MEDITATION AND KAYOTSARG (abandonment of body)

Meditation (Dhyäna) is the process of concentration of the mind on a single topic preventing it from wandering. We are always every moment in meditation; either virtuous or non-virtuous. This concentration could arise from intense passions like attachment, aversion, hatred, animosity, etc. This is not virtuous meditation. Since non_virtuous meditation is a cause of rebirth, it is worthy of rejection. On the other hand, if it arises from the search for the truth and from absolute detachment towards worldly affairs, it is virtuous meditation.

According to Jainism there are four types of meditation:

1. Sorrowful Meditation (Arta Dhyana)
2. Wrathful Meditation (Raudra Dhyana)
3. Righteous Meditation (Dharma Dhyana)
4. Pure (spiritual) Meditation (Shukla Dhyana)

If you observe the state of mind of the people, animal you will realize that most of them are always absorbed in the first two types of meditation (sorrowful and wrathful). Only few of them who are seeking liberation will be found in the righteous and pure meditation.

1. SORROWFUL MEDITATION (ARTA DHYANA)

The thought or activity caused by an outburst and intensity of sorrow is sorrowful meditation. In other words to desire for worldly pleasures, desire to get rid of sorrow or to get rid of disease is sorrowful meditation. The result of this type meditation is birth as animal, insect or plant.

2. WRATHFUL MEDITATION (RAUDRA DHYANA)

The meditation involving inclement thoughts is called inclement or wrathful meditation. In other words, one becomes happy by performing sinful acts like killing or desire to kill animal, insect, human etc is Wrathful Meditation. The result of this type of meditation is birth in hell.

Summary of above two types of Dhyäna

Sorrowful and wrathful meditations hinder spiritual uplift. They obscure the attributes of soul. They cause the natural disposition of self to disappear and initiate corrupt dispositions. Both these meditations are inauspicious and lead to an undesirable destination by accumulating more Karma. They are not related to spiritual advancement in any manner.

3. RIGHTEOUS MEDITATION (DHARMA DHYANA)

In this kind of meditation an aspirant meditates on teachings of Tirthankars, chanting mantra, meditates on the 12 Bhavanas (reflections) and asking for forgiveness for our bad deeds. Also the aspirant reflects on the 9 Tattva of the universe in this kind of meditation. The self should think that he/she is simply a light which has no foe or friend. Thereby he/she should leave all desire for beauty, age, strength, wealth etc.

Types of Righteous Meditation:

Doctrine oriented (Äjnä_vichaya) righteous meditation:

It is contemplation about reality as described in the scriptures. Äjnä means whatever an all-knowing omniscient has said about religious truth is correct and true. One should not raise any doubts about them. Instead, one should think that it is possible that because of degrading time, the absence of an omniscient person, low caliber of my intellect, or any such reasons, I cannot comprehend the said religious truth but it is the truth. Omniscient Bhagawän has no reason to tell anything untrue. To think this way is called doctrine oriented righteous meditation (Äjnä Vichaya Dharma Dhyäna).

Suffering oriented (Apäya_vichaya) righteous meditation:

To think of the nature of unhappiness and misery as generated by defilements like attachment,, hate, strong desire for worldly pleasure and then to think about how to get rid of the defilements, is called universal suffering oriented righteous meditation (Apäya Vichaya Dharma Dhyäna).

Karmic fruition oriented (Vipäk_vichaya) righteous meditation:

To think that whatever pain or misery I suffer at every moment, wherever I move in the cycle of birth and death in worldly life, whatever ignorance I suffer are the results of my own deeds (Karma). I must practice equanimity during the fruition of different kinds of Karma so that new karma are not acquired. I must perform austerities to get rid of the existing Karma. This is karmic fruition oriented righteous meditation (Vipäk Vichaya Dharma Dhyäna).

Universe oriented (Samsthäna_vichaya) righteous meditation:

It is contemplation about the nature and structure of the universe. There are three world in the universe. They are the upper world, middle world (consist of billions of galaxies or dweeps) and lower world. These three worlds are filled with living (Jiva) and non_living (Ajiva) elements. The trans-migratory soul has gone through all these three worlds since beginningless time. As a result of the fruits of one’s own past deeds, the soul has been going through the infinite cycle of birth and death. This has happened due to ignorance, false beliefs, and not understanding the truth and reality. To think this way is called universe oriented righteous meditation (Samsthäna Vichaya Dharma Dhyäna).

