KAYOTSARG

Tirthankar Parshvanath shown in Kayotsarg posture

Kayotsarg means to give up one's physical comfort and body movements, thus staying steady, either in a standing or any other posture, and concentrating upon the true nature of the soul as being separate from the body. Kayotsarg literally means abandonment of body, thoughts and mind and get absorbed only in the conscious self. It also means self-awareness by complete relaxation and inactivity.


Normally the practitioner takes a comfortable posture either lying down or sitting or standing and breathes calmly. Then self suggest each and every part and entity of the body to be relaxed and feel the same. Once the body is completely relaxed, the practitioner practices to realize separate existence of soul from body and then forget about the body and practices to identify the Self. Then one practices of complete awareness of the self without any hindrance.

Kayotsarg can be practiced in standing, sitting or lying down posture. Essential thing is to maintain the immobility of the body. A standing meditative posture was more common in olden days. A posture, easy to follow but difficult to practice. It is also called ‘urdhva Kayotsarg’. Kayotsarg or body abandonment posture. Standing like this, completely immobile with arms hanging free from the body, was considered a form of severe penance. It also shows that they were following the doctrine of ahimsa or non-violence, since by keeping still they could not harm any creatures, even accidentally.

In ancient times, the method of practicing Kayotsarg comprised of bodily relaxation. Practicing Kayotsarg with an awareness of inbreathing and out-breathing results in greater concentration and relaxation. Concentration is essential for practicing Kayotsarg, even though, Kayotsarg in itself is an exercise for increasing concentration. Synchronized with respiration, Kayotsarg becomes even more effective. Kayotsarg means 'rising above the body'. As one transcends the body, there is a falling off in the consciousness of outer phenomena. That is the right occasion for practicing anupreksha (contemplation) or auto-suggestion. As long as the conscious mind is active and gross consciousness operates, the practice of contemplation or autosuggestion is not wholly effective. But when a human goes deep into him/herself, a new event transpires.

All Tirthankars are depicted in Kayotsarg posture

Kayotsarg is typical to Jin spirituality. Historically, evidence of the same has been found even amongst the Indus Valley Civilization. Prof. Ram Prasad Chanda, who supervised Indus Valley Civilization excavations, states in his article Mohenjo-Daro: Sindh 5000 Years Ago in Modern Review (August, 1932) that, “Not only the seated deities on some of the Indus seals are in Yoga posture and bear witness to the prevalence of Yoga in the Indus Valley Civilization in that remote age, the standing deities on the seals also show Kayotsarg (a standing or sitting posture of meditation) position. The Kayotsarg posture is peculiarly Jain. It is a posture not of sitting but of standing. In the Adi Purana Book XV III, the Kayotsarg posture is described in connection with the penance of Rishabha, also known as Vrsabha.

Majority of the Jin followers of ancient world preferred to meditate in a standing posture. It was an exercise that required training, practice, and willpower. According to Hemchandra’s Yogshastra, provides one of the earliest lists of actual Yoga pose’s, all of which entail asana in the literal sense of sitting or standing: paryankasana, virasana, vajrasana, abjasana, bhadrasana, dandasana, utkatikasana, godohikasana, and Kayotsargasana. Kayotsarg, the last listed pose, carries a twofold distinction. First, it describes that the arms need to hang down (pramlambitabhujadvandam) and that one needs to stand in an attitude of equanimity toward the body (stanam kayanapeksam). Second, this pose, like the practice of the five vows, is said to deliver one into a state of bodily control: When the body of an ascetic remains immobile as he dwells in the posture called ‘abandoning the body’ (Kayotsarg)…this is said to be control of the body.

Hemachandra gives considerable attention to the five breaths, specifying their location and color.  He also relates the breaths to the elements. For Hemachandra, the mind and breath cannot be separated: Where the mind is there is the breath, and where the breath is there the mind is. Accordingly, they both have the same activity, mixed like milk and water.

If the practitioner of Yoga controls the breath, the mind comes under control, which is the key to liberation: When one of the two ceases to function, the other also ceases. When is active, the other is also active. When both activities stop, liberation results on account of the cessation of sensory impressions.

