tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29852401817045583452024-03-12T16:29:42.864-07:00THE JAIN UNIVERSERahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-76340535395713799952018-09-18T23:49:00.000-07:002018-09-18T23:49:54.706-07:00VISIONS <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">People tend to get
visions through dreaming, during meditations or even through waking hour. These
are not hallucinations as many skeptics think otherwise. When an individual
becomes aware, recognizes its soul and its journey, it starts getting visions,
which acts like a guidance to help the journey through the oceans of samsaras. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">One of my first
vision was when I went total blank and experienced immense bliss just for a
moment or samay, during my college lecture. Later, I used to see a lot of
things during meditations and even while dreaming. However, one fine day, while
going through a magazine I saw a picture of an ancient temple and instantly the
world around me stopped for a while and I was like transported to that very place
where I had seen the temple. It was like being there on the spot and saw things
happening as if I was invisible in that place, where I could see but no one
else could. After searching a lot on the web, I came to the conclusion that the
temple was situated at Hale bid. Not long after that I underwent my first
professional past life regression. An experience that not only gave me the
answer to the vision but also opened up the doors between the consciousness and
unconsciousness of my mind and soul. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After which like
the floodgate that opened up, I would frequently see things during my
meditations. However, after my soul mate expired just two months ago, my grief
suddenly made me see things that I never seen before. During one early morning
during waking hours, I saw a tunnel opening up and a bright light flooding
through. The lights were soothing and beckoning to me. But it started to shut
off and I was like pleading, no no, don’t shut off. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This morning,
about several days from the last episode. Again in the morning hours, just
before the sunrise, while standing at the window, thinking and grieving for my
lost love, I saw the sun rays streaking across the landscape right in front of
my eyes. The golden bright rays were not falling over the city, but a landscape
I had never seen before. I was standing on a higher level at a vantage point
and I saw the golden sun rays falling over a different city, surrounded by
lakes and rivers and mountains in the distance. The city was in a circular
fashion and nothing remotely representing anything on Earth. I had a 270 degree
view of the city and it was out of this world. I felt at ease and was awed with
the scene I had just seen. The entire vision lasted momentarily, but it was
enough for me to recognize that it could have been the famed citadel mentioned
in the ancient Jain books as Mahavideha Kshetra. I had a fleeting glimpse of
the city, but it was enough for me to brood over it the entire day. It seemed
this city is just around the corner on another dimension. Physically, it may
not be possible for a body to cross over, but the soul can.</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Whenever, the body
dies off, the soul crosses over to another dimension and because it has shed
the clothing, it can remember everything. Likewise, when the same soul
re-enters back to the physical world in another body, it takes on extra
clothing that hides the memory of the other side. Hence, a normal soul is
incapable of remembering its own past lives or what happens thereafter. There
are exceptions in terms of those who have come back on Earth plane with lesser
clothing or is able to shed the extra burden on Earth itself, they start
remembering things, if not completely at the initial stages. Visions are part
of this very make-up that allows a soul not only to see the universe in its
entirety but understand it as well, bit by bit. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Science has not
even gone beyond seeing the limited light refraction and hence the rest
remains in the dark. But what’s not visible does not mean it does not exist. It
is like burning a match stick in the dark huge cave, wherein only a tiny part
of the cave is visible where the light shines. I had once seen the entire
universe, during my meditation, with daylight in the background and not as dark
as we see each night on Earth. None of my visions are hallucinations. They are
what Earthly science cannot explains because it is still in the infancy stage.
They are trailers of the real thing. Visions that bring peace to you is
different from nightmares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We can actually
access the dimensions if we want to. All it takes is a key to unlock its
method. The key here is actually a thought process that unlocks the portal, but
once open, they more or less remain open. Souls residing on higher dimensions
can travel anywhere, anytime. It is the Earthly beings who are restricted due
to the presence of the body that acts like a prison cell, wherein our rib cage
acts as the bars of the prison. As human our aim is not the body or its
survival. It is to be set free from the body, maybe after completing our task.
Our Earthly time is actually our punishment of sort and our true home lies
elsewhere. All souls are bound by desires and they exist everywhere, even on
higher dimensions. The only difference is that the levels and purpose of
desires changes. The only place the soul is truly free from everything is the
final resting abode of ‘Siddha Sila’. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you as a reader
could even see small bit of the beautiful visions, like the way I did, you too will
want to be set free. By remaining on Earth due to ignorance, we are actually binding
more karmic dirt than discarding them. Thereby increasing our bondage. As soon
as we feel our purpose is over, or our jail time is over, we should make a move
to cross over the main gates to be free at last and not linger back due to
worldly pressures. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Article by:<b> Dhara Kothari, Mumbai - INDIA</b></i></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-24518034490804617252014-03-06T07:07:00.000-08:002014-03-11T22:24:31.806-07:00Ahimsa (Non-Violence) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ahimsa is the most important tenet of Indian Philosophy. Ahimsa is practiced more deeply in Jainism. The Jains usually avoid harming the smallest insects in their daily routine. What one understands about Ahimsa is simply not to kill, harm, or abuse any living creature including plants. But that does not make the true meaning of Ahimsa. The principle of Ahimsa explained by Lord Mahavir and the previous Tirthankars is deeper and has been forgotten by most of the Jains in recent times. </div>
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Lord Mahavir has said, “Ahimsa Paramo Dharma”. That means Non-Violence is the Supreme Religion. One would think that why Lord Mahavir has given such importance to Ahimsa? Does that mean to prevent all living beings from killing is the supreme religion? If yes, then what about self realization and liberation? It is clear that just by preventing killing and hurting other living beings we cannot attain liberation. Liberation can be attained by knowing the true self, being engrossed in the true self. It is important to note that Jainism is relative philosophy. Every principle should be known from all aspects. In Jainism every principle are explained in various aspects. What looks to be true from one viewpoint may not be true from another viewpoint. Religion or Dharma in Jainism has multiple meanings from different viewpoints. But from the Absolute Viewpoint religion has only one meaning and that is Basic Attribute of a substance or Gunadharma. There are Five Great Vows to be practiced for those who want to attain salvation. These are Non- violence, Non-Possession, Truthfulness, Non-stealing and Celibacy. These wows seem to be different from each other. But all has only one meaning when we look from the Absolute Standpoint and that is self realization. The main goal of a human birth is to destroy the old karma and prevent our soul from binding fresh karma. The person who is engrossed in the self-soul is practicing all the five vows in a same time. </div>
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Dharma means the basic attribute of a substance. So, practicing Ahimsa means to stay tuned with our own real attribute. That means to act against our own nature (soul) becomes himsa or violence. To think the body as our self is violence. To take any other soul as our relative is violence. In short, every physical, mental or verbal action whether good or bad is violence. This will create a paradox because the people think that saving a living being is ahimsa. That is not true because in saving a living being from dying we bind virtuous karma and that is also violence. Ahimsa means to meditate on the true nature of the soul by which we prevent entering any new karma. </div>
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To see our body as our self is violence, to see our mother as our mother is violence, to see our father as our father is violence. To move any object from its place is violence. To act opposite to our own nature is violence; to act according to our own nature is Non-Violence. Thinking this way deeply we realize the true meaning of ahimsa. Any action that is responsible for karma bondage is violence. From absolute perspective we can say that from any action of mind, body and speech we cause karma bondage and that is violence to our self. It has been said that the bondage of both virtuous and non-virtuous karma is violence to our soul and that’s true. Anybody will see the non-virtuous karma as sin but only rare people who have right knowledge will see the virtuous karma also as sin. That’s why Lord Mahavir once said that, “"If you kill someone, it is yourself you kill. If you overpower someone, it is yourself you overpower. If you torment someone, it is yourself you torment. If you harm someone, it is yourself you harm." </div>
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Knowing this fact we can now realize why Lord Mahavir has given utmost importance to Ahimsa. All the Jain Tirthankars were the torch bearers of ahimsa. Without practicing ahimsa no one can attain liberation. The supreme ahimsa can be practiced in the higher stages of Gunasthanas (spiritual purity) where there is no affection towards the external objects. When the feeling like, “I am the doer of other things” has ceased completely then one has achieved the highest stage of ahimsa where there is nothing but only the experience of the pure soul. </div>
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<i>-Rahul Zota</i></div>
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<i>Bhuj, India</i></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-52726140021498648842013-11-26T23:59:00.000-08:002014-01-27T22:23:25.229-08:00JAIN MEDITATION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xN6ZYtNcOzg/UpWlRI8lUpI/AAAAAAAABf0/6qSNVN55000/s1600/MAHAVIR-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xN6ZYtNcOzg/UpWlRI8lUpI/AAAAAAAABf0/6qSNVN55000/s320/MAHAVIR-1.jpg" height="320" width="289" /></a></div>
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The practice of meditation has been the core of every religious tradition. In Jainism meditation has been the central practice since a long stretch of time. Meditation or Dhyana is regarded as the supreme penance out of the 12 types of penances. It requires higher purity and detachment from the external things to reach the highest form of meditation called Shukla Dhyana or Perfect Meditation. In the end of Shukla Dhyana the practitioner attains Absolute Knowledge, Absolute Perception, and experiences Absolute Bliss. In Jainism, such state of a soul is called Kevala Gyana and Kevala Darshana. But in order to achieve this state of perfect purity the seeker has to go through the 14 Stages of Spiritual Development. In the entire practice, the practitioner strives to be just a Knower & Seer.</div>
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<b>RIGHT KNOWLEDGE</b></div>
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Before the seeker begins his practice he should have the Right Knowledge of reality. In other words, he should be familiar and should have faith on the principles like Anekantvada, Soul and Matter, Substance and its modes. Thus the seeker realizes his goal and the way to achieve it. </div>
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Meditation begins with Right Knowledge, the knowledge of Soul, Matter (Atoms), and other four substances like Medium of Motion, Medium of Rest, Space and Time. All the six substances should be understood with their Permanence, Emergence and Cessation attributes. After knowing this and having faith in these core principles of Jainism the seeker realizes his/her real self and distinguishes his /her real self from the non-self substances. The truth is, one’s own soul is completely independent from all other souls as well as from other substances like Matter, Motion, Rest, Space and Time. Every soul is independent and every atom is independent. All the six substances are independent from each other. The truth is multi-dimensional. It is impossible to express the truth in one view point. </div>
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<b>COGNITIVE FUNCTION</b></div>
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The basic attribute of a soul is Cognitive Function. Every substance has its own attributes and they have intrinsic relation. For example, the attributes of matter are Color, Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Smell and Material Energy. The attributes of a soul are Knowledge, Perception, Bliss and Spiritual Energy. The soul is fully conscious, formless, all knowing and all perceiving substance. There are infinite souls in the cosmos and all are independent from each other. </div>
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Together, the knowing and perceiving capability of each soul is called Cognitive Function or Upayoga. Knowing both the Special and General attributes of a substance is called the Cognitive Function of a soul. The Cognitive Function can also be termed as attention or Psyche. It is the basic attribute of a soul and the self realization can be gained by being in tune with it. </div>
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<b>CONSTANT VIGILANCE </b></div>
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In Jainism, constant vigilance means meditation. The seeker or the true sage strives to keep his/her cognition (Upayoga) on the true nature of the soul. In every moment the seeker tries not to give up the contemplation of, “I am an independent soul, I was never born and am never going to cease, I am formless, eternal, possessing the qualities of Infinite Knowledge and Perception. I am free from this body; I have no smell nor color, no weight nor form.” </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj265N1Y8IU/UpWlR0h8dsI/AAAAAAAABgM/6eQTGNuCM9Y/s1600/Jainism_Kevala.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj265N1Y8IU/UpWlR0h8dsI/AAAAAAAABgM/6eQTGNuCM9Y/s320/Jainism_Kevala.png" height="287" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is mention of three types of regulations in Jainism. The three regulations are also known as Three Guptis. These are, Regulation of Mind, Regulation of Speech, and Regulation of Bodily activity. The practice of three regulations is the first step for the seeker. To reach the higher stages of meditation the seeker must master the three regulations. The three regulations cannot be practiced fully without taking the Five Great Vows. Thus the monk who has taken five vows becomes potentially viable for righteous meditation. The mundane being who hasn’t taken the five vows can still practice Samayika. Samayika is a term used for a short period meditation. In Samayika one stops his/her daily activities for 48 minutes, sits motionless and concentrates upon the pure nature of a soul. </div>