4. PUREST AND HIGHEST MEDITATION (SHUKLA DHYANA)

The concentration achieved by an immaculate mind is the spiritual meditation. Spiritual meditation occurs to very highly progressed spiritual souls. It occurs at the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th stages of spiritual progress (11, 12, 13, and 14 Gunasthänas). The highly spiritual soul has either suppressed or removed all deluding karma. This meditation is of four types as mentioned below. It consists of four states: Multi aspect (Pruthaktva_vitarka), single aspect (Ekatva_vitarka), subtle activity (Sukshma_kriyä Apratipäti) and absorption in self (Vyuparat_kriyä Anivritti). Vitarka means scriptural text or Sutra. A person who is in 11th and 12th Gunasthäna and is versed in the Purva texts performs the first two Shukla Dhyäna. There are exceptions possible like Mäsatusa and Marudevi, even though not versed in the Purva, can engage in Shukla Dhyäna. Only Kevali (13th or 14th Gunasthäna) can engage in the last two subtypes of Shukla Dhyäna.

Types of Purest Meditation:

Multi aspect spiritual meditation (Pruthaktva_vitarka)

It is performed by an aspirant with scriptural knowledge. Here the aspirant is attempting to attain the spiritual stages of subsidence or destruction of the conduct deluding Karma. The aspirant concentrates upon the three modes - origination, cessations, and continuity- of a particular substance (one of Shad Dravya). This type of meditation involves shifting of attention between the meaning, word and activity of the aspects of the substance. Hence, it is called multi aspect meditation with shifting. This meditation suppresses or eliminates conduct - deluding Karma (Chäritra Mohaniya).

Single aspect spiritual meditation (Ekatva_vitarka)

It is contemplation on a single aspect of reality on the basis of scriptural knowledge by an aspirant who is in the delusion free (Kshina_moha) spiritual stage. The aspirant concentrates on one particular form, word, or activity of the aspect of a substance without shifting. Such meditation is the single aspect stage of spiritual meditation. Thismeditation eliminates the four destructive (Ghäti) karma, namely perception obscuring, knowledge obscuring, deluding and obstructing Karma. Thus, it leads to omniscience.

Subtle activity spiritual meditation (Sukshma_kriyä Apratipäti)

It is performed by an omniscient who has eliminated the gross activities of body, speech and mind, and has only subtle activities. Here the association of soul with body causes only subtle movements of the space_points of the soul. Hence, it is called the subtle activity stage of spiritual meditation.

Absorption in self spiritual meditation (Vyuparat_kriyä_anivritti)

It is performed by an omniscient that eliminates even the slightest activity of the soul in spite of its association with the body. All activities (of the space points of the soul) cease in this meditation. Thus the influx of even the pleasant feeling pertaining (Shätä Vedaniya) Karma is stopped. Finally, all karma are shed and the soul attains salvation. At the end of this meditation, the soul obtains nirvana. The Soul becomes free of all karma, reaches the permanent adobe of Siddha (Siddha Loka) and resides in pure happiness forever.

According to Jain Scriptures, Shukla Dhyäna is not possible here on this planet at present time. Some misinterpret Shukla Dhyäna as a meditation of bright white color. However, here Shukla does not mean white but pure and it involves the meditation of the self (soul). Maximum time, one can be in meditation is less than 48 minutes.

Conclusion

Meditation means the process of concentration of the mind on a single topic. Meditation purifies the body, speech and mind and most importantly the soul. It is of no avail to inflict pain on the body without purifying thoughts. One who stabilizes the mind and concentrates on the self definitely achieves salvation. There are four kinds of meditations - sorrowful, inclement, righteous and spiritual. Sorrowful and inclement meditations are inauspicious and make the soul wander in the transmigratory state with resultant suffering of innumerable births and deaths. Righteous meditation is of an auspicious type. Spiritual meditation occurs at a very high level of spiritual growth of the soul and it ultimately ends in salvation - nirvana of the soul. Now the soul lives in

permanent happiness in a pure state forever. One should not be misled that physical exercises, Äsana and similar health improving activities, are Dharma Dhyäna. However, good health for good spiritual practice is desirable. Dharma Dhyäna is essentially a spiritual contemplation.

KAYOTSARG (abandonment of body)

Kayotsarg means abandonment of body with self-awareness. Body and soul cannot be experienced at the same time. To experience the soul and stop experiencing the body is Kayotsarg. In Kayotsarg the aspirant stops all activities of mind, speech and body. This type of meditation can be done in any posture. It can be done in standing, sitting and sleeping posture. In Kayotsarg, the aspirant feels death-like experience and also imagines, “I am not this body, I am soul” by minimizing the activities of 1) The muscles, 2) Vital flow of energy and 3) Brain activities.

During Kayotsarg the body is brought into a motionless posture. Starting with the big toe of the right foot up to the highest point of the head and led into unimportance= a death-like state. This meditation like state is one part of the religious activities of followers of Jainism. During Kayotsarg, an aspirant takes vow to remain in a motion-less posture for finite time period like 48 minutes etc.

Kayotsarg is a very useful meditation technique to realize the real self, the soul.