The centrality of breath in releasing one from discomfort and dissatisfaction (duhkh) cannot be overstated. The Yogshastra describes a mind-body continuum involving ethics, postures, breathing, and meditation. The Yogshastra describes the physical placement of lips, eyes, teeth, and countenance during meditation, and specifies that the meditator should face either east or north.

To practice standing meditative pose, choose a place where you are least disturbed. Stand still; initially you may take the support of a wall or pillar. Once you are used to standing without any movement you may not require any support at all. Next relax completely. Stand still! It will take a lot of practice to be still without any internal or external movement or wanting to move. When you are still physically, your internal body equilibrium may not be still. This too needs to be made still and only practice can make your body go absolutely immobile internally as well externally.

Once this motionless form is achieved, you should not feel your body. The only aspect of awareness will be your mind, your breath. The next aspect is to concentrate on breathing, pick any form that you are most comfortable with and get it into a rhythm. Ease your breathing and relax your body to the level that you do not feel it. Let go off all thoughts and even awareness. Once that is achieved, start concentrating on pure meditation. This is a start, when it is accomplished, aim for deeper form of meditation while standing. 

Written By: Dhara Kothari

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What is "Not Doing"?

It is putting the mind aside, seeing without any prejudice, without any prior conclusion, without any conclusion at all. When our eyes are functioning just like mirrors, simply reflecting that which IS, neither condemning it nor appreciating it... when our eyes are non-judgmental, when we don't say, "This is good, this is bad. This should be, this should not be" -when we don't say anything, we don’t react, we simply reflect... then we see that which is -- otherwise not, ordinarily not. WE [our false ‘EGO”] have to disappear to see the reality as it is. If we are there, the more we are there, the less we see the real.

Three Pronouncements (Tripadi)

The cosmos is both static and ever-changing. So it is difficult to express reality in language or in one sentence. To express in language to those who are unenlightened, the Jain seers expounded the Principle of Non-Absolutism. This principle expresses the truth in many ways and the sum of all ways leads to reality. Thus the aspirant grabs the path of purification of his/her soul. But first of all, it is important to learn the picture of the cosmos. The cosmos is made of six substances and all the six are eternal as well as ever changing. Both the eternal and ever changing phases are real. We cannot say that one is real and other is illusory.

Lord Mahavir, the last ford-builder of Jainism (599-527 BCE), shortly after attaining the Absolute Knowledge expounded the philosophy of three phrases to his chief disciple Gautama. These three phrases are known as “Tripadi”. He uttered three words, “Upaneyi Va”, “Vighaneyi Va” and “Dhuvei Va”.

1) Upaneyi Va: EMERGENCE: There emerges a new phase of matter. This is called emergence of new mode.

2) Vighaneyi Va: DISAPPEARANCE: The old mode vanishes. This is called Disappearance of old mode.

3) Dhuveyi Va: PERMANENCE: Original qualities of the matter remain constant.

For example, the essential qualities of matter (pudgal) are, touch, taste, smell, color, odor and energy. Now matter is ultimately made of atomic and subatomic particles. Each subatomic particle has above qualities. Each particle is made of one quality of touch, one quality of color, one quality of taste etc. The one particle combines with other particles and the system of the two subatomic particles is called “Skandha” in the Jain Terminology. This system even cannot be grasped through the senses. Thus the system of innumerable particles becomes “Pradesha”. Such large system can be grasped through the senses. A human body, a stone, a tree, a mountain, a galaxy are the examples of such system and is called matter or pudgal.  The particles combine with other particles and depart with them in a course of some time. Now their combination was the emergence of new phase, their partition was disappearance of that phase but their essential qualities still remain the same is called permanence. The qualities are eternal. Even the modern physicists cannot prove the decay of electron. They have not clear answer to the Big Bang theory.

So from above explanation we can see that the substance maintains its essential qualities in all the three times (infinite past, present and infinite future), and still it undergoes changes. Same thing can be thought in rest of five substances (Souls, Motion, Rest, Space and Time). Below are few simple examples to explain the Emergence, Permanence and Disappearance phenomena of a substance.