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To remain vigil, it is important to reduce the bodily activities as well as the activities of mind and speech. At this point when all these three kind of activities ceases the seeker can feel the consciousness (chetana). In the higher stages of meditation such feeling and bliss can be felt even while walking, taking meal, or doing some bodily activity. It is written in the scriptures that Lord Mahavir, the 24th Jain Tirthankara was always vigil even while walking or having meal. He was ceaselessly conscious at every moment of the day and night, total vigilance in the sixth step, and Samadhi, the seventh step of the meditative path. </div>
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Changing the lifestyle is very important in order to reach the higher stages of meditation. Taking up the five vows helps in changing lifestyle. The monk who has taken the great five vows easily gets rid of the activity of mind, speech and body, but only when if he/she has the true knowledge and faith and has only goal of attaining liberation. On the other hand the one who lives mundane life and has all sensual pleasures finds difficult to practice meditation for a longer duration because the mundane thoughts keeps coming in the mind and the concentration on the soul becomes difficult. So, changing the lifestyle, with true knowledge, under the guidance of a true spiritual guru, plays an important role in spiritual progress. Though there are 12 types of minor vows for the mundane beings. Practicing these vows the mundane soul can progress towards purity and in the end becomes able to take up five great vows.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6RYsfHnH4jI/UpWlQtGNCfI/AAAAAAAABf4/JeRTloZEvgE/s1600/Ilachi_Kumar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6RYsfHnH4jI/UpWlQtGNCfI/AAAAAAAABf4/JeRTloZEvgE/s200/Ilachi_Kumar.jpg" height="185" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a picture depicts a Jain Layman practicing Samayik</td></tr>
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<b>DHARMA DHYANA AND SHUKLA DHYANA</b></div>
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According to Jainism, we all are always in meditation wherever our cognition is focused, whether it is virtuous or non-virtuous. To pay attention or to focus the cognition to particular object, or thoughts is meditation. There are four types of meditation, Wrathful, Sorrowful, Righteous and Spiritual Meditation. The first two are non-virtuous meditations because they cause karma bondage; the latter two are virtuous meditations as they prevent the influx of karma particles as well as destroy all karma. </div>
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Dharma Dhyana or Virtuous Meditation is the root of Spiritual Meditation (Shukla Dhyana) and Omniscience. In Virtuous Meditation one strives to keep his/her cognition fixed on the pure form of the soul and also tries to minimize mental choices and volitions. When choices and volitions arise then the meditation shifts to Sorrowful or Wrathful, thus binds karma. To think about mundane world, bodily pleasure or hurting someone is Sorrowful and Wrathful meditation. </div>
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Shukla Dhyana or Spiritual Meditation is the result of Dharma Dhyana. The aspirant starts practicing Dharma Dhyana when he/she renounces the world. The aim of Dharma Dhyana is to achieve the stage of Shukla Dhyana. Shukla Dhyana occurs in the end of the 12th stage when the soul destroys the Conduct Deluding Karma (Charitra Mohaniya Karma) and gains unprecedented stability and bliss. Now this stability of spiritual meditation never ceases and takes the soul to the second stage of Shukla Dhyana and here the soul destroys the remaining three karma namely Knowledge Obscuring, Perception Obscuring and Destructing Karma and enters the state of Kevala or Omniscience. Omniscience or Kevala, in other words can be defined as constant spiritual awareness. Shukla Dhyana, after it starts helps the practitioner destroy all the four destructive karma within 48 minutes. </div>
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In Dharma Dhyana the aspirant strived to be constant aware about his/her true self. The aspirant was constant vigil and very careful on his activities of mind, speech and body. The more vigil he remained the more purity he gained and the karma became weak. As a result permanence awareness and bliss manifested within that is called Shukla Dhyana. In Dharma Dhyana the monk feels the soul and its pure bliss in broken parts but in Shukla Dhyana, the bliss, experience becomes intact, unbroken and whole and keeps feeling the infinite bliss, infinite knowledge and infinite perception forever. </div>
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<b>KAYOTSARG AND DHYANA</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EpUCbue-iWM/UpWlRvRN4DI/AAAAAAAABgI/-wP7Lv28HFU/s1600/jain-muni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EpUCbue-iWM/UpWlRvRN4DI/AAAAAAAABgI/-wP7Lv28HFU/s320/jain-muni.jpg" height="320" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Jain Tirthankara in Kayotsarga posture</td></tr>
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Kayotsarga and Dhyana (Meditation) are the most important austerities. Kayotsarga means steadiness of the mind, speech and body. Once the activities of mind, body and speech ceases the soul can be experienced. Kayotsarga is the first step of meditation. It is important to have these three types of bodily activities to be ceased before the pure consciousness can be felt. Kayotsarga is very important for the beginners. Kayotsarga is related with body while meditation is related with soul. Kayotsarga is one kind of yogic posture and can be practiced in sitting, laying or standing posture. After practicing kayotsarga and stopping all kind of physical activities, meditation becomes easy to practice and there comes moments in which the true soul and pure bliss can be felt. </div>
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<b>FOURTEEN STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT</b></div>
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Jainism acknowledges that the soul advances to its liberated stage in various steps, called Gunasthan or “The Stages of Spiritual Development”. Through these fourteen stages of development, the soul gradually frees itself, firstly from the worst, then from the less bad and finally from all kinds of karma, and manifests the innate qualities of knowledge, belief and conduct in a more and more perfect form. Here we will take a glance at each stage of spiritual development. Dharma Dhyana or Righteous Meditation plays an important role in climbing each stage and the external austerities like fasting, giving up tasty food etc helps in supporting meditation. The goal is to reach the highest type of meditation (Shukla Dhyana) and liberation. </div>
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of wrong believer: the lowest stage with ignorance, delusion, and with intense attachments and aversions. This is the normal condition of all souls involved in the mundane world and is the starting point of spiritual evolution.</div>
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of one who has a slight taste of right belief: Indifference to reality with occasional vague memory of spiritual insight.</div>
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of mixed belief: Fleeting moments of curiosity towards understanding reality.</div>
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4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of one who has true belief but has not yet self-discipline: Awareness of reality with trust developed in the right view, combined with willingness to practice self-discipline. The soul may be able to subdue the four passions namely anger, pride, deceit and greed.</div>
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<br /></div>
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5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of partial self-control: At this stage the right view and discipline starts to develop. The soul now begins to observe some of the rules of right conduct with a view to perfect itself. With the discipline of introductory or minor vows, the soul starts on the process of climbing spiritual ladder.</div>
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<br /></div>
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6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of complete self-discipline, although sometimes brought into wavering through negligence: Major vows taken up with firm resolve to control passions. There may be failures due to lack of full control over passions and carelessness.</div>
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<br /></div>
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7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of self-control without negligence: At this stage the self discipline and knowledge develops more. Intense practice of vows assisted in better self-control and virtually replaced carelessness with spiritual vigilance and vigor.</div>
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<br /></div>
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8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of one in whom the passions are still occurring in a gross form: The stage of one in whom the passions are still occurring in a gross form. Closer to perfect self-control over actions, higher control over mind, thought and passions with the soul ready for reduction of the effects of conduct-deluding karma.</div>
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<br /></div>
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9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of higher control over removal of passions and elimination of conduct-deluding karma begins.</div>
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<br /></div>
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10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of one in whom the passions occur in a subtle form but complete elimination of all passions except for subtle degree of attachment.</div>
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<br /></div>
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11.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of one who has suppressed every passion but still does not possess omniscience. Suppressed passions and lingering conduct-deluding karma may rise to drag the soul to lower stages; fleeting experiences of equanimity.</div>
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<br /></div>
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12.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of who has annihilated every passion. This is the point of no return. All passions as well as conduct-deluding karma are eliminated. Permanent internal peace achieved. No new bondage from this point onwards.</div>
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<br /></div>
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13.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of omniscience with physical body. The all Destructive karma eliminated and Arihant stage reached. The perfected soul is still trapped in the physical body due to presence of remaining Non-Destructive Karma. The Lord Arihant now preaches others the path of liberation and helps seekers showing the path to cross the ocean of rebirths and reach the safe shore.</div>
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14.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The stage of omniscience without physical body. Siddha Stage reached and the purest soul after destroying the remaining non-destructive karmas attains Nirvana and reaches the abode of the liberated soul. Now the soul is free from the cycle of births and deaths and enjoys infinite bliss. </div>
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<b>CONCLUSION</b></div>
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Meditation simply means vigilance on the true nature of the soul. In the Uttradhyayana Sutra, Lord Mahavir tells his chief disciple, Indrabhuti Gautama to be vigil in every moment on the meditative path. Lord Mahavira tells Gautama not to show laxity even for a moment. The true seeker never show laxity and always remains absorbed in his/her true nature of the soul. There are 12 types of austerities described in the Jain texts. The first 6 are external austerities and the rest 6 are internal. It is true that the external austerities are very important in stabilizing the internal austerities. Meditation has been categorized within internal austerities. The most important thing before starting meditation is Right Knowledge of the self-soul and rest of the substance of this universe. The seeker should always strive to be vigil in every step. Vigilance prevents karma influx and also destroys previously bounded karma.<br />
<br />
-Rahul Zota<br />
Bhuj, India</div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-11646507668524282632013-01-21T02:59:00.000-08:002013-04-12T07:33:42.206-07:00COGNITIVE FUNCTION PART-2: DEFINITION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2013/01/cognitive-function-in-jainism-part-1.html">previous part</a></i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XM3BrxkrO8k/UP0fZg2laeI/AAAAAAAABTk/J_b0NI_6l1Y/s1600/meditating_on_the_yoni_wj17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XM3BrxkrO8k/UP0fZg2laeI/AAAAAAAABTk/J_b0NI_6l1Y/s320/meditating_on_the_yoni_wj17.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Upayoga is a particular term used in
Jainism to describe functioning of the soul. Consciousness is the basic quality
of a soul. A substance without qualities is not possible to exist. There is
indestructible relation between a substance and its essential qualities. Knowing
is the function of consciousness and is only possible in the conscious
substance. Such conscious substance is the soul. Thus the quality of knowing is
only possible in the soul. No matter how tasty is the sweet but its taste
cannot be known by the dish or the spoon. No matter how scented is the flower,
its fragrance cannot be smelled by the vase. The functioning conscious that
comprehends the special attributes of a substance is Knowledge and the
functioning conscious that comprehends the general attributes of a substance is
Perception.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such knowing and perceiving capability
can be found only soul substance. That is only thing which differentiates the
soul from matter. If we see from evolutionary aspect then Perception occurs
first and knowledge occurs second. From the perspective of importance, it’s
knowledge that comes first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jain definition of Perception is
similar to the word ‘Pereehtein’ used in Psychology. After general
comprehension of an object, what the soul knows later about the object’s color
etc is knowledge. In short, Perception of an object is like appearance without
any kind of other information whereas knowledge brings the rest of information
like its color, odor, constituents, its position in space etc. Knowledge is the
superior thing in knowing and perceiving because it is knowledge only that
brings the real thing, like learning about the scriptures, realizing about the
soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By which the soul comprehends or acts
to gain information about objects is called Upayoga or Cognitive Function.