Kayotsarg: Purification

The objective of Kayotsarg is purification of soul. A Jain monk or a householder does retrospection. Kayotsarg forms a part of retrospection. An aspirant accepts Kayotsarg with the following resolution. “I practice Kayotsarg in order to destroy the sinful karma through annulment of past negligence, through penance, purification and freedom from pain”. When the activities of mind, body and speech are stopped in Kayotsarg, the soul starts to get free from much karma accumulated in the past.

Kayotsarg: Duration

Bahubali, the son of Lord Rishabhdev stood in Kayotsarg for 12 months without any movement of mind, speech and body. Lord Rishabhdev also remained engrossed in Kayotsarg for 6 months. A question arose as to how long could one practice Kayotsarg? In the scriptures, it is mentioned that the maximum time for one to stay in Kayotsarg is 60,000 years!! It’s not possible for one to do so in the present time period as the life-span of individual has decreased. But one should practice Kayotsarg everyday for at least an hour to destroy previously accumulated karmas.

-Rahul Zota (Bhuj-Gujarat)

PARASPAROPAGRAHO JIVANAM

Parasparopagraho Jivanam (Sanskrit: परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम् Parasparopagraho Jīvānām) is a Sanskrit sutra or aphorism of the Jain text of Tattvārthasūtra. It is translated as: Souls render service to one another. It is also translated as: All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence. The etymological root of the phrase Parasparopagraho Jivanam lies in the compound of three Sanskrit words: paraspara (mutual), upagraha (assistance) and jiva (living beings—jivanam is plural of jiva). This sutra has also been accepted as motto of Jainism.

Motto of Jainism

The aphorism Parasparopagraho Jīvānām has been accepted as motto of Jainism. It stresses the philosophy of non-violence and ecological harmony on which the Jain ethics and doctrine—especially the doctrines of Ahmisa and Anekantavada—are based. This motto is inscribed in Devanagari script at the base of the symbol of Jainism wihich was adopted by all sects of Jainism while commerating the 2500th anniversary ofnirvana of Mahavira.

Jain declaration of Nature

The noted Indian Jurist and Jain leader, L. M. Singhvi in his famous “Jain declaration of Nature” notes:

Māhavīra proclaimed a profound truth for all times to come when he said: “One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation disregards his own existence which is entwined with them.” Jain cosmology recognizes the fundamental natural phenomenon of symbiosis or mutual dependence, which forms the basis of the modern day science of ecology. It is relevant to recall that the term `ecology’ was coined in the latter half of the nineteenth century from the Greek word oikos, meaning `home’, a place to which one returns. Ecology is the branch of biology which deals with the relations of organisms to their surroundings and to other organisms. The ancient Jain scriptural aphorism Parasparopagraho Jīvānām (All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence) is refreshingly contemporary in its premise and perspective. It defines the scope of modern ecology while extending it further to a more spacious ‘home’. It means that all aspects of nature belong together and are bound in a physical as well as a metaphysical relationship. Life is viewed as a gift of togetherness, accommodation and assistance in a universe teeming with interdependent constituents.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ATTACHMENT AND LOVE

People always identify attachment as love. In real, attachment is the cause of bondage and both attachment and aversion binds the soul in the mundane world (Samsar). Because of attachment a soul transmigrates through infinite cycle of birth and death. According to Jain cosmology, time has no beginning or end. Hence, the soul is taking births since infinite time and it will remain in the bondage of karma for infinite time unless it gains right vision. To get release from this tie, one has to identify what is love and what is attachment.

We often see the person shows love to his beloved ones. He says to his wife that he can die for you. And we people call this “love”. Actually, this is attachment. Those who are eager to face truth reflect on the difference between attachment and love. In reflection, they see that attachment always comes with demands or conditions. Imagine, one man is going through a street. He sees a beautiful girl is also going through the street. He doesn’t know her. Now it is natural that he develops attachment toward her. He mentally accepts the girl. Now in the next moment, he sees the same girl talking with her boyfriend. By seeing his heart fills with jealousy and sorrow enters from the next door. Now we can see he himself is the cause of his sorrow. He himself expected a lot and that is the cause of sorrow. He expected for happiness and as a result he got sorrow. The girl even doesn’t know him. In this case she is neutral. There is a beautiful story that tells how attachment can be the cause for one’s spiritual collapse.

It was the time when Lord Mahavir, the last and the 24^th Tirthankar of the present era was giving his last sermon. His last sermon lasted for 48 hours. All the listeners forgot their hunger and thirst and they all were dwelt deep and enjoying the Lord’s magnetic words. In that moment, suddenly the Lord said to Indrabhuti Gautam, his chief disciple, “Gautam! You have to go to Brahmin Dev Sharma to initiate him”. And Indrabhuti Gautam proceeded toward Dev Sharma’s house.