(1). A bar of gold has its own original qualities. That bar can be converted into a chain. In that case, the shape of the bar is destroyed and a new shape (chain) has been produced. However the qualities of gold remain unchanged. Now if we melt the chain and make a bangle out of it, then we destroy the chain (an old form) and produce a bangle (a new form). Again the inherent qualities of the gold remain unchanged. Therefore, the bar, chain and the bangle are transient forms (Paryaya) while gold is the matter (Dravya) which remains constant...

(2). A living being through the process of growth, undergoes various changes, such as childhood, youth, and old age. These changes are the natural modifications of the living being. Childhood, youth, and old age are transient forms (Paryaya) of a living being. The soul of the living being is permanent substance (Dravya). Similarly, when we die, we will be born in another body. Therefore, the body is also a transient form while our soul is the permanent substance (Dravya).

(3). A soul is a substance (Dravya) that has innumerable qualities such as knowledge (Jnän), bliss (Änanda) and energy (Virya).  The knowledge quality, for example, may increase or decrease, but there is never a time when the soul is without knowledge; otherwise it would become, by definition, a non-soul, a lifeless material.

According to the Jainism, the number of substances existing at present, were existing in the past and will continue to exist in future. There cannot be any increase or decrease in that number. All the transformations take place according to their properties and potentialities; and in course of time, one form may get destroyed and cease to exist and another form may emerge. But Dravya remains constant. 

PRE REQUIREMENT OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE BEFORE PENANCE

I salute those who observe long fasts for eradication of karma. But Right Knowledge is essential before practicing fasts and other external austerities. Fast should be observed to attain stability in meditation and the aim should be eradication of karma, if it is not done for such goal then it is all futile.

So it is highly required to gain Right Knowledge from the right spiritual teacher about the Six Substances, Nine Fundamentals, Substance-Essence-Modifications, the Emergence-Destruction-Permanence nature of the substances and knowledge of difference between the self and non-self. The aim behind all penances and meditation should be to achieve non-alternative state of Upayoga, without which our path becomes just practical and further diverts to fame, physical welfare etc and that is not the path of liberation. If one has not known the true nature of the soul being knower-seer apart from the body then one’s practice becomes meaningless and it becomes responsible for the rise of pride, attachment, ego etc. The only solution is the practitioner has to move towards his/her real form, the pure soul.

Our entire practice should be to get rid of physical and mental attachments. The real path is the sum up of both Absolute (knowledge) and Practical (austerities). Practicing both helps the soul to eternal bliss, which is liberation. Fasts and such external austerities are important because it creates a base for the internal austerities. The high amount of karmic atoms eradicates by internal austerities only. That’s why the practitioner should do spiritual meditation during the periods of fasting and should try to be absorbed in his/her soul. Meditation is a must for self realization and the external austerities are practiced to create strong base for it. That is why the enlighten say, “the one practicing just external austerities eradicates the same amount of karma in billions of years which is eradicated in just few seconds by the person who is absorbed in spiritual meditation.” So it is essential to start austerities only after gaining right knowledge, not before that!     

The Perfect Vision

We are fooled by our senses. We see and believe whatever we perceive through the senses. To approach reality we need to purify our vision and the point of view to see the world as it is in real. In the pre-historic and ancient times some people tried to approach reality and they did. For that they did chose meditation and restrained all the five senses to realize their self. Shri Krishna has said that, “The enlightened is aware where the ignorant is sleeping, and the ignorant is aware where the enlightened is sleeping.” That does mean the enlightened has perfect vision and he is not aware where the ignorant is absorbed, the subject of five senses.

To understand reality we need to understand the nature of the cosmos. Everything in this cosmos has dual nature. I have written about the six eternal Substances earlier. Nobody has created them and nobody can destroy them. These are Soul, Matter, Motion, Rest, Space and Time. All are independent and none depends on another. If we see through senses then we realize that all depends on each other. We have identified our self as human body. Animals have identified their self as their present body, like cow, lion, monkey etc. But actually this body is the Matter, the second substance. We are the souls that is another substance which has no relation with matter and the rest of four substances. Even there is no relation between every soul. To get rid of this confusion we have to see through higher stand point. It is known as The Absolute Stand Point. From the Absolute Stand Point substances will appear as they are. But this is still not absolute reality. There is one more stand point called The Practical Stand Point. Whatever we see and believe right now comes into this stand point, like I am body, I born once and dies once; I can do others’ welfare and can hurt or kill others. Every substance can do other’s work also comes in this stand point. Both stand points are real.