Acharya Umaswati has defined Upayoga as the soul’s basic attribute. Knowledge
and Perception are two types of Upayoga. When the Upayoga is with shape then it
is called Knowledge and when it is without any shape then it is called
Perception. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our soul’s cognitive function is
always functio</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ning since beginningless time and it is always variable, i.e., it
never remains fixed or focused on a single object. Keeping it focused on a
single object means we have mastered over meditation. The mundane souls
(trapped in the four destructive karma) can focus their Upayoga on a single
object for maximum 48 minutes. For Arihantas or the Omniscient (who are free
from the four destructive karma or from all the eight types of karma) have Gnanopayoga
(the functioning consciousness as knowledge) at first Samaya and Darshanopayoga
(the functioning consciousness as perception) at second Samaya. Samaya,
according to Jainism is the smallest amount of time and its value is 1 </span><sup style="line-height: 115%;">-800
</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">second. Both Darshanopayoga and Gnanopayoga for omniscient is always
active on any object. They don’t need to concentrate, whereas the
non-omniscient souls have to give up concentration at least after 48 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cognitive function of a soul can
be fixed on a single object at a tme. The Upayoga working on two different
objects at a same time is never possible. It is because of the infinite energy
attribute of the soul that Upayog functions. To operate infinite gnanopayoga
and darshanopayoga, it requires infinite energy, and it is one of the basic attributes of the
soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here, for the worldly souls, the
knowledge obscuring karma obsures the absolute knowledge attribute of the soul,
and the perception obscuring karma obscures the absolute perception attribute
of the soul. There are many circumstances that makes the functioning of the
soul impure and causes the karmic atoms to bind. Also in the functioning of the
soul in its fully extent the power obstructing karma obstructs the power (infinite
vigor or infinite energy) attribute of the soul. Because the infinite energy is
required to fully function the gnanopayoga and darshanopayoga. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The more the functioning soul stays
away from attachment-aversion and delusion the more it gets closer to pure
upayoga. In order to get rid of endless misery and the cycle of rebirths and
deaths, the worldly soul should try to keep its upayoga in learning the
scriptures, paying homage to the spiritual masters and meditation. Attachment-aversion,
and delusion are the results of the delusion karma and that adds more dirt to
the pure upayoga. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-91915108971592755142013-01-06T00:09:00.000-08:002013-04-12T07:33:29.338-07:00COGNITIVE FUNCTION: PART-1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Knowledge
is the basic attribute of a soul. To know the knowable is the attribute of knowledge.
The soul knows the knowable objects not just by comprehension and knowledge but
also by the functioning capacity of knowledge. </div>
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In
Jainism, the cognitive function of a soul is translated as ‘Upayoga’. ‘Upa’ means
to go near, and ‘yoga’ means the functioning of knowledge-perception. That
means the functioning consciousness through which the soul gets oriented
towards the act of knowing and perceiving is Upayoga. It is actually Upayoga
through which the seeker realizes and differentiates the soul being independent
from the body. That is why the Jain seers have said Upayoga as basic attribute
of the soul. </div>
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Upayoga
is of two types, Knowledge and Perception. Knowledge means by which the soul
knows the special attributes of the subject. Perception means by which the soul
knows the general attributes of the subject. The functioning consciousness with
both knowledge and perception is known as ‘Gnanopyoga’ and ‘Darshanopayoga’
respectively. Here, Gnanopayoga can be translated as ‘the functioning
consciousness as knowledge’ and Darshanopayoga can be translated as ‘the
functioning consciousness as perception’. Knowledge, Perception, Power and Bliss are the
four basic qualities of a soul. Despite infinite energy (power), without
Upayoga the soul is unable to comprehend the object. Infinite energy here
operates the knowing, perceiving capacity as well as bliss of the soul. That is
why the functioning consciousness with knowledge and perception is termed as
Upayoga.</div>
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Upayoga
is ever functioning attribute of a soul. Not any soul is without Upayoga for
even a moment. Upayoga is always functioning in every soul, although the
subject changes with time. The change of subject is regarded as Emergence, Cessation
and Permanence of Upayoga. That means when Upayoga is functioning on some
particular object then it is called Emergence, when it changes and functions
towards a new object then the previous object’s functioning is called
Cessation. The continuity of Upayoga between the changes is called Permanence. The
maximum time of functioning of Upayoga on any object is 48 minutes for any
mundane soul. The alternate term of
Upayoga is ‘Chitta’ or psyche.<br />
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<i><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2013/01/cognitive-function-in-jainism-part-2.html">next part</a></i></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-65716693513937110582013-01-04T02:39:00.000-08:002013-01-04T02:49:14.489-08:00RENUNCIATION OF KING NAMI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">After the soul of king Nami had descended from the celestial
world, and had been born as a man, he put an end to the influence of delusion,
and remembered his previous birth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Remembering his previous birth, king Nami became a
self-initiated monk in the true Law, and placing his son on the throne he
retired from the worldly life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">After having enjoyed, in the company of the beautiful ladies of
his seraglio, excellent pleasures which match those of the heavens, king Nami
became enlightened and gave up his pleasures. Having given up the town and
country of Mithila, his army, seraglio, and all his retinue, the venerable man
retired from the world and resorted to a lonely place seeking omniscience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">When the royal Seer Nami retired from the worldly life, at the
occasion of his renunciation there was uproar in Mithila. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">To the royal Seer who had reached the excellent stage of spiritual
meditation, Indra, the celestial being dressed as a Brahmin, in order to
examine monk Nami’s true abandonment addressed the following words: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Why is now Mithila full of uproar? Dreadful noises are heard
from palaces and houses?” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">On hearing this, the monk Nami, pursuing his reasons and
arguments, answered Indra thus: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“In Mithila is the sacred tree Manorama (Kind Nami), full of
leaves, flowers, and fruits, which sheds a cool shadow; this tree is always a favorite
resort of many birds (people of the town).”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Now, as this sacred tree Manorama is shaken by the storm, the
birds, suffering, destitute of refuge, and miserable, scream aloud.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> On hearing this, Indra,
pursuing his reasons and arguments, answered monk Nami thus: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"This is fire and storm, your palace is on fire! Reverend Sir,
why do you not look after your seraglio?" <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Happy are we, happy live we who call nothing our own; when Mithila
is on fire, nothing is burned that belongs to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">To a monk who has left his sons and wives, and who has ceased to
act, nothing pleasant can occur, nor anything unpleasant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“There is much happiness for the sage, for the houseless monk,
who is free from all ties, and knows himself to be single and unconnected (with
the rest of the world).”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Erect a wall, gates, and battlements; dig a moat; then you
will be called a true Kshatriya (the warrior)." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Making Faith his fortress, Penance and Self-control the bolt
(of its gate), Patience its strong wall, so that guarded in three ways it is impregnable;
making Zeal his bow, its string Carefulness in walking (iriya), and its top
(where the string is fastened) Content, he should bend (this bow) with Truth,
piercing with the arrow, Penance, (the foe's) mail, karma--(in this way) a sage
will be the victor in battle and get rid of the cycle of birth and death.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Build palaces, excellent houses, and turrets; thus you
will be a Kshatriya." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“He, who builds his house on the road, will certainly get into
trouble; wherever he wants to go, there he may take up his lodgings.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Punishing thieves and robbers, cut-purses and burglars,
you should establish public safety; thus you will be a true Kshatriya." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Men frequently apply punishment wrongly: the innocent are put
in prison, and the perpetrator of the crime is set at liberty.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"O king, bring into subjection all princes who do not
acknowledge you; thus you will be a true Kshatriya." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Though a man should conquer thousands and thousands of valiant
(foes), greater will be his victory if he conquers nobody but himself. Fight
with your Self; why fight with external foes? He, who conquers himself through
himself, will obtain happiness.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“The five senses, anger, pride, delusion, and greed -- difficult
to conquer is one's self; but when that is conquered, everything is conquered”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Offer great sacrifices, feed Sramanas and Brhmanas, give
alms, enjoy yourself, and offer sacrifices: thus you will be a true Kshatriya."
<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Though a man should give, every month, thousands and thousands
of cows, better will be he who controls himself, though he give no alms.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"You have left the dreadful âsrama (that of the
householder) and are wanting to enter another; (remain what you were), O king,
and be content with observing the Pôsaha-days." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“If an ignorant man should eat but a blade of Kusa-grass every
month, (the merit of his penance) will not equal the sixteenth part of his who
possesses the Law as it has been taught.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Multiply your gold and silver, your jewels and pearls,
your copper, fine robes, and carriages, and your treasury; then you will be a
true Kshatriya." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“If there were numberless mountains of gold and silver, as big
as Kailâsa, they would not satisfy a greedy man; for his avidity is boundless
like space. Knowing that the earth with its crops of rice and barley, with its
gold and cattle that all this put together will not satisfy one single man, one
should practice austerities.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Indra answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"A miracle! O king, you give up those wonderful pleasures,
in search of imaginary objects; your very hope will cause your ruin." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Nami answered<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">“Pleasures are the thorn that rankles, pleasures are poison,
pleasures are like a venomous snake; he who is desirous of pleasures will not
get them, and will come to a bad end at last. He will sink through anger; he
will go down through pride; delusion will block up his path; through greed he
will incur dangers in both worlds.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Throwing off the guise of a Brahmin, and making visible his true
form, Indra saluted him respectfully and praised him with these sweet words: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Bravo! You have conquered anger; bravo! You have
vanquished pride; bravo! You have banished delusion; bravo! You have subdued
greed. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Bravo for your simplicity, O saint! Bravo for your
humility, O saint! Bravo for your perfect patience! Bravo for your perfect
liberation! <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">"Here (on earth) you are the highest man, Reverend sir, and
hereafter you will be the highest; exempt from all blemishes you will reach
Perfection, a higher state than which there is none in this world." <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Thus praising the monk, Indra in perfect faith kept his right
side towards him and paid reverence to him, again and again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Thus act the enlightened, the wise, the clever ones; they turn
away from pleasures, as did Nami, the royal Seer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Source: Shree Uttradhyayana Sootra</div>
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Translation By: Dr. Hermann Jacobi </div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-58734566052652671362012-12-24T01:35:00.004-08:002012-12-24T01:35:46.477-08:00Difference between Philosophy & Religion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">RELIGION IS EXISTENTIAL, Philosophy is Analytical. Knowledge has to be analytical; it can’t be existential. Knowing has to be existential; it can’t be analytical. If you want to know, forget all about analysis; otherwise, you will come across MUCH knowledge but never will you become a knower. If you want to know a flower, don’t dissect it – otherwise you will destroy it. Be with it, in absolute quietness, with a throbbing, loving heart. Breathe it in, dance around it, sing a song, or be silent!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Play upon a guitar, or on a flute. These are the ways to become friendly to the flower. When you are playing on a flute, the flower starts leaning towards you, the flower becomes open. He understands... a friend has come. He knows when the cuckoo calls, he knows when a peacock dances – he will know you too if you sing a song or play on the flute or dance a dance around it. Those are the languages he understands. Or SILENCE he understands – the silence of the stars and the earth..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just be silently with the flower! Or let tears flow, let your tears drop on the flower. He understands that language too. When it rains and it has a contact with the clouds.... But be existential, don’t be analytical and the flower will release its secrets to you. "</span></div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-36841700548399801382012-12-08T00:14:00.000-08:002012-12-08T00:14:25.382-08:00True Meaning of Renunciation <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
Jainism renunciation has nothing to do with abandonment of outer things but
abandoning our attachment to the outer things is the real definition of
renunciation. “External renunciation is
meaningless if the soul remains fettered by internal shackles”, said Lord
Mahavir. According to the teachings of all omniscient Tirthankaras, “We need
nothing to renounce, because there is nothing to renounce. All the external
things can never be achieved because the soul is an independent substance and
has no relation with the external souls and matter.” Similarly, there is
nothing that we can gain because the soul is complete with infinite bliss. All
we need is to shift our vision from the outer world to the inner world by
gaining the true knowledge of the attributes of the soul and its discrimination
from the matter and other souls. If the right perception and conduct are then
taken, then it leads to ultimate liberation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All
we need is to change our inner intent and focus the cognitive faculty
(upa-yoga) to the pure nature of the soul. If the inner intent is purified then
true renunciation is achieved. And when true renunciation is achieved the
attachment towards the worldly things automatically ceases. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To
understand this fact more deeply we need to go through a beautiful Jain story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once
there lived a monk who had renounced all his luxury and became a nirgranth
(unattached) monk. After renunciation he used to meditate day and night in
solitary places. When meditating, he would stand like a statue and fix his eyes
on an object in front of him and stop all his activities of mind, speech and
body and remain in tune with the soul. Soon his fame spread all over and he became
known as a great renouncer. Many people wanted to see him but it was hard to
find him as he was living in the deep jungles. Once he arrived in a town to
spend the four months of rainy season. All the people of that town wanted to
see him. All were standing in a queue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
king of that town also heard the news and his eagerness to meet the monk found
no limit. He quickly approached the monk, bowed down to him and said, “oh monk!