Indrabhuti Gautam was Lord Mahavir’s chief disciple and he was possessing four types of knowledge. After approaching Dev Sharma’s home he asked,

“What do you work?”

Dev Sharma: “Farming!”

Gautam: “Is your life endures by farming?”

Dev Sharma: “Yes! We have no problem”

Gautam: “Have you ever thought about your soul?”

Dev Sharma: “No! Not yet.”

Gautam: “See! Lord Mahavir has sent me here to initiate you. Human birth is hard and so rare to achieve. You can purify your soul and attain liberation only in the human form of body. Kindly accept asceticism and come with me, join us. I am sure you will ultimately attain liberation and everlasting happiness.”

Dev Sharma: “Lord! You are right, but I love my wife so much that I can’t live without her even for a moment!”

By saying this, Dev Sharma left Gautam unanswered but when he was coming out of his home, his head crashed with the frame of a door and he died on the spot! Indrabhuti Gautam was shocked by seeing Dev Sharma’s immediate death! When he used his knowledge to see his destiny then whatever he saw was this…

Brahmin Dev Sharma had taken birth in his beloved wife’s hairs as a louse.

This was the result of attachment. And this is the law of Nature. The nature gives you whatever you want or wish. This law is as natural as gravity, as an apple falls or earth affects on the space-time of geometry. You wish for mundane pleasures, the nature binds you with mundane world. You want mundane pleasure, the nature gives you sorrow. Because sorrow is real face of illusory happiness. You expect Liberation, you will attain liberation. But you are still here because you have never expected liberation. You are attached toward your beloved ones and that is why the nature will keep you closer to them but it is not clear that in which form you will remain close to them, just like Brahmin Dev Sharma remained close to his beloved wife but in a form of a louse!

Now let’s see what real love is…

There is a beautiful example of a young monk named Upagupta. It was nighttime during the rainy season, and the path in the forest was covered with a blanket of darkness. Upagupta found his way to a certain tree and sat down to meditate.

It happened at that time that a famous dancer was going through the same forest to meet her beloved. The darkness was so thick that she could not see where she was going. She was still trying to feel the track underfoot when she bumped into Upagupta.

Oh!" she exclaimed. "Who is this human being?"

Just then there was a flash of lightning. In that flash she saw the person she had accidentally come up against.

"Such a beautiful person is sitting there," she thought. "So calm and serene he is. His lovely face and body look as though they were carved out of pure marble. Oh, if I get this man, this will be heaven on earth!"

She was proud of her beauty. She was the most famous dancer of her time and men would flock to her feet. She said, "You are so calm. You have such radiance. Please come with me."

When he did not respond, she shook him and said, "You are meditating on what? See who I am!" Upagupta recognized the dancer. "I know who you are. But this is not the time, though I know that you love me. You go on your way. I will see you one day."

The dancer thought, "He knows I love him, he says. Then why delay?"

So she spoke to him again. "What is the reason for postponing? It will be too late. This is the right time."

He answered, "I know it, but the right time has not come in the right way. I promise you I will meet you. And remember, as you love, I too love. When it is the right time, I will come."

The dancer thought he was not in his right mind. And she went on.

Youth is like lightning, like a shadow, like the flow of water, ever-moving, so swift. Ten years passed. The dancer had overused her energy of youth and was now exhausted. She had not taken care of her body and was now suffering from a skin disease. She was trembling with fever and there were blisters on her skin. Nobody would even look at her, and the king drove her from the town. She was compelled to go out to a deserted village and live in a tiny hovel. There she was wasting away, crying and alone.

The time was right and a man came to see her there. He took her head in his lap. She was shivering with fever as he applied medicine to her sores, mouth, and head.

"Who are you?" she mumbled.

"I am Upagupta. Do you remember? I promised you. I love you. I have come to take care of you."

"Now I don't have anything to offer you," she moaned.

"No," he told her, "at that time you had something to offer which was transient, something which you yourself could not keep. Now you have something real to offer. I love that which is not going to go. Our relation is for that. It is the relation of soul.

"In the glamour and ego of the past years, you did not realize the changing nature of all that--of your body, beauty, wealth, and your circle of partying friends. They were all there because there was that need. They were feeding it and now that need is over. My need is not that. Mine is the need of the soul." (Story courtesy: 12 reflections by Chitrabhanu Maharaj).

The true love is universal. But to understand the true love you have to remain in tune with your soul. The true love is connected by the level of soul. The soul is permanent. It is not connected by the level of bodies, because the body, our relatives etc are transient. Every living being has soul and if you will remain in tune with your soul, you will love every living being of the universe. You will respect every form of life and thus you will never harm any living being. Those who can distinguish what is transient and permanent, he never reacts on hate and love that he receives from the people. He remains neutral in every condition. Like Lord Parshva who remained equal to both Indra and Kamath. Indra praised him and Kamath tortured him. The soul’s upliftment toward emancipation starts from this level of equanimity.