Going deeper into thinking we find two more stand points called The Substantial Stand Point and The Modal Stand Point. To know them we need to know the nature of all substances. All the six substances are with attributes like, Substance, Essence and Modifications. A substance undergoes changes but still maintains its eternity and Essence. The change is called modifications and is seen through the Modal Stand Point (Paryayarthika Naya). The eternity and essence that remains same is seen through the Substantial Stand Point (Dravyayarthika Naya). This is strange nature of all substances. For example, when we light up a candle then we think that the fire has emerged and when we light it off we think that the fire is vanished. But actually it has not! Our observation was through the Modal Stand Point. From the Substantial Stand Point the fire is still there in the form of atoms. All was the scientific process. The atoms that went into process created fire still exist and they were existed before the fire emerged. In this case the atoms are seen through the Substantial Stand Point and the fire is seen through the Modal Stand Point. The atoms are substance (Pudgal according to Jain terminology) and the fire was their modification (Paryay).  Same thing can be observed in the soul substance. The pure soul (free from karma), which has no mass, no color, no taste, no smell; no touch is seen from the Substantial Stand Point. And the soul as seen from the Modal Stand Point appears to be in humans, animals, plants, insect etc forms.

Every substance has dual nature, Special and General. Both are present in a substance in all three times (past, present and future). The Special nature is their various modifications which are seen through the Modal Stand Point and the General nature is the basic substantive qualities that remain same, unchanged that can be seen through the Substantial Stand Point. The soul is the knower-seer and the rest of all substances have no consciousness so are called “Jáda” in Jain terminology. The soul has two visions called general and special. Seeing through General vision we find all substances are eternal and unchanged. Seeing through Special vision we find all substances as always changing and momentary. The single vision is not perfect and is not taking an individual to ultimate realization. We can’t say that substances are only eternal. We can’t say that substances are only transitory. Such statement will be single faceted. The truth is multi faceted and can be expressed by integrating all stand points. So by just opening our single vision of consciousness we can’t approach reality. To approach the truth we have to open both visions together and such vision is called the perfect vision. If a pot made of clay breaks then the one who has perfect vision will say the pot is broken as well as it is not.

If observing all souls in this cosmos by opening the substantial vision what will we see? We will see all souls alike (by qualities). And what will we see if we close the substantial vision and open the modal vision? We will see all souls in various forms like plants, humans, animals, insect, and microorganism and so on, because all the souls are absorbed in their present modification. Now what will we see by opening both eyes together? We will see the souls’ both General and Special forms together. For example, I am the pure soul but I am right now absorbed in my human modification. Human modification comes from within but this human body is not mine. In my perfect vision I see that modifications and my soul (the substance) are united. The modifications are infinite but all comes from within (my own soul substance). Right now, in present birth I am in human modification. In the next birth I will be in other modification but my soul substance will remain unchanged.  Same thing can be observed in the non living substances like Matter, Medium of Motion, Medium of Rest, Space and Time. Attachment and aversion arise because of our orientation towards modifications only. Thus we have divided people, places into so many relations and names. We say, my father, my son, my mother, my wife, my home, my country and thus we becomes attached to them and whenever we depart from them we feel with aversion. Thus we further accumulate karma particles and keep wandering in the mundane world. Adopting the perfect vision we can easily get rid of attachment and aversion and can progress in spiritual meditation.

JAIN ATOMISM

The most elaborate and well-preserved Indian theory of atomism comes from the philosophy of the Jaina school, dating back to at least the 6th century BC. Some of the Jain texts that refer to matter and atoms are Pancastikayasara, Kalpasutra, Tattvarthasutra and Pannavana Suttam. The Jains envisioned the world as consisting wholly of atoms, except for souls. Paramāņus or atoms were considered as the basic building blocks of all matter.