You have renounced all worldly attachments, you are great renouncer!” The monk
grasped the king’s as well as the people’s wrong understanding about
renunciation so he decided to teach them the true meaning of renunciation. He
stood up and bowed down the king! Everyone present there were dumbfounded and
there was a pin drop silence. The king asked the monk, “oh venerable, why are
you bowing down to me? I am a worldly being and having attachment towards my
wealth and kingdom.” The monk replied, “Oh king! If giving up only the kingdom
is the definition of renunciation according to you then you’re great renouncer
than me because I have renounced just my kingdom but you have renounced your soul
which is full of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite power and infinite
bliss!” He further said, “Now tell me, oh king! Which one is greater? The
kingdom or your own soul? I actually have renounced nothing but have gained my real
self. To gain something more precious than you have, you will give up
attachment towards the things you already have because something more precious
is there and that is your own soul.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-87754017765853502002012-11-19T06:13:00.000-08:002012-12-12T01:26:48.448-08:00Lord Mahavir, The 24th Tirthankar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2yEjGsnKHY/UKoSoqRfTTI/AAAAAAAABII/vUcxjqupCaY/s1600/1.+mahavira.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2yEjGsnKHY/UKoSoqRfTTI/AAAAAAAABII/vUcxjqupCaY/s1600/1.+mahavira.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavira was the 24th and last reformer or Tirthankara of Jainism. Lord Mahavir was born on the thirteenth day of rising moon of Chaitra month, in 599 B.C. in the present state of Bihar, India. His birthplace is believed to have been near the modern city of Patna. Lord Mahavira’s birthday falls in the month of April as per Gregorian calendar. Lord Mahavira’s mother’s name was Queen Trishla and his father’s name was King Siddhartha. Both his parents were followers of Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara, who lived during 877-777 BCE. When the soul conceived into Queen Trishala's womb, she saw the fourteen great dreams.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RjlRtGHaK1U/UKoS6Izb0PI/AAAAAAAABIQ/EI0LmdWoc4w/s1600/2.+trishala+mother+dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RjlRtGHaK1U/UKoS6Izb0PI/AAAAAAAABIQ/EI0LmdWoc4w/s320/2.+trishala+mother+dreams.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trishala Mother's 14 Great Dreams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>EARLY LIFE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavira was a prince and was given the name Vardhaman by his parents. Being the son of a king, he had many worldly pleasures, comforts, and services at his command. However, even at that tender age he exhibited a virtuous nature. He started engaging in meditation and immersed himself in self-contemplation. He was interested in the core beliefs of Jainism and began to distance himself from worldly matters. Even in his early youth he seems to have thought of renouncing the world, but he was always prevailed upon by his affectionate parents to change his resolve, nor did Prince Vardhaman desired to hurt his parents. It appears that Vardhaman’s parents were quite firm in making attempts to engage the boy’s mind in worldly things and in creating around him a luscious atmosphere of amusement and pleasure. Fairly early in life he was married to a charming princess, Yashoda. Yashoda gave birth to a girl who was named Priyadarsana. Although Vardhaman was not attached in worldly life since his young age but he had decided not to renounce the world as long as his parents were alive. His parents passed away by observing fast unto death (santhara) when Vardhaman was 28 years of age. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vardhamana taking permission from his elder brother</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Now the moment had come for great renunciation but he decided to take permission from his elder brother Nandivardhan. Nandivardhan dissuaded him from renouncing worldly life for two more years because in the absent of their parents it was unable for him to handle responsibility single handedly and the renunciation of his younger brother would add more pain in their parents’ death.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj9lN_jEZFw/UKoTpaDi6fI/AAAAAAAABIg/RJNYhyhUTF0/s1600/4.+vardhamana+samayika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj9lN_jEZFw/UKoTpaDi6fI/AAAAAAAABIg/RJNYhyhUTF0/s320/4.+vardhamana+samayika.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vardhamana practicing Samayika at his palace</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Vardhaman Mahavir lived for two more years in the palace but he spent those years in meditation and spent this time living like a monk. He observed fasts and practiced celibacy until the day of renunciation approached.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>GREAT RENUNCIATION</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vardhamana distributing his wealth to the needy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vardhamana giving up his cloths and bonds</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">On the tenth day of Margsirsa Vardhaman renounced all his bonds, left his silver gold and riches, rejected his property, distributed his wealth in presents, and became a homeless monk. He tore his long hairs with handfuls, removed all his clothes and put a single garment on his shoulder. He then uttered “Namo Siddhanam”, (I bow down to the liberated souls) and started to walk toward the jungles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>SPIRITUAL PURSUIT</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a depiction of Lord Mahavir's first meditation after renunciation and his wandering </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Mahavir giving his half garment to a brahmin as alms </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Vardhaman spent 12.5 years in deep meditation and self control. During these twelve years he spent most of his time meditating. He gave utmost regard to other living beings, including humans, animals and plants, and avoided harming them. He had given up all worldly possessions including his clothes, and lived an extremely austere life. He exhibited exemplary control over his senses while enduring the penance during these years. His courage and bravery earned him the name Mahavira – The Great Hero. This course of penance’s comprehended ‘uninterrupted meditation, unbroken chastity, and the most scrupulous observance of the rules concerning eating and drinking.’ The account of his spiritual practices given in the Acharanga Sutra is literally soul -stirring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">"He meditated day and night, undisturbed and non-perturbed. Avoiding women and giving up the company of householders, he realized singleness. He lodged in workshops, assembling places, manufactories, shed of straw, towns, garden-houses, in cemeteries and burial grounds, or at the foot of a tree, wherever shelter was available. He did not care for sleep for the sake of pleasure and he slept only for 3 hours in his 12.5 years of spiritual pursuit. In winter when cold winds blew, he did not seek sheltered places or kindle wood or seek to cover himself with clothes. In the cold season he meditated in the shade, in summer he exposed himself to the heat. He would meditate with his eyes fixed on a square space before him of the length of a man or in some of the posture without the smallest motion. While meditating he would concentrate on the things above, below, or beside. He meditated free from sin and desire, not attached to sounds or colors, and never acted carelessly. Being averse from the impressions of the senses, he spoke very little and was always calm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">‘Thoroughly knowing the earth-bodies and water-bodies and fire-bodies and wind-bodies, the lichens, seeds and sprouts’ and comprehending ‘that they are, if narrowly inspected, imbued with life’, he avoided all kinds of sin and abstained from all sinful activities. He did not use other’s robe, nor did he eat out of other’s vessel. He did not rub his eyes or scratch his body. Knowing measure in eating and drinking he was not desirous of delicious food, nor had he a longing for it.’ For more than a couple of years he led a religious life without using cold water. He completely abstained from indulgence of the flesh; whether wounded or not, he took no medical treatment. He lived on rough food-rice, pounded jujube and beans. Sometimes he ate stale food. He accepted moist or dry or cold food, old beans, old pap, or bad grain, whatever was available. But if where there were hungry birds, animals or thirsty beings or beggars standing in his way, he would go past that place without begging alms. He kept fasts; sometimes he ate only the sixth meal, or the eighth, or the tenth, or the twelfth; sometimes he did not drink for half a month or even for a month or for more than two months or even six months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">In accordance with the rules of the order he wandered about unceasingly, except for the four months of the rainy season. During the rest of the year, he lived in villages only a single night and in towns only five nights. He was indifferent alike to the smell of ordure and the sweet scent of sandal, to straw and jewel, dirt and gold, pleasure and pain, this world and the world beyond, to life and death. His mind was completely free from attachment. Circumspect in his thought, words and acts, he moved without wrath, pride, deceit and greed. Like water in a vessel, he was unattached in the midst of sin. During the course of his travels, he visited the pathless country of the Ladhas, in Vajrabhumi and in Subbhabhumi; and here his troubles were endless. The rude natives of the place attacked him and set dogs to bite him. He endured the abusive language of the rustics and bore pain, free from desire. “When he approached the village the inhabitants met him on the outside and attacked him, saying ‘Get away from here’. He was struck with a stick, the fist, a lance, hit with a fruit, a clod a potsherd. Beating him again and again many cried. Once when he sat in meditation, without moving his body they cut his flesh, tore his hair under pains, or covered him with dust. They disturbed him in his religious postures”. But like a hero at the head of a battle, bearing all hardships he reached on his path wholly undisturbed."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>DETAILS OF LORD MAHAVIR’S ASCETIC LIFE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Within a few days of Mahavira's renunciation, he went to a village called Kummara. He stood there in meditation. One cow- herder took him to be a thief and wanted to hit him, and Mahavira had to leave the village. After a few months of wandering, Mahavira went to an ashram in Moraga, where he was invited to spend the four-month rainy season by its abbot. Mahavira was assigned a hut with a thatched roof. The previous summer had been so hot that the grass in the forest was destroyed, and the cattle ran to eat the ascetics' grass huts. The other ascetics beat off the cattle, but Mahavira just let the cattle eat the thatched roof. The ascetics complained to the abbot, and so Mahavira decided to leave the ashram and spent the rainy season in the village of Ashtikagram. Reflecting upon this experience, Mahavira resolved to follow the fivefold discipline of never living in the house of an unfriendly person, usually standing with the body like a statue (Kayotsarga), generally maintaining silence, eating out of his hand as a dish, and not showing politeness to householders.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Mahavir calmly bearing Shulpani Yaksha's tortures</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Wandering Mahavira one day arrived near a small forlorn village on the banks of river Vegvati. There he took permission from the village headman to stay in an abandoned temple for a night long meditation. According to the scriptures, he was tortured by a Yaksha Shulpani but remained undisturbed in his meditation, free from attachment and aversion, unless the Yaksha gave up torturing Mahavira and fell at his feet. Mahavir opened his eyes and, raising his hand, said, “Shulpani! Anger supplements anger and love begets love. If you do not cause fear, you will become free of all fears always. So destroy the poison ivy of anger.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">During the second year, while Mahavira was crossing the river, his garment was caught in the thorns on the bank of the river. The lord did not look back or tried to put it back on his shoulders. He kept walking and from this time onwards he remained naked.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Mahavir and the poisonous snake Chandkaushika </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Once while he was on his way to Shwetambika town, he had to go through a barren forest which was the habitat of a poisonous cobra snake. He was warned by the villagers to avoid that route but Mahavira did not show any fear. Reaching the snake’s hole he decided to stand there for meditation. According to the scriptures he was bitten by the snake that was a Jain monk in his previous births and had to take the birth of a snake because of anger. The snake was astonished to see milk oozing out instead of blood from the spots where it has stung on Mahavira’s toe. The milk was sign of boundless compassion he had for every living being. Then staring into Mahavira’s eyes full of compassion the snake regained memories of its previous lives and repented mentally for the sins it had committed in previous births. The snake then did not harm any living being and died peacefully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Mahavira’s second rainy season was spent in Nalanda, a suburb of Rajagrha. While here he was met by Gosala Mankhaliputra. Gosala was then wandering about in the country showing pictures to the people, and was attracted by Mahavira owing to his extra-ordinary self-restraint and impressive habits of medication and by the fact that a rich householder of Rajagrha, by name Vijaya had shown respect and hospitality towards Mahavira. The Jaina books mention that Gosala approached Mahavira with a request that he may be adopted as his disciple, but that Mahavira declined his request, presumably because he at once sensed the great difference between their temperaments. Gosala’s request was repeated on two later occasions and on each successive occasion with greater earnestness, and was ultimately granted by Mahavira. From there they travelled for six years together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">In Choraga village, both Mahavira and Goshala were taken for spies and imprisoned. Tying them with ropes, the landlord Kalahasti torchered them. His elder brother Megh identified Mahavira as Vardhaman, King Siddhartha’s son. He fell at the feet of Mahavir and, with tears of repentance in his eyes he begged to be forgiven. When released Mahavir resumed his journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Goshala left Mahavira’s company after six years and started his own school known as Ajivika and declared himself as Jina or Omniscient where Mahavira continued his journey towards the ultimate truth.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">twenty great afflictions by Sangam</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">In the eleventh year of his spiritual journey, one day Lord Mahavir was doing a special one night meditation in Polash Temple. In this practice one makes his body, mind, psyche and soul absolutely still and tranquil, observing the high degree of engrossment in meditation. According to the scriptures, on that night, he was tortured by the celestial being Sangam who gave twenty terrible physical pain to the Lord. Ultimately he couldn’t disturb the lord from his spiritual meditation. It was at this time, and only at this time, that tears rolled from the eyes of Bhagvan Mahavir. The reason behind the tears was not the pain caused by Sangam but they were for the cost of Sangam's own awful severe loss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">It was the 12th year of Mahavira’s spiritual practices. Spending the monsoon-stay at Vaishali he came to a garden in Kaushambi. It was the time around which the incidents of Shatanik’s attack on Champa, fall of Champa, sacrifice of queen Dharini, auction of princess Vasumati as a slave, etc. were occurring. Mahavira with his penetrating knowledge and perception had a glimpse of all this. He made an almost impossible resolution on the first day of the dark half of the month of Paush.