BIOGRAPHY OF MONK CHANDRUDRACHARYA

The inspiring story of monk Chand Rudracharya is very popular in the Jain history. Here I have written the story in the biography form.

My name was Rudracharya. But I was very well known as Chand Rudracharya. Do you know why? Because of my angry nature. My nature was very angry that my disciples called me Chand Rudracharya. Chand means “The Angry One”. I could not control my mind and that was my biggest fault. Whenever I see my disciples are making fun or not concentrating in meditation I immediately lost my mind and shouted at them. I realized that in order to attain omniscience one has to conquer his inner passions like anger, greed, deceit and pride but as I said, it was my biggest minus point to control my anger. I was seeking peace but I wasn’t able to diminish my anger. That’s why one day I decided to stay away from my colleague monks and people. Here I got lucky that an event occurred in which I attained permanent bliss.

It was evening time and I was meditating outside village. Then some youths who had set out for fun arrived at me. One young man of them was looking recently married by his dress. These youths, out of mischief, wanted to play some joke on me. Pointing at the newly married boy, other youths said in a jocular tone to me, “Oh monk! This young boy wants to renounce the world! Please grant him initiation!” By hearing this, I realized that they were making fun, so I decided to remain silent. The young boy also said, “Oh monk! Please grant me initiation! I don’t want to lead a mundane life!” I became angry and said loudly, “Who wants to take initiation? Come close to me.” His friends pushed that boy toward me. I quickly hold that boy and started pulled out his hair. On seeing this, the other youths ran away; but that youth did not budge an inch. I think his mind was changed and I initiated him on that spot. After becoming a monk, he said, “Oh monk! Soon my relatives would arrive here. It would be better if we left this place before dark.” I said, “Well! You are right, then go and find the way so we can start the journey.”

The young monk found the suitable way. But it got dark when we started our journey. The path was uneven, strewn with thorns all the way. I got too many jerks that my temper burst out! I said to the young monk, “You fool! Haven’t you seen the way? I told you to find the way but you have chosen the path which is full of bumps and stones. It gives me too much difficulty in walking.” The young monk said, “Oh Monk! It is my fault. Let me carry you on my shoulders. I hope you won’t feel difficulties resting on my shoulders.” He carried me on his shoulders but the path was not plain so I was feeling jerks and my mind once again lost balance. I again shouted on my disciple, “You wretch! Don’t you know how to walk? You can’t walk properly in the way; tell me how would you be able to live a life of a monk? How would you bear hardships in your future?”

Actually I had lost my mind’s balance, because an angry man doesn’t think longer. I forgot that my disciple was walking through uneven path under pitch darkness. He was also carrying me on his shoulders. His feet were bruised with blisters and stained with blood. But I was also in darkness, the darkness of anger! I started hitting him on his head with the stick I was holding in my hand. I said him, “Whenever I will feel bump, I will hit you with this stick. The young monk was in extremely difficult condition. But instead of getting angry on me he started thinking, “How unlucky I am? I cannot give peace to my head monk. He is old in age and he is facing too much problems because of me. Consequent upon his deep repentance, his thinking was purified and soon he attained omniscience. Now he could walk properly even in pitch darkness. I asked him, "How is that? How can you walk so steady now?" The disciple said, “Oh Monk! It is your blessings!” His voice was very calm and sweet. I couldn’t understand what the reason was! I again asked, “Have you gained some spiritual knowledge?” He again said, “Yes Monk! It is your blessings!” I got freeze! I asked him to confirm, “What type of knowledge you have gained?” He said, “I have gained omniscience!”

On hearing this, I quickly jumped off his shoulders and fell at his feet. I started confess in my mind…… “Oh! I insulted an omniscient by hitting him on his head. How great he is! He doesn’t know Jain philosophy; he jokingly got initiated this evening and married this morning! What a power of forgiveness! Just by forgiving me he attained omniscience! On the other hand how fool I am? I know all the scriptures, I am head of too many disciples, and however I am too far from reality! Just because of my angry nature, I remained too far from omniscience! When would the moment come when I will also attain omniscience? When would I get rid of my inner passions? On confessing this I burnt karmas and soon my thoughts also vanished. I then reached beyond mind. My joy was increasing and increasing! How was this joy? There are no words to describe this joy; there are no imaginations that can reach at this level! I reached on the level where no words, thoughts, imaginations can reach! I felt that I was climbing some ladder which was ending to emancipation. Suddenly something unfolded inside me and I became omniscient. The whole universe reflected inside me! I knew all the feelings of every form of living beings in the entire universe! I gained complete knowledge of past, present and future.

I became omniscient is not important. My disciple became omniscient before me is most important and he gifted me omniscience, that is important. He taught me how to overcome your inner passions and how great is the power of forgiveness!

