appear to be active in seeking pleasure. Such activity is polluted with attachment and aversion and that’s why it causes bondage. The sole reason of wandering in the cycle of rebirths is because of our activity in wrong things. That is why Lord Mahavir has shown the path of Inactivity. Stopping the influx of karma (samvar) is at centre in the spiritual path of Lord Mahavir. Engaging in worldly activity means to connect the self with the non-self. Disengaging from such activity does mean reuniting with the self, the pure soul. That can also be termed as “Introspection” or Pratikramana. Whenever there is feeling of inactivity there sprouts peace within.
In recent times, those who seek liberation can be seen doing too many activities. Today, all the monks in the Jain monastery are absorbed in external austerities like fasting and all. Their head monks usually take advantage of blindness of the new seeker. They create their own styles of austerity and force the new seeker to practice them. The fact is there is nothing to do for liberation except staying in tune with the pure soul. Stopping the influx of fresh karma (the influx of karmic atoms), is Inactivity. This is the state of complete non-doing, or do nothing except remaining or being fully conscious in the self-soul. Here the seeker becomes still and attains firmness in meditation. He becomes non-doer and becomes just a knower-seer (gyata-drashta) and remains unaffected and undisturbed by the outside world. Here he attains absolute bliss and does both Samvar-Nirjara (stoppage of karma and eradication of previously acquired karma) at a same time.
But then is it better to help others or help yourself?
ReplyDeleteBecause technically if you are concerned more about being in tune with your own soul rather than helping the unfortunate around the world or spreading the way to liberation does that not make you selfish?
So is it better to be considerate towards yourself and your inner peace or to help those in need?
That leads me to another question is it better to stay in one country and not to travel to save pollution and killing or insects etc. or to travel and spread the word of Jainism to help other souls but in the process harm the environment?
Well from the absolute point of view a soul cannot help other souls but from the practical point of view a soul can help other souls. When you think about helping other people or animals you bind punya karma (auspicious karma) and that keeps the soul in the mundane world. But auspicious karma if bound without any expectation of reward in return can ultimately lead you to liberation. But those who have perfect understanding of the soul and karma do not bind auspicious and inauspicious karma and remain neutral. It is difficult to achieve such state in this present time era (pancham ara) but one can achieve this state to some extent even in present time era and can attain salvation within a few births by securing samyak darshan (right perception).
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