Jain’s concept of atoms was very similar to classical atomism, differing primarily in the specific properties of atoms. Each atom, according to Jain philosophy, has one kind of taste, one smell, one color, and two kinds of touch. Atoms can exist in one of two states: subtle, in which case they can fit in infinitesimally small spaces, and gross, in which case they have extension and occupy a finite space. Certain characteristics of atoms correspond with that sub-atomic particle. For example an atom is characterized by continuous motion either in a straight line or in case of attractions from other atoms, it follows a curved path. This corresponds with the description of orbit of electrons across the Nucleus. Ultimate particles are also described as particles with positive (Snigdha i.e. smooth charge) and negative (Rūksa – rough) charges that provide them the binding force. Although atoms are made of the same basic substance, they can combine based on their eternal properties to produce any of six "aggregates", which seem to correspond with the Greek concept of "elements": earth, water, shadow, sense objects, karmic matter, and unfit matter. To the Jains, karma was real, but was a naturalistic, mechanistic phenomenon caused by buildups of subtle karmic matter within the soul. They also had detailed theories of how atoms could combine, react, vibrate, move, and perform other actions, all of which were thoroughly deterministic.

According to Jainism, there are infinite atoms in this cosmos and all are eternal. Their number remains the same though they undergo modifications (i.e. they combine and depart with others). The smallest part of atoms has not been discovered even by the modern physicists. In Jainism as seen and known by the omniscient it is neither created nor can it be destroyed. 

ESSENTIALITY OF EQUANIMITY IN LIFE

Jainism emphasizes great importance to the state of equanimity. In the state of equanimity, free from Attachment and Aversion one eradicates high amount of Karma particles bounded with the Soul. Usually one acts with attachment or aversion when one becomes happy or unhappy. One becomes happy when things are going according to his/her desire and one becomes unhappy when things are not going according to his/her desire. Now why the things are not going according to someone’s desire? To understand this we need to go through the Philosophy of Karma.

Every living being has a soul which has basic attributes like, Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Perception, Infinite Bliss and Infinite Energy. There are two different types of energy working in this Universe, Sentient and Non-sentient. Non-sentient is that explained in Physics and very well explained by the famous Einstein’s Equivalence Principle. It is connected with Matter. On the other hand there exists another kind of energy which is Sentient Energy. Sentient Energy is the basic attribute of a soul. The soul is independent substance in the Cosmos which was never born and which will never vanish. There are infinite souls in the Universe. The souls can be categorized into two types, Liberated and Non-Liberated. The liberated souls are those who are free from the cycle of birth and death. The Non-Liberated are in bondage of Karma and thus goes through the cycle of birth, death and re-birth. However, from the Absolute Point of View (Nishchaya Naya) there is no difference between the mundane and liberated souls. They both possess the same qualities.

 The mundane soul is clogged by the eight types of Karma. The four are destructive and the rest are Non-destructive. The soul itself is the doer of its own action (From the absolute point of view it’s pure but it does action because of Miss-belief or Mithyatva). The action done through Mind, Speech and Body causes the Karma particles to stick to the soul’s space points and thus the soul wanders in the cycle of birth and death and experiences suffering. There are two types of action, Inauspicious and Auspicious. Inauspicious action causes to accumulate inauspicious Karma which gives bitter fruits whenever they arise. Same way, auspicious action causes to accumulate auspicious Karma which gives sweet fruits whenever they arise. The cluster of karma particles is know as “Karma Vargana” in Jain terminology. Now, if one is ignorant about this philosophy then he/she reacts with either attachment or aversion at the time of the emergence of previously acquired Karma and thus binds even more Karma. Thus the bondage extends and as a result the soul suffers more in the never ending cycle of birth and rebirth.

The Omniscient Lords have explained to react with equanimity at the time of emergence of the previous Karma. The Lord has explained not to act with attachment when good things are happening with us and aversion when bad things are happening with us. In the state of perfect equanimity one blocks the influx of fresh Karma and even eradicates previously acquired Karma. This process of eradicating old Karma (in the state of equanimity) is so fast that one destroys much strong Karma in a few seconds that the other (who is ignorant and does austerities without practicing equanimity) can destroy in millions of years!  