-Rahul Zota (Bhuj-India)

STATUE OF COMPASSION: MONK DHARMARUCHI

Long time ago there lived a woman whose name was Nagashree. She was popular in making delicious vegetables. One day there was an occasion in her home and many relatives used to come in her home for lunch. She prepared various vegetables. She also prepared a vegetable of gourd, but by her mistake the vegetable became bitter in taste. It also became poisonous and hence unable to use. She abandoned it in a bowl and put the bowl aside. She also became worried about waste of money for that. She was thinking about what to do.

Later, a monk named Dharmaruchi Anagaar approached her home for alms. He was breaking his one month long fast. Nagashree poured that poisonous vegetable of gourd into Dharmaruchi’s bowl despite of knowing that it was bitter and was unusable. She felt lucky on that. The monk went back to upashraya (a place for Jain monks to stay for limited period). His head monk possessed with extra sensory knowledge and he could see that this vegetable is poisonous and unable to use. He ordered Dharmaruchi to go in the jungle and forsake it in a pure place.

Dharmaruchi went in the jungle and he was wandering and seeking a place where he could forsake the vegetable. Somehow a drop of vegetable fell in the ground and few ants attracted toward it. As soon as those ants tried to taste it, all of them died on the spot. By seeing this Dharmaruchi’s heart felt with compassion and he thought, “This one drop can kill so many ants, how many innocent insects would die by this whole quantity of food? He again thought, “What should I do now? Should I give peace to myself or I give peace to these innocent insects? If I bury this vegetable then the ants will find out and all will die. I don’t think there is such a pure place in this jungle where I can forsake this food. If I forsake here, then it will kill many innocent insects and this act will increase my soul’s transmigration. If I use this meal then my life would end and also the cycle of birth and death would end. This meal is poisonous but it is tasty because it has taste of kindness to all living beings. By thinking that, Dharmaruchi sat and ate the whole meal. He sat his mind to Samadhi and he died peacefully. Before his soul left the body his mind was in deep compassion toward all living beings. As a result his pious soul reincarnated in the 12^th Heavenly region. From there after taking one or two births he will attain liberation.

Later his colleague monks approached there and they all saw the dead body. His head monk knew all this from his spiritual knowledge and he exposed that woman who intentionally poured poisonous vegetable to a monk. Her husband got angry and exiled her from the town. She then stumbled upon forest fire and died in agony and reincarnated in “dark hued”, the sixth hell.

WEIRD NATURE OF MUNDANE WORLD

Once there lived a rich man whose name was Nagdatt. He had built his huge palace and was suggesting the artist to make such colors and design which last for seven generations. The artist said, “I can make amazing design and color to your palace but you need to spend lots of money”. Nagdatt said,” you don’t worry about money, I can spend lots of money but my purpose is the beauty of my palace should last for seven generations”. In that moment a Jain monk who possessed four types of knowledge passed and he saw Nagdatt ordering the artist. He smiled jokingly at Nagdatt. Nagdatt saw him and thought why such a great monk smiles like making fun of me?

Now it was noon time. Nagdatt was taking lunch. His son was sitting on his lap. Soon his son subsided urine and few drops fell into Nagdatt’s dish. Nagdatt didn’t care of it and was still enjoying his lunch. At that moment the same Jain monk entered his home for alms. He saw Nagdatt was never bothered about urine drops that fell in his dish and he was still enjoying his lunch. The monk once again smiled jokingly. Nagdatt saw this and again surprised about that monk’s smile. He decided to meet that monk to ask the reason of his smiles.

Now at the evening time, Nagdatt was in his shop. Soon a goat escaped from the butcher entered his shop and it was hiding in the corner of the shop. The butcher also came following the goat and asked Nagdatt to return his goad. The butcher said if he cannot return the goat then give the money instead. Nagdatt didn’t show any compassion and forcefully returned the goat. He saw the goat was crying and was in fear. The monk again passed through the street and he saw all this. He smiled once again. Nagdatt saw him and couldn’t understand why the monk smiled at him three times.

At late evening he went to the place where the monk was staying to spend four months of monsoon. He came to the monk and asked him about the reason of those smiles. Nagdatt asked, “Oh monk! Please tell me, today morning when I was ordering the artist to make colors and design in my palace, you saw it and smiled jokingly. You have great knowledge and there must be a reason behind that. Please tell me the reason”. The monk said,” Oh Nagdatt! You were ordering to make your palace look great for seven generations. You are going to die in seven days! Tell me, isn’t it funny? Nagdatt was shocked by hearing this. But he acquired dare and ask the monk for the reason of smile for second time. The monk said,” you were taking lunch and you didn’t bothered when your son subsided urine and few drops fell into your dish. Your son is the being whom you have killed before your marriage. He was your wife’s lover. He has now taken birth as your son and you were enjoying meal which was mixed with the few drops of his urine! Now tell me isn’t it funny? The monk continued, “Now I am telling you the reason for my third smile. The goat that you forcefully returned to the butcher was the being of your father. Your father has taken birth as a goat. The goat acquired the knowledge of previous birth and identified you as son. That is why it was hiding deeper and deeper in your shop. But you didn’t show mercy and returned it to the butcher. You valued money first and didn’t show mercy for the goat who was your father’s soul. That is why I smiled.