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">“I will accept alms for breaking my fast only from a princess that has become a slave. And that too only if she has a shaven head, her limbs are shackled, she has not eaten for three days, she is sitting on the threshold of a house, she has pulse-bran lying in a basket and she has a smile as well as tears in her eyes. Unless these conditions are met I resolve to continue my practice and not to break my fast.”</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Mahavir accepting alms from the hands of Chandanbala</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Five months and twenty five days had passed since Mahavira had eaten anything. The twenty sixth day of the sixth month dawned. It was past noon when Mahavira, wandering for alms, approached the house where Princess Vasumati as a slave was kept. She had made a resolve not to eat before serving to some monk. She had stale pulse in the basket. Upon seeing the Lord approaching to the house she became happy and offered the alms. This is where all conditions of Lord Mahavira met except the one. There were no tears in Vasumati’s eyes. By seeing this Lord moved ahead without accepting alms. Vasumati became sad and thought, “How unlucky I am that Shramana Mahavira did not accept the alms from my hand.” And then she started to cry. When the lord saw back he saw tears in her eyes and thus all his conditions met. He accepted stale pulse and broke his six months long fast. Vasumati later became known as Chandana or Chandanbala and took initiation under Lord Mahavira’s hands and became head nun of the nun order and ultimately gained Omniscience and Nirvana.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QYN9tevqz5M/UKoZOx6Mk2I/AAAAAAAABJ0/YOyTDFQcDpA/s1600/14.+Mahavira+nails+in+ears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QYN9tevqz5M/UKoZOx6Mk2I/AAAAAAAABJ0/YOyTDFQcDpA/s320/14.+Mahavira+nails+in+ears.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cow-herder hammering thorns into Lord Mahavir's ears</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">After spending his twelfth rainy season, Lord Mahavira started his journey to Chammani village and as night was approaching he decided to stand in Kayotsarg Meditation outside the village under a tree before it gets dark. A passing cow herder saw the lord and asked him to look for his oxen as he wanted to go back to the village. The lord was in deep meditation and didn’t reply him. The cowherd went into the village and returned a little late. The oxen had drifted away grazing. Not finding his oxen, he asked, “Ascetic, where are my oxen?” As the lord was in meditation he didn’t reply. The cowherd asked again, and once again he did not get any response. He got irritated and shouted, “You hypocrite! Are you deaf, don’t you hear anything?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Again not getting any answer from Mahavira, the cow herder lost his temper and picked long nail like thorns from a nearby shrub of Kansa grass and pierced the ears of Mahavir deeply by hammering the thorns in. Even such excruciating agony did not move Mahavir from his meditation; neither did it evoke any feeling of anger or aversion in him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">The next afternoon the thorns were removed by doctor Kharak. Kharak used some medicated oil and forceps and pulled out the thorns. This caused such an unbearable agony to Mahavir that an anguished cry was forced out of him. Blood oozed out of his ears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>THE TEN GREAT DREAMS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">After deep and exhausting spiritual practice for more than 12 years Lord Mahavir was extremely tired. The exhaustion resulted in a slumber for a few moments during the last hour of the night and Mahavir saw ten strange drams. The ten dreams are described in Jain scriptures as below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">1) <i>Defeating a lion</i>: You will soon destroy the Illusory (Mohaniya) Karma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">2) <i>A bird with white feathers is in attendance</i>: You will always have purest attitude or feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">3) <i>A bird with multicolored feathers</i>: You will propagate multifaceted knowledge through the 12 Aagams (canons)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">4) <i>Two gem strings appear in front</i>: You will preach two-way religion. The conduct of ascetics and the conduct of laity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">5) <i>A herd with white cows</i>: The four pronged organization will serve you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">6) <i>A pond with open lotuses</i>: The celestial beings from four dimensions will serve you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">7) <i>Crossed a waxy ocean swimming</i>: You will cross the ocean of rebirths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">8) <i> Sun rays spreading in all directions</i>: Soon you will attain Omniscience (kevala jnana).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">9) <i>You are encircling the mountain with your bluish intestines</i>: You will pervade the universe with your pure glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">10) <i>You are sitting on a throne placed on summit of the Mount Meru</i>: You will give religious discourse sitting on a high throne.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>ATTAINMENT OF OMNISCIENCE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">It was the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakh. Twelve years five months and fifteen days had passed since the beginning of Mahavira’s spiritual practices. Lord Mahavir sat in mediation under a Shala tree in a garden on the back of the river Rijuvaluka (river Barakar in modern times). Sitting on both feet with knees touching his chest, he was feeling calm even in the scorching summer sun. Focusing all his physical, mental and spiritual energies he was engrossed in deep and pure meditation (shukla dhyana). Gradually the sun was setting in the west and within him the sun of omniscience was rising. He became omniscient or, or Arihanta. He became a Jina, the victorious over attachment and aversion. At that time he was 42 years of age.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavira’s attainment of Absolute Knowledge or Omniscience is mentioned in the Kalpasutra as below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">"During the thirteenth year, in the second month of summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Vaisakha, on its tenth day, when the shadow had turned towards the east and the first wake was over, on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurta called Vigaya, outside of the town Grimbhikagrama on the bank of the river Rjupalika, not far from an old temple, in the field of the householder Samaga(shyamak), under a Sal tree, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, (the Venerable One) in a squatting position with joined heels, exposing himself to the heat of the sun, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, being engaged in deep meditation, reached the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and full.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">“He knew and saw all conditions of the worlds, of celestial beings, men and animals and hellish beings; whence they came, whither they are born as men or animals or became celestial beings or hellish beings, the ideas, the thoughts of their mind, the food, doings, desires, the open and secret deeds of all the livings in the whole world; the Arhat, for whom there is no secret, knew and saw all conditions of all living beings in the world, what they thought, spoke, or did at any time.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>THE FIRST DISCOURSE</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9hAxfc0fDc/UKoaQ5gdAUI/AAAAAAAABKM/TKeMZ0Ig7-I/s1600/17.+Mahavira+samavsaran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9hAxfc0fDc/UKoaQ5gdAUI/AAAAAAAABKM/TKeMZ0Ig7-I/s400/17.+Mahavira+samavsaran.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The divine preaching pavilion</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">According to scriptures, a divine preaching pavilion (Samavasarana) was created by the celestial beings for Lord Mahavir to spread his message. All Tirthankaras preach from a Samavasarana according to Jainism. Lord Mahavira spread his message of Ahimsa (Non-violence), but no enough mass gathered at that time and his discourse could not change anybody’s heart and thus his first discourse remained unsuccessful. Then after travelling a long distance he arrived at the city of Pava where the second Samavasarana was created in the garden of Mahasena. Here after a long philosophical discussion Lord Mahavira converted the eleven learned Brahmin Pundits into Jainism and made them his chief disciples (Ganadhars). They were, Indrabhuti, Agnibhuti, Vayubhuti, Vyakta, Sudharma, Mandikata, Mauryaputra, Akampita, Achalbhadra, Metarya and Prabhasa. The first three were real brothers and were from Gautama clan. Indrabhuti is famously known in Jain scriptures as Gautama or Indrabhuti Gautama and was highly attached and impressed from Lord Mahavira. Each disciple had their own followers and all took initiation under Lord Mahavira’s order. Thus, eleven great scholars were inducted with their 4400 disciples into Lord Mahavira’s order during his first discourse. It is presumable that at this place not only Shramanas but also lay disciples joined Mahavira’s order; in Jaina texts there are references to the Lord having established a community of four orders i.e., monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen at the same time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">To his chief disciples, Lord Mahavira gave the knowledge of Three Pronouncements or Tripadi. These are Upaneiva (Emergence), Vigameiva (Distruction) and Dhuveiva (Permanence). There emerges a new phase of substance (any of the six substances), the old phase vanishes and yet the substance maintains its own essence and quality. Thus nothing new is created, but the substance undergoes modifications. From this knowledge the eleven disciples composed Dwadashangi or the 12 Angas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FORD</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavir established the Jaina Ford on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakh. After his first discourse he changed hearts of many listeners. There were many kings, including King Shrenik Bimbisar and Ajatshatru (Konik) of Rajgriha, King Chetaka of Vaishali, Nine Kings of Kashi, King Udayana, King Shatanik, King Chandrapadyot and Nine Licchavis Kings of Koshal were staunch devotees of Lord Mahavir.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara preached four vows namely, not to steal, not to Lie, not to commit violence and not to own property. Seeing the conditions of human minds in the present time, Lord Mahavir added the fifth vow namely Chastity and preached five vows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>LATER YEARS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavir devoted his life preaching the eternal truth he had realized through absolute knowledge. He had a huge community of more than five hundred thousand lay persons and fifty thousand monks and nuns. He organized his followers into a fourfold order, monk, nun, layman and laywoman. Lord Mahavir travelled barefoot, meeting people from all walks of life who came to listen his discourses. Lord Mahavir gave discourses in the local language Ardhamagadhi, not in the classical Sanskrit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>TEACHING</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavir taught that from eternity every soul is in bondage of Karmic Atoms (the minutest atomic particles) that are accumulated by good or bad deeds. In a state of Karmic Delusion, the living being, trapped in worldly existence seeks temporary happiness from external objects and thus accumulates more karma. Lord Mahavir emphasized on self-realization and the knowledge of difference between the self-soul and matter to get rid of influx of fresh karma and to eliminate previously acquired karma to liberate the self from the cycle of birth and death. Lord Mahavir taught the necessity of Triple Gems (Right Knowledge, Right Faith and Right Conduct) in order to attain liberation. There are the Five Great Vows in the heart Right Conduct. These are Non-Violence, Truthfulness, Non-Stealing, Non-Possession and Chastity. The monks and nuns have to observe these vows strictly. Lord Mahavir denied the existence of Supreme God and stressed on self-effort to attain emancipation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"> Lord Mahavir’s philosophy has eight cardinal principles- three metaphysical and five ethical. According to Jainism, the Universe is eternal, was never created and will never be destroyed. The Universe is made up of six eternal substances namely Souls, Material Atoms, Medium of Motion, Medium of Rest, Space and Time. All the six are independent of each other. The six are eternal and yet undergo changes or modifications. To explain this multifaceted reality Lord Mahavir reestablished the philosophy of Anekantvada or The Principle of Non-Absolutism. Anekantvada refers to multiplicity of view-points and teaches us that truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view, and that no single point of view is the complete truth. The language, which is of human creation, has limits to express the absolute truth in words, the principle of Syadvada or the Principle of Seven Fold Predictions was later developed in order to express the multifaceted reality. Another theory called Nayvada also arose from Anekantvada. Nayvada means The Principle of Partial Stand Points. According to Jainism there are infinite stand points and each express partial truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavira taught that men and women are spiritual equals and that both may renounce the world in search of Moksha. Lord Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, men and women, touchable and untouchable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>THE FINAL DISCOURSE</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQOkfEvLks8/UKobPFM5CGI/AAAAAAAABKk/BczrIcV7Y7I/s1600/20.+Mahavira+last+sermon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQOkfEvLks8/UKobPFM5CGI/AAAAAAAABKk/BczrIcV7Y7I/s400/20.+Mahavira+last+sermon.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Lord Mahavir began his last discourse at Pavapuri. It was a marathon one and the world was bathed in the words of wisdom emanating from his lips. His last discourse lasted for consecutive 48 hours and is recorded as Uttradhyayana Sutra. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>NIRVANA</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">At age 72 years and 4 and half months, Lord Mahavir attained Nirvana at Pavapuri. Lord Mahavir’s great Nirvana is mentioned in the sacred text Kalpasutra as below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">“The non-destructive karma of the venerable ascetic Lord Mahavir got exhausted, when in this descending time cycle, the greater part of dushama-dushama period had elapsed and only three years and eight and a half months were left. Mahavira had recited the fifty-five lectures which detail the results of Karma, and the thirty-six unasked questions (the Uttaradhyana Sutra). The moon was in conjunction with the asterism Svati (Arcturus), at the time of early morning, in the town of Papa, and in king Hastipala's office of the writers, Lord Mahavir single and alone, sitting in the Samparyahka posture, left his body and attained nirvana, freed from all pains.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">“In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, died, freed from all pains, the eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and nine Licchavis, on the day of new moon, instituted an illuminations on the Poshadha, which was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">Jains celebrate this as Diwali, the day he attained liberation or Moksha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">The day Lord Mahavir attained Nirvana, his chief disciple Indrabhuti Gautama attained Omniscience, the absolute knowledge. At that time his age was 80 years and couldn’t gain it since 30 years due to extreme attachment towards Lord Mahavir. With realizing the fact that everything is transitory and contemplating deeply on singleness of the soul, he gained Omniscience and became Arihanta. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b>PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LORD MAHAVIR</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">According to Jainism, all Tirthankars born with Vajrarishabha Narach Sanhanan joints as well as Samchaturasa Naracha Sanhanan. Vajrarishabha Narach Sanhanan mentions the strongest body which is capable of bearing hardest tortures and difficulties. Samchaturasa Naracha Sanhanan literally means the Symmetrical Body. From this we can say that Lord Mahavira's bodily structure was Symmetrical built and was capable of bearing hardest tortures caused by the animals, humans and celestial beings. According to the scriptures, such symmetrical body is the most beautiful human structure in the universe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">The conception of symmetry is explained in the following way. "Imagine a man with Paryanka Posture, i.e, crossing the legs and placing the hands over the navel. If straight lines are drawn across the two knees, from the right shoulder to the left knee, from the left shoulder to the right knee, and from the forehead to the hands, one gets four lines. If these are equal to one another, symmetry is apparent."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">According to the scholars, he must have been a man of strong will power and patience. Otherwise he could not withstood the tortures and privations he suffered during the period of twelve and half years he was travelling before his attainment of Omniscience. He must have also had charisma and quality of attracting people. This conclusion can be drawn from the success he obtained in combining the Jaina (Nirgrantha) church into one, and creating a religious system, which has lasted almost unchanged these 2500 years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><i>ALSO READ</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2012/11/lord-mahavira-quotes-mahavir-vaani.html">Lord Mahavira Quotes</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/09/it-is-said-that-soul-attains-liberation.html">Previous Births of Lord Mahavir</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/04/anekantvada-theory-of-multiplicity.html">Anekantvada</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/07/parasparopagraho-jivanam.html">Parasparopagraho Jeevanam</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Jainism)">Nine Fundamentals</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/08/principle-of-freedom-of-substance.html">The Principle of Freedom of Substances</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2012/08/three-pronouncements-tripadi.html">Three Pronouncements </a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2012/03/eminent-opinions-about-jainism-and-lord.html">Opinions About Jainism and Lord Mahavir</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/12/vision-of-non-difference.html">The Vision of Non-Difference </a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/09/substantive-and-instrumental-causes.html">The Substantive and Instrumental Causes</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/05/types-of-karma.html">The Types of Karma</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/03/four-great-princples-by-lord-mahavir.html">The Four Great Principles By Lord Mahavir</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2011/02/14-stages-of-spiritual-development.html">14 Gunasthanas</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/04/12-reflections-in-jainism.html">Twelve Reflections</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/04/triple-gems-of-jainism-ratna-traya.html">Triple Gems</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/12/matter-essence-and-modes-conservation.html">Matter, Essence and Modes</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://jaincosmos.blogspot.in/2010/10/six-fundamental-truths-related-with.html">Six Fundamental Truths</a></b></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-36186103175197984172012-11-18T21:27:00.001-08:002012-11-18T21:50:52.141-08:00Lord Mahavira Quotes (Mahavir Vaani)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The greatest mistake of a soul is non-recognition of its real self and can only be corrected by recognizing the self</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every soul is independent, none depends on another. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is better to win over the self than to win over a million enemies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There is no separate existence of God. Everybody can attain god-hood by making supreme efforts in the right direction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All unenlightened persons produce sufferings. Having become deluded, they produce and reproduce sufferings, in this endless world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has perfect perception (Anant-darshana), perfect knowledge (Anant-jnana), perfect power (Anant-virya), and perfect bliss (Anant-sukha).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just as a threaded ( sasutra ) needle is secure from being lost, in the same way a person given to self-study ( sasutra ) cannot be lost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every soul is in itself absolutely omniscient and blissful. The bliss does not come from outside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The soul comes alone and goes alone, no one companies it and no one becomes its mate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only that science is a great and the best of all sciences, the study of which frees man from all kinds of miseries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That with the help of which we can know the truth, control the restless mind, and purify the soul is called knowledge in the Jaina doctrine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Can you hold a red-hot iron rod in your hand merely because some one wants you to do so? Then, will it be right on your part to ask others to do the same thing just to satisfy your desires? If you cannot tolerate infliction of pain on your body or mind by others' words and actions, what right have you to do the same to others through your words and deeds?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That which subdues passions, leads to beatitude and fosters friendliness is called knowledge in the Jaina doctrine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The unenlightened takes millions of lives to extirpate the effects of karma whereas a man possessing spiritual knowledge and discipline obliterates them in a single moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The nights that have departed will never return. They have been wasted by those given to unrighteousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Those who are ignorant of the supreme purpose of life will never be able to attain nirvana (liberation) in spite of their observance of the vratas (vows) and niymas (rules) of religious conduct and practice of sila (celibacy) and tapas (penance).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My soul characterised by knowledge and faith is alone eternal. All other phases of my existence to which I am attached are external occurrences that are transitory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Righteousness consists in complete self-absorption and in giving up all kinds of passions including attachment. It is the only means of transcending the mundane existence. The Jinas have said so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't kill any living beings. Don't try to rule them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The essence of all knowledge consists in not committing violence. The doctrine of ahimsa is nothing but the observance of equality i.e. the realization that just as I do not like misery, others also do not like it. Knowing this, one should not kill anybody. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just as you do not like misery, in the same way others also do not like it. Knowing this, you should do unto them what you want them to do unto you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To kill any living being amounts to killing one self. Compassion to others is compassion to one's own self. Therefore one should avoid violence like poison and thorn (that cause pain).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't be proud if you gain. Nor be sorry if you lose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who cultivates an attitude of equality towards all living beings, mobile and stationary, can attain equanimity. Thus do the kevalis say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only the one who has transcended fear can experience equanimity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(One should reflect thus:) Let me treat all living beings with equanimity and none with enmity. Let me attain samadhi (tranquillity) by becoming free from expectations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me renounce the bondage of attachment and hatred, pride and meekness, curiosity, fear, sorrow, indulgence and abhorrence (in order to accomplish equanimity).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me give up attachment through unattachment. My soul will be my only support (in this practice of unattachment). (Hence) let me give up everything else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just as I do not like misery, so do others. Knowing this, one neither kills, nor gets killed. A sramana is so called because he behaves equanimously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who remains equanimously in the midst of pleasures and pains is a sramana , being in the state of pure consciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A sramana devoid of the knowledge of Agama does neither know himself, nor others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Other beings perceive through their senses whereas the sramana perceives through the Agama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One devoted whole-heartedly to knowledge, faith and right conduct equally accomplishes in full the task of the sramana.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">O Self! Practise Truth, and nothing but Truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enlightened by the light of Truth, the wise transcends death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Truth alone is the essence in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The ascetic who never thinks of telling a lie out of attachment, aversion or delusion is indeed the practiser of the second vrata of truthfulness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A truthful man is treated as reliable as the mother, as venerable as the guru (preceptor) and as beloved as the one who commands knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Truthfulness indeed is tapa (penance). In truthfulness do reside self-restraint and all other virtues. Just as the fish can live only in the sea, so can all other virtues reside in truthfulness alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One may have a tuft or matted hair on the head or a shaven head, remain naked or wear a rag. But if he tells a lie, all this is futile and fruitless.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One can bear all kinds of unbearable pain caused by spikes in expectation of wealth etc. But he alone who tolerates without any motive of worldly gain, harsh words spoken to him is venerable.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One should not speak unless asked to do so. He should not disturb others in conversation. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He should not backbite and indulge in fraudulent untruth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One should not utter displeasing words that arouse ill feelings in others. One should not indulge in speech conducive to the evil.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Discipline of speech consists in refraining from telling lies and in observing silence.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sadhaka (one who practises spiritual discipline) speaks words that are measured and beneficial to all living beings.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The bhiksu (ascetic) should not be angry with one who abuses him. Otherwise he would be like the ignoramus. He should not therefore lose his temper.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If somebody were to beat a disciplined and restrained ascetic, the latter should not think of avenging himself considering the soul to be imperishable.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As gold does not cease to be gold even if it is heated in the fire; an enlightened man does not cease to be enlightened on being tortured by the effect of karma.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A thief feels neither pity nor shame, nor does he posses discipline and faith. There is no evil that he cannot do for wealth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the aggravation of one's greed, a person fails to distinguish between what should be done and what should not be done. He is a daredevil, who cannot commit any offence even at the cost of his own life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By practising celibacy one can fulfil all other vows - chastity, tapas (penance), vinaya (humility), samyama (self restraint), forgiveness, self-protection and detachment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Knowing that pleasing sound, beauty, fragrance, pleasant taste and soothing touch are transitory transformations of matter, the celibate should not be enamoured of them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The soul is the Brahman. Brahmacarya is therefore nothing but spiritual conduct of the ascetic concerning the soul, who has snapped out of relationship with alien body.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An amorous person, failing to achieve his desired objects, becomes frantic and even ready to commit suicide by any means.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sun scorches only during the day, but cupid scorches in the day as well as in the night. One can protect oneself from the sun, but cannot from cupid.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The more you get, the more you want. The greed increases with the gain. What could be accomplished by two masas (grams) of gold could not be done by ten millions.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Knowing that the earth with its crops of rice and barley, with its gold and cattle, and all this put together will not satisfy one single man, one should practise penance.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just as fire is not quenched by the fuel and the ocean by thousands of rivers, similarly no living being is satisfied even with all the wealth of all the three worlds.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Non-possessiveness controls the senses in the same way as a hook controls the elephant. As a ditch is useful for the protection of a town, so is non-attachment for the control of the senses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Greed even for a piece of straw, not to speak of precious things, produces sin. A greedless person, even if he wears a crown, cannot commit sin.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who, being swayed by wishful thinking becomes a victim of passions at every step, and does not ward off the desires, cannot practise asceticism.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">External renunciation is meaningless if the soul remains fettered by internal shackles.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Living beings have desires. Desires consist in pleasure and pain.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who is constantly careful in his deportment is like the lily in the pond, untarnished by mud.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Objects of the senses pollute knowledge if it is not protected by discipline.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Discipline is the means of achieving liberation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even the noble becomes mean in the company of the wicked, as precious necklace on the neck of a dead body.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The ignoramus is always benighted. The enlightened is always wide awake.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The five senses of the awakened always remain inactive. The five senses of the slumber always remain active. By means of the active five one acquires bondage while by means of the inactive five the bondage is severed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just as everybody keeps away from a burning fire, so do the evils remain away from an enlightened person.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep yourself always awake. One who keeps awake in creases his wisdom. He who falls asleep is wretched. Blessed is he who keeps awake.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He who lies idle like a python simply w</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">astes the ambrosia of wisdom. With the loss of his wisdom, he is no better than a bull.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The yogi who is indifferent to worldly affairs remains spiritually alert to his own duty, namely, his duty towards his soul. On the other hand, one who indulges in worldly affairs is not dutiful to his soul.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Birth is attended by death, youth by decay and fortune by misfortune. Thus everything in this world is momentary.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The courageous as well as the cowardly must die. When death is inevitable for both, why should not one welcome death smilingly and with fortitude?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Both the righteous and unrighteous must die. When death is inevitable for both, why should not one embrace death while maintaining good conduct?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is nothing as fearful as death, and there is no suffering as great as birth. Be free from the fear of both birth and death, by doing away with attachment to the body.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Do not be in dread of the dreadful, the illness, the dis ease, the old age, and even the death or any other object of fear.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The non vigilant has fear from all directions. The vigilant has none from any.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who entertains fear finds himself lonely (and helpless).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The valiant does not tolerate indulgence, nor does he tolerate abhorrence. As he is pleased with his own self, he is not attached to anything.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a tortoise withdraws his limbs within his own body, even so does the valiant withdraw his mind within himself from all sins.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The enlightened should contemplate that his soul is endowed with boundless energy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only that man can take a right decision, whose soul is not tormented by the afflictions of attachment and aversion.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One who knows the spiritual (self) knows the external (world) too. He who knows the external world, knows the self also.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-69940826332880204392012-10-29T05:33:00.000-07:002012-12-29T06:22:02.455-08:00The Science of Discrimination <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The greatest