There is a beautiful story in Jain history which can better help to understand this…

In the time of the 22^nd Tirthankar, Lord Neminath and Shri Krishna there lived a great monk named Dhandhan Muni. He was actually the sun of Shri Krishna but he left his kingdom after hearing Lord Neminath’s magnetic sermons. Since the time of his renunciation he faced very difficult problem. Jain monks and nuns do not cook their food; do not get it prepared for them. They go to different householders and receive a little food from each house. For monk Dhandhan Muni, it was the rise of Benefit Obstructing Karma (Laabhantraya Karma). Such type of Karma obstructs benefit whatever he/she gains. For Dhandhan Muni, this Karma obstructed the gaining of food. Wherever he go he would not get food from the householders. The householders would close their door whenever they see Dhandhan Muni approaching their door.

One day one of his colleagues asked Lord Neminath, “Dear Lord, why such a great monk is having problem for getting his food? Why he always returns without any food? Why the householders of this great town of Dwarka are not offering food to this monk who is the son of great King Vasudev (Lord Krishna)?”

The Omniscient Lord replied, “Oh monk, this is the emergence of the Benefit Obstructing Karma that blocks benefits of the food for Monk Dhandhan. Everything, either good or bad happens because of our good or bad deeds. There is a reason, nothing happens without any reason. In one of his previous births, the Monk Dhandhan was the minister of a King. His name was Parashar and he was ordered to keep an eye on farming. There were many farmers, bulls and cows working under him.

Once, at the time of noon all the farmers took a break for their lunch. They all had worked hard for farming and thus all were hungry. The farmers were taking their meal and the bulls and cows were eating grass. At that time, Parashar stopped them from eating and ordered them to plant seeds. The farmers were hungry so they asked Parashar to let them take their lunch first, but Parashar didn’t even listen to them and ordered them to work for more hours. He said, “First you all plant more seeds in the farms, I will let you eat after the whole work is done.”

All the farmers, bulls and cows were hungry, they were not interested to pursue their work at that time but they had to accept the order, there was no other way. So they pursued their work without any interest. Thus by interrupting in their way of taking meal, Parashar bounded Benefit Obstructing Karma and that karma has come into action in the present birth. So he is not getting food from any householders.”

By listening to the Lord, Monk Dhandhan Muni realized the truth and vowed that he will accept food only gained by his own effort. He will not accept food brought by other monks. Thus, since that time he would daily go to at the doors of the householders of the town of Dwarka and would return without any food. This lasted for six months. Monk Dhandan Muni had been observing fasts since 6 months with ultimate equanimity. He had realized his mistake and he was not showing any hatred toward the householders as he knew that he was responsible for all this.

One day while walking in the street he met his mundane father Shri Krishna. Krishna stepped down the elephant and bowed before Dhandhan Muni and inquired about his life as a monk. When Shri Krishna went back, the nearby householder called Dhandhan Muni for alms. The householder put some laddus (Indian sweet) in the monk’s bowl. Dhandhan Muni thought this must be end of his Benefit Obstructing karma. So before eating and breaking his fast he went to Lord Neminath to confirm whether his Benefit Obstructing Karma has ceased. The Lord said, Oh Dhandhan, your karma has not ceased yet, you received the food is not because of your karma but because of Shri Krishna’s karma. The householder thought that how great that monk is, even the king like Shri Krishna bows before him! So he called you and offered you this food.”

Upon listening this fact from the Omiscient Lord, Dhandhan started to think, “how strong karma I bound by obstructing other’s food in my previous lives!” Thus he decided to forsake the alms (laddus). At the time of forsaking he performed strong equanitmity. He didn’t show any hate to the householders but he found responsible himself behind this. Soon, at the time of forsaking laddus he entered Shukla Dhyana (Pure Meditation) and climbed the ladder of annihilation. In the second step of this meditation (Ekatva Vitarka Savichara Shukla Dhyana) he destroyed not only Benefit Obstructing Karma but also destroyed all the four destructing Karma attached to his soul. As all four karma shed away he became Omniscinet, the all knowing, all perceiving Arihanta.

This shows how one can destroy karma by practicing strong equanimity and can attain Liberation. If we accept the fact that we are the responsible behind our happiness and sorrow then we can attain the state of equanimy and ultimately the state of ultimte bliss.