By hearing all this from monk Nagdatt realized the true nature of mundane world where no relations last forever. He quickly went to the butcher. The butcher said the goat has been slaughtered. Nagdatt returned to the monk and asked the destiny of his father’s soul. The monk said that the soul has descended to the hell because it died in anger for you. Nagdatt asked the monk that what he should do for seven days. The monk said that living the life of an ascetic for one day can lead the soul to the 12th heavenly region, imagine! You have seven days! Nagdatt took renunciation and spent the last seven days of his life as a monk. Eventually he died in peace and reincarnated in the heaven.


Key Message:
Every relation in the world is subject to alternation. Nothing remains forever. People love their relatives and hate their enemies. This story tells how the enemy becomes son and the father becomes goat. So whom to love? Whom to hate? It is really impossible to judge this in this mundane world which is full of perplexity. Every relation is nothing but simply illusory. The soul needs no attachment and no aversion.

LORD MALLINATH: THE 19TH TIRTHANKAR

Lord Mallinath was the only female Tirthankara and was born in Mithila, on eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Margshirsh . Her father name was king Kumbh and Mother name was -Prabhavati Devi.

PREVIOUS BIRTHS

In the Aparvideh area there was a city named Vitshoka. It was ruled by a powerful king Mahabal. He was very intimate with six other kings who were his childhood friends. Influenced by discourses of ascetics, king Mahabal decided to follow the spiritual path. he sought opinion of his six childhood friends with the remark, "I want to became an ascetic, do you also?"
All the six friends replied, "We have been together during both good and bad times. When we have been together during both good and bad times. When we have enjoyed the mundane life in company, it would be shameful if we part company on the spiritual path. We shall become ascetics together and we shall do all spiritual practices together."
The seven kings took Diksha from Varadharma Muni and started the spiritual practices earnestly. Mahabala was bitten by the bug of ego. He thought, "I have always been ahead of my friends. Now, if I do the same practices I will remain at the same level. As such I should do a little more and be ahead as before." With this feeling, Mahabala started secretly doing more practices than the others. All the seven friends would formally take vow of some specific penance together but when on conclusion, other friends broke their fast, Mahabala would continue his fast on some pretext. The desire to be above the ordinary inspired this competition. As a result of this deception Mahabala feel from the lofty spiritual level he had attained due to his intense practices and acquired the Karma that would result in being born as a woman (striveda). However, as he still maintained the purity and intensity in his practices he later also earned the Tirthankara-nam-and-gotra-karma. All the seven ascetics breathed their last after sixty days fast and mediation. They reincarnated as celestial beings in the Anuttara dimension.


BIRTH
From the Anuttara dimension, a soul traveled into the womb of queen Prabhavati, wife of King Kumbh of Mithila town. At the dawn of the 4th day of Phalgun Shukla, when trees were shedding away there dead leaves as if a Kevali sheds his Karmas, and new leaves were taking place of the old, queen saw fourteen auspicious dreams. She had heard about these dreams when King was discussing about the dreams of Tirthankar mother with a dream expert. She was waiting for the day to break and first she did was to rush to King and tell him about the dreams she had taken. Both were overwhelmed with happiness to know that some of their good deeds have given them the opportunity to become Tirthankar parents. During the third month of pregnancy the queen had a desire to sleep on a bed made of fragrant flowers of five colors and to smell a bouquet of flowers called ‘Mallika’.  But the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Margshirsh surprised everyone when queen gave birth to a girl.  Learned people were called, Pandits, Rajguru all studied the stars of the newly born and they all indicated that it was the birth of a Tirthankar. Mothers love for fragrant flowers inspired the king to name her daughter as Malli kumari.

CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

As Malli kumari grew up and reached her youth, her beauty also spreaded. From childhood everybody praised her flowering grace, her refined complexion, and her serene manner. When she was eighteen years of age, poets were inspired to write verses about her and artists to paint her portrait. Everyone loved to talk about Princess Malli.

In their travels, merchants and ministers, goldsmiths and sculptors, brought news of her incomparable beauty to kings and princes from near and far. One called her the "most wonderful creation on earth," and another likened her to "fresh grapes on the vine." Still another compared her to "a shower of white roses," and a wandering nun who had seen her said she was like "the evening star." 