achievement of human birth is the realization of the self. In order to realize
what we are, who we are, we need to distinguish the self from the non-self. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The greatest
mistake of a soul is non-recognition of its real self and can only be corrected
by recognizing the self, said Lord Mahavir. We all have identified the non-self
as the self and that’s why we are all miserable. Because of the lack of true
knowledge of the soul and the fully accomplished status of the soul we seek
happiness from the external objects. According to our belief we need happiness
from the outside world. Realizing the true nature of the soul and the fully
accomplished status of the soul we come to know that we were actually inviting
misery that is masked with illusory happiness. From the absolute perspective
nothing is required to complete our happiness. The soul is filled with infinite
bliss. All we need is to turn our vision towards the soul. For this we first
need to develop faith to the existence of the soul and then remain stable and
in tune with the self leads to self-realization. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Meditation
starts with self enquiry when the seeker asks mentally, “Who am I?” Repeating
this again and again one realizes that, I am not this body. Since infinite
births we have recognized our body as our self. So going deeper in meditation
we realize that this body is made of numerous atoms. Be it the mind or the
senses, everything is ultimately made of minutest particles. There is no clear
answer in science about how atoms can generate consciousness. If we say, I am
the mind, then we become wrong when we say I am running, I am eating, etc
because it’s not the mind who runs or eats but it’s our legs that runs, it’s
our teeth that chews. Now, if we say I am the hands, the legs then again the
problem will arise when we say I am the one who thinks because the mind (or the
brain) does not eat, drink or run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Those
who go deeper in meditation and self contemplation realize that the self is
one. This does mean that the self is unbroken or whole. It’s not made of different
substances or different parts. The hands, the legs, the senses are seem to be
different parts and each has their own functions. Then who’s the ultimate knower
behind the functions of mind and the senses? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">According
to the Jain seers, the soul has four attributes, Infinite Knowledge, Infinite
Perception, Infinite Power and Infinite Bliss. On the other hand the body
(pudagal or matter) has different qualities viz. touch, taste, odor and color. Now
we can see that both the substance have different qualities and there is no
relation between the two. The self-soul is the knower seer and all other souls
and matters outside us are the subject to be known and perceived by the soul. There
is a beautiful story in Jain history that makes the picture of the self and the
non-self clear for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Once
there lived a man who had only son. Once, his son became sick and as days
passed his sickness became stronger. All the doctors gave up hope of saving his
son. Now it was the last day of his son’s life and he was lying on bed in the
courtyard of his house. All the neighbors were present and the boys’ father was
crying. None of the neighbors was able to stop his father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Soon
a Jain monk was passing by the house and he saw the gathering of people and
enquired about what was happening. When he came to know the fact he had decided
to make the man enlightened about the fact of the difference between body and
soul. So he approached the man and asked, “Why are you crying?” The man said, “Can’t
you see this? My only son is on bed and is going to die.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The
monk asked, “Where is your son? I can’t see him; can you please point out him?”
The man in amazement pointed his finger to his son and said, “There he is!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The
monk asked again, “Where is he? That’s not your son, but his leg!” The man now
pointing to his son’s hand said, “There he is!” The monk replied, “That’s not
your son but his hand!” The man then pointed every part of his son’s body and
the monk continued to reject his son’s existence in all those parts of his
body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The
man finally said, “Oh monk! This entire body is my son!” The monk holding this
point said, “Oh man! If this entire body is your son then why are you worried?
You can preserve this body even after your son dies!” The man now was shocked
knowing this fact that his son isn’t this mere body. He heard about the soul
once in his life so he then said to the monk, “Oh Monk! The soul is my son!” The
monk replied, “Oh man! If the soul is your son then there is no need to worry,
because the soul is an uncreated entity. It was never born and it is never
going to die. Be sure about this fact and come out from agony”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The
man and his son now realized the fact. The man became calm and his son now
realizing the soul died peacefully and took birth into higher existence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">From
this example we realize the existence of the soul being separate from matter
(body). However below are the steps for self-realization and attainment of the
option-less meditative state. Scriptural knowledge of the soul and experience
of the soul are two different things. Right Perception cannot be attained through
Scriptural knowledge only. One requires developing faith in the knowledge of a
soul and then through meditation and other austerities self realization can be
gained. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">The
seeker, who has now faith on the scriptural knowledge, first contemplates on the
nature of the soul. Then he thinks about different natures of soul and matter. He
then ignores which is not related with the soul, like the body, karma body,
luminous body etc and at last whatever remains is the pure consciousness. Now
the seeker, contemplates, “This is my real self, I am pure, I am liberated, I
am eternal, I am knower-seer.” Gradually, while in tune with such
contemplations he gets rid of mental thoughts and experiences bliss. After a
short while he experiences the pure soul. His all energy is now focused in this
experience and he gets rid of all kind of options. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-51518129768889047942012-10-06T23:53:00.002-07:002012-10-26T07:09:56.018-07:00ACTIVITY AND INACTIVITY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">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. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">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. </span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-29142422958612826122012-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:002012-10-26T07:21:46.973-07:00KAYOTSARG<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LbN8_rV2pZ0/UGByDnV8JHI/AAAAAAAABBQ/7IoArrOb4Fo/s1600/2006AU5514_0_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LbN8_rV2pZ0/UGByDnV8JHI/AAAAAAAABBQ/7IoArrOb4Fo/s400/2006AU5514_0_l.jpg" width="262" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tirthankar Parshvanath shown in Kayotsarg posture</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 12pt;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eiHaJyhj6Q4/UGByayQtw5I/AAAAAAAABBY/x6Zitah8q1M/s1600/101705_529988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eiHaJyhj6Q4/UGByayQtw5I/AAAAAAAABBY/x6Zitah8q1M/s400/101705_529988.jpg" width="263" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All Tirthankars are depicted in Kayotsarg posture</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Written By: Dhara Kothari<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spiritual Lounge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://spirituallounge.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://spirituallounge.com/</span></a><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-4997030597422987692012-09-23T10:24:00.000-07:002012-09-26T23:27:19.200-07:00What is "Not Doing"?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bJbWVKOWlds/UF9FxJrqNOI/AAAAAAAABA8/cnwdSqgsgTk/s1600/249834_215917911774948_100000702222206_706822_816884_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bJbWVKOWlds/UF9FxJrqNOI/AAAAAAAABA8/cnwdSqgsgTk/s320/249834_215917911774948_100000702222206_706822_816884_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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, <u>simply reflecting </u>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, <u>we don’t react, we simply reflect</u>... then we see
that which is -- otherwise not, ordinarily not. WE [our false ‘EGO”] have to
disappear to see the <u>reality as it is</u>. If we are there, the more we are
there, the less we see the real.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-11964819487638117182012-08-14T08:12:00.000-07:002013-05-08T08:05:35.098-07:00Three Pronouncements (Tripadi)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1) <b>Upaneyi Va: EMERGENCE</b>: There emerges a new phase of matter. This is called emergence of new mode.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2) <b>Vighaneyi Va: DISAPPEARANCE</b>: The old mode vanishes. This is called Disappearance of old mode.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3) <b>Dhuveyi Va: PERMANENCE</b>: Original qualities of the matter remain constant.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For example, the essential qualities of matter (pudgal) are, <i><b>touch</b></i>, <i><b>taste</b></i>, <i><b>smell</b></i>, <i><b>color</b></i>, <i><b>odor</b></i> and <i><b>energy</b></i>. 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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(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...</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(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).</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(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.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">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. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-27037310425122329502012-05-21T08:06:00.000-07:002012-05-21T08:34:15.616-07:00PRE REQUIREMENT OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE BEFORE PENANCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0gf0lVepP8/T7pgESKE5rI/AAAAAAAAA7M/x23UoH3cdGU/s1600/Jain_pind%C4%81stha_meditation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0gf0lVepP8/T7pgESKE5rI/AAAAAAAAA7M/x23UoH3cdGU/s1600/Jain_pind%C4%81stha_meditation.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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! </span></div>
</div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-36908947001617179542012-05-02T06:44:00.000-07:002012-10-26T07:11:45.128-07:00The Perfect Vision<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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 “J</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">á</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">da”
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. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-33852678779458988312012-04-16T08:51:00.001-07:002012-04-16T08:51:25.441-07:00JAIN ATOMISM<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spG9i1Yaavs/T4w7SQCb91I/AAAAAAAAA5k/2hzH0lmrZHk/s1600/jain+atom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spG9i1Yaavs/T4w7SQCb91I/AAAAAAAAA5k/2hzH0lmrZHk/s400/jain+atom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />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. </span><br />
<br />
</div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-41136876307160174612012-04-06T22:57:00.000-07:002012-04-06T22:57:20.483-07:00ESSENTIALITY OF EQUANIMITY IN LIFE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There is a
beautiful story in Jain history which can better help to understand this…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the
time of the 22<sup>nd</sup> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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)?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">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. </span><span style="font-family: Aparajita, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-74677901968859693042012-03-12T03:48:00.002-07:002012-03-12T03:48:51.202-07:00EMINENT OPINIONS ABOUT JAINISM AND LORD MAHAVIRA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mr. Mahatma Gandhi</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira was an Avtar of non-violence. His nobility had
over whelmed the world. It is because of this principle of Ahimsa that
Mahavira's name is worshipped to this day in the world-It was he who propagated
the doctrine of nonviolence to the greatest extent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I would request all of you to study, understand and follow
Mahavira,s teachings, If we do that we would be celebrating his birth-day
anniversary in a true and befitting manner.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. Rajendra Parshad</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I consider myself fortunate to have had an occasion to live
in the province of Lord Mahavira Ahimsa is the special heritage of Jains. In no
other religion of the world do we find the exposition of the doctrine of Ahimsa
reaching so high flights as in Jainism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There is no doubt about the fact that the world today stands
in great need of acting upon Mahavira's teachings. But this would be possible
only if and when each one of us and especially those who call themselves his
followers moulds and leads his life according to those principles.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. Radha Krishnan</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If humanity is to be saved from destruction and we have to
tread on the path of prosperity, then there is no other way except to adopt the
message communicated and the path shown by Lord Mahavira.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When all seek and strive for happiness but find it nowhere
the path shown by Lord Mahavira Proves a beaconlight. He believed in freedom of
the human spirit, gave the highest place to truth, attached great importance to
renunciation and considered it necessary to be kind to every living-being.