CHANGE OF HEART OF THE SIX KINGS
The fame of the beauty of Malli Kumari inspired the six kings to send marriage proposal to princess Malli. Each sent a messenger with a letter to the king of Videha to request the hand of the princess in marriage.

The first to arrive delivered a letter which stated, "I am eager to marry your daughter, and for that I will do anything you require of me. However, if you do not accept my offer, it will breed war between my land and yours." The second messenger delivered a similar proposal. In a month, six such proposals came from the six infatuated kings of the neighboring lands. Hearing the same request from all six messengers, King Kumbh became alarmed and called upon his guards to drive them all away.

As a result, the six kings consulted one another and decided to join together to attack Videha. They came with their armies trailing behind them. While they awaited the king's answer, a large number of soldiers engulfed the small kingdom, placing the king in a trying position. He did not know what to do. He could not decide who should marry his daughter, and his army was not strong enough to force them to go home.


Malli noticed her father's distress and addressed him. "Father, dear, why are you worried? There is no need for concern. Send a message to each king that I am ready to marry. "
"What?" he asked. "You are ready to marry? But which one? There are six!"
"Never mind," she answered calmly. "Invite each one separately to come to my palace alone after a fortnight's time and say that you are going to give me to him in marriage.”
"To all six of them?" her father inquired incredulously.
"Yes!" she replied. "All six! Be sure not to tell one about the other. Let each one think he was invited alone!"

Seeing the flame of confidence in her eye and hearing the conviction in her voice, her father knew that the princess was fully aware of what she was doing. So he sent her message to each of the six kings separately.

A fortnight passed. On the appointed night, all six came to her door. When they saw one another, they could not understand why all six were there. They looked at each other and the coals of jealousy began to burn within each one's heart. Each had cherished the thought that the invitation was only to him. Each began to feel the pain which comes from striving to gain and fearing to lose a material thing--in this case, the hand of the princess in marriage.
Meanwhile, the princess came and opened the door. She invited them into her hall. To their surprise, they saw there a beautiful statue of Malli. Each feature was precisely the same as hers. It was life-size and made of gold. It was so bright that it dazzled their eyes. It was an exact replica of Malli and looked truly alive.

As the princess stood beside the statue, she greeted the kings, "Welcome to you! So, you have come here, have you? And do you want to marry me?" As they all murmured "Yes," Malli pressed a device behind the statue and a lid at the top opened up. All of a sudden there was such an offensive odor that the kings were completely confused and disturbed. They could not bear it.

"What is this?" they asked.
"Oh, it is nothing!" she explained in a matter-of-fact way. "When I heard you were all coming to seek my hand, I thought, 'How to receive them? They are coming here to marry whom, to marry what?' I wanted to know, 'Have they really come to marry me, or my body?' So at each meal, I would put a morsel of my food in the hollow part of this statue. It is a very small amount. I have been collecting a few morsels a day for only fifteen days, and yet it rots and gives off this odor."

The kings were both dazzled by the beauty and baffled by the smell. The pleasant and the nauseating--it was difficult for them to manage! In that confusion, they began to wonder why they had come.

Then the princess told them, "Let us go out of the room. Come and sit here with me. Why do you think that the six of you are attracted to me? Is it only beauty or is it something different? Now you know that beauty is only as deep as the skin. You have smelled the decomposing elements of the body and you did not like it. There is something more that has brought you here. It is that which attracts you, not the body. Close your eyes, meditate, and see."

In that moment of silence, a glimpse came to each of them. They saw that all seven of them had been together in a past life. They had been living a good life and all were spiritual aspirants. But there was still something binding them which they could not yet understand. It was some kind of leftover dependency. Because of that, they each had to take another birth. Otherwise, they would have reached Enlightenment in that very life.

As they caught that glimpse, they understood when Malli told them, "We are on the path to the Light, but in our last birth we forgot our glimpse of it; for a while we were blind. That is why we had to take this birth."

The kings told her, "Now we want you to guide us. You are our teacher. We want to finish this cycle of birth and death."

So she said to them, "The magnetism we feel is not toward the body but toward the soul. The soul remains together with this body while we journey through this human life. But the two are not to be confused. Each one has a completely different nature. So let us use this life to bring out the soul, to purify our awareness, to reach our destination of freedom."

OMNISCIENCE AND NIRVANA

The seven of them took the path to liberation together and led a beautiful life. Malli announced her decision of renunciation. After renunciation she acquired Vipulmati Manahparyav Gyan and started deep meditation. She attained omniscience the same afternoon. Malli ultimately became Mallinatha, the nineteenth Tirthankara, or "Perfect One." She then preached the true religion for long time and then went to Sammet Shikhar and attained Nirvana. She is known in Jain history for having taught mankind how to differentiate between the pure flame of soul and the melting elements of the body.