Indian thought during the last age laid great stress upon the depth of human
soul which is immortal. Lord Mahavira devoted a lot of his attention in this
direction and made religion the means of attaining to this great truth.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I hope that success should be achieved by propagating the
ideal of service and renunciation preached by Lord Mahavira.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">C. Rajgopalacharya</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The message of Lord Mahavira is not for any particular
country or class of people but for the whole world. People can make their lives
sublime and ideal if they follow his teachings. real happiness and true peace
can be attained only by treading the path shown by Lord Mahavir.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">George Bernardshaw</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The principles of jainism are most dear to me any my desire
is that after death I may be reborn in a jain family.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. Ravindranath Tagore</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira gave the message of freedom to the whole
world. Salvation is attained not by adopting the external forms but by
following the true spirit of religion.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">L. Lajpat Rai</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira was a saviour of the whole humanity.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lokmania Balganga Dhar Tilak</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira saved thousands of living creatures through
his message of Ahimsa. Jainism needs to be praised for the indelible impression
it made upon Brahmanism.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. U. S. Tank</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira, the great saviour of the world, had handsome
and sym-metrical body and magnetic personality with heroic courage and
perseverance. He had cast off the bonds of ignorance. Illumination had
come upon him and he had become 'Master' as theosophists would say.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. P. C. Ray</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By his teachings Lord Mahavira sent a wave of peace and love
throughout the country at a time when violence was reigning supreme in India.
Likewise the world can get rid of war and bloodshed to day by following Ahimsa.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">G. B. Pant</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jainism is an old religion of India with great doctrines. It
sets the highest store by the principles of truth and Ahimsa which were also
the motive force behind every activity of Mahatma Gandhi is his long public
career.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Acharya Narendra Deva</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira conquered over death. His teachings were for
the salvation of the whole humanity. Had they been conceived in a narrow
spirit, they would have lost their universal appeal and not travelled to
foreign countries like Arabia.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. Syed Hussain</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The world to day is in search of a new way of life based
upon non-violence, love and equality - it is tired of violence. The suffering
humaints must, therefore learn the message of Ahimsa and brother hood preached
by Mahavira.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. K. N. Katju</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In these days of hared and disgust which seen to encompass
humanity in a fearful fashion darkening the whole field of human endevom and
activity, the salvation of human race lies in the doctrines preached by Lord
Mahavira.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lal Bahadur Shastri</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bribery, contribution and violence would surely be wiped out
if we follow the beautiful and inspiring teachings of Lord Mahavira. Instead of
finding fault with others we would look to our own weaknesses and draw backs.
This would at once set right the whole world.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sh. Aurangnarain Sinha</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira preached to the world the ideal of Ahimsa,
universal religion and fellow feeling of which we are so much devoid today. It
is the realisation of Lord Mahavira's ideal where in lied the real peace and
happiness of all living in this subcontinent of India.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shri Parshotam Dass Tandon</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mahavira was a great seer who preached the sacred doctrines
of truth and Ahimsa. The true object of celebrating his birth anniversary can
only be this that we should follow and strengthen the ideal preached by him.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shri Dharma Anand Kansambhi</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira delivered the message of Ahimsa after
undergoing a Sadhna of full 12 years. At that time violence was stalking the
land, there was sacrifice performed in every house. Ahimsa would not have been
even talked of today, had he not then raised his voice in it favour.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dr. Sampurna Nand</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This land would be instrumental in carrying the message of
Lord Mahavira to every member of humanity.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shrimati Lilavati Munshi</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira led an ideal life of penance and renunciation
and commended the same to the humanity at large.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shri Bhim Sen Sachar</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The world is today perched on the edge of a devastating
volcano. It seems as if it has learnt nothing from the tragedy of two world
wars. It the volcano erupts it will destroy humanity and the whole fabric of
civilization raised by it. There can be no doubt about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The only way out of this catastrophe is the message of peace
brotherhood and Ahimsa preached by Lord Mahavira. It would be in the fitness of
things if a mission of his followers visits. The war-striken countries of
Europe and America and delivers this message of peace and love to the people
there.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mishri Lal Gungwal</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The principles of love and peace preached by Lord Mahavira
should be widely propagated today. The world can live in peace by following
them.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Brij Mohan Lal Sharma</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The whole world is today striken with the fear of war, and
this more especially due to the invention of atomic weapons. Under these
circumstances it is only the message of peace and Ahimsa which can save
humanity from sure destruction. No effort should therefore be spared to carry
this message to the heart of every human being.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pt. Madhev Acharya</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Modern philosophers are taken aback to note the way in which
the jain philosophers have dealt with matter to its minutest form. According to
them Lord Mahavira was the founder of modern science.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mahatma Narayan Swami</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lord Mahavira taught the world the message of Ahimsa the
given of true peace and happiness. The people of the west have no faith in
Ahimsa and that is why war-clouds are rising there on the horizon.</span></div>
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</div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-57453773969361643812012-03-06T22:48:00.001-08:002012-03-06T22:48:25.558-08:00Existence of The Soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Atma Siddhi is a spiritual poem composed in Gujaratiby the
nineteenth century Jain mystic poet andphilosopher Shrimad Rajchandra
(1867–1901 C.E.).Atma according to Jainism means "soul" or the
"self"and "Siddhi" means "attainment". Hence,
“Atma Siddhi” is translated as “Self Attainment” or “Self Realization”. It is a
composition of 142 verses inGujarati, explaining the fundamental
philosophical truths about the soul and its liberation.In the heart of this
poem, Shrimad Rajchandra hasexplained the existence of the soul in a
scientificway. In the poetic form, the disciple asks to his spiritual master
about the existence of soul. Hedoubts on the soul and his spiritual master
removes his doubt by using amazing logic and some scientificideas and ultimately
the pupil starts believing in the soul and develops faith in the teaching of
Tirthankars. The pupil and his master’s discussion are explained from the
verse 45 to 107. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In this e-book I have given main points of their discussion
andexplained the meaning of the verses. Hope this article will remove all the
doubts of the readers’ mindabout the existence of the self.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The book can be downloaded from the link given below:</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/81163852/Existence-of-the-Self">http://www.scribd.com/doc/81163852/Existence-of-the-Self</a>
</div>
</div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-33087743773032610292012-02-01T06:42:00.000-08:002012-02-22T02:25:37.433-08:00ERADICATING KARMA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once
Gajsukumal, the younger brother of Shri Krishna asked Lord Neminath (the 22<sup>nd</sup>
Jain Tirthankara dating back to 3138 BCE), “Oh Lord! Is there any way to attain
liberation in a short time?” Gajsukumal was initiated as a Jain monk under Lord
Neminath’s order and was eager for liberation. The Lord replied, “Oh
Gajsukumal, one can attain liberation by differentiating the body and the soul
and by gaining stability and absorbent in the nature of the self-soul.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thus,
to attain Omniscience and liberation one has to first learn the qualities of
both the soul and the matter (the body) and then by differentiating them by
thought and by remaining absorbed in the nature of the soul one first destroys
the four destructive karma namely, Knowledge Obscuring, Perception Obscuring,
Delusion and Obstructing and attains the state of Kewala or Omniscience and
attains liberation in the end of life. This sounds easy at first but when we
try to practice such kind of meditation then we feel that it is very difficult.
We face the traffic of thoughts in our mind which is very difficult to stop. We
can’t get even a second free of thoughts. The differentiation of the body and
the soul in meditation is only possible after attaining stability of mind. In
Jainism the Tirthankars have explained the Nine Fundamentals which are better
known as “Nav Tattva”. The Nine fundamentals contain all the major principles
and practice which are essential for one in order to attain liberation. Liberation
means free from all the eight karma. The eight Karma are Knowledge Obscuring
(Gnanavarniya), Perception Obscuring (Darshnavarniya), Delusion (Mohaniya),
Obstructing (Antaraya), Life-span pertaining (Ayu), Status Determining (Gotra),
Body Determining (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nam</st1:place></st1:country-region>)
and Feeling Pertaining (Vedniya). The first four are known as the Destructive
Karma and the rest four are known as the Non-destructive Karma. The first
hinders the inherent nature of the soul and by eradicating these karma one
attains Omniscience or Kewala Gyaan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In
the Nine Fundamental principle the ninth and the last fundamental explains the
essential austerities for liberation and it is know as the Nirjara Tattva. There
are 12 austerities to eradicate karma. The first six are known as External
Austerities and the res six are known as the Internal Austerities. The internal
austerities are the main weapon to destroy karma. But it is difficult to
practice them without practicing the external austerities. The external
austerities create a base for the internal austerities. It is important to
learn them. So let’s understand them briefly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-transform: uppercase;">External Austerities<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
</div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fasting (Anshan):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> In fasting one renounces
eating and drinking for a certain period. One can combine the physical
fasting with total control over inner desires. One spends time of fasting
period by reading religious materials. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Partial Fasting (Unodari):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> To eat less than the
normal diet is called Partial Fasting or Unodari. The deeper meaning of
Unodari is to practice more self restraints by reducing non-virtuous
activities.<span style="text-transform: uppercase;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Limiting Food Items (Vriti
Sankshep):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
This austerity is for developing
willpower. The Jain monks take up “Abhigraha” (makes some resolution). The
laymen and laywomen observe this austerity by limiting the number of food
items. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Limiting Tasty Food (Rasa
Tyag):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> In
this austerity one renounces his/her tasty foods and thus enabling to
strengthen one’s spiritual capability. One takes food without oil, butter,
spices, salt and also avoids sweets, milk, sugar etc. To suppress one’s
passions, it is essential that he overcome his desire for tasty food. One,
who has a desire for tasty food, cannot be free of sensual instinct. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Physical Forbearance (Kaya
Kalesh):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Body
is an instrument that is needed in good condition for undertaking
spiritual pursuit and therefore, it is important to develop its endurance
power. Thus one is enabled to tolerate the bodily inconveniencies with
equanimity. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Controlling the Senses
(Salinta):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
We use our senses to satisfy our external needs and that is supposed to
give happiness. In this austerity one does not develop a positive attitude
to what he sees, hears, smells, tastes and touches. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Without
practicing these austerities one cannot practice the internal austerities. And
internal austerities are the main weapon to eradicate karmic dirt. Although it
is monks who undertakes internal austerities and can perform very well because
they have no possessions and have abandoned mundane life. But the householders
can also undertake internal austerities according to their own strength. Let’s
have a look at the types of internal austerities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">INTERNAL
AUSTERITIES <o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Repentance or Confession
(Prayashchit):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> One repents for the various errors, the
faults and the sins committed. This can be performed in the presence of an
ascetic or can be done alone. Prayashchit is a very vital type of Nirjara.
Prayashchit is a process of improving mental, emotional and spiritual
health. Nirjara is a spiritual cleaning process. Purity of body, mind, and
emotions is the result of this process. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Humility (Vinaya):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Vinaya means humbleness,
kindness and respect. The ultimate meaning of Vinaya is the absence of
ego. Vinaya saves Jiva from getting bad destinies like hell. Vinaya is an
internal quality of Jiva. Vinaya is considered the root of the religion
per Jain canonical books. Vinaya is given the utmost importance in
Jainism. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Selfless Service
(Vaiyavruta):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
To serve the monks, the practitioners (one who observes austerities) with
devotion and without any selfish motive is called Vaiyavruta. If one
offers the right food, clothes, medicines, and other necessities to Jain ascetics,
it is called Vaiyavruta.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Self Study (Swadhyay):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The spiritual meaning of
Swadhyay is to remain in equanimity. Swadhyay also keeps the right
knowledge alive for the next generation and generations to come. As per
Jain canonical books, Jain ascetics are required to do Swadhyay for about
nine hours a day. To acquire knowledge, to render it free from doubt, to
be lucid and ripe and to seek to propagate it - all these can be covered
in Swadhyay. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Meditation (Dhyana):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> In Jainism, Dhyana has
been divided into four forms. Raudra Dhyana (Wrathful Meditation), Arta
Dhyana (Sorrowful Meditation), Dharma Dhyana (Religion Oriented
Meditation) and Shukla Dhyana (Pure Meditation). If we observe the living
beings in the world then we see that all are in Meditation. Either
virtuous or non-virtuous. The first two meditations are non-virtuous and
worth rejected in order to attain liberation. The last two should be
practiced daily. Dharma Dhyana is essential for the house-holder or the
monks. It is not possible to achieve Shukla Dhyana without practicing
Dharma Dhyana. Now let’s have a look at the sub-types of Dharma and Shukla
Dhyana.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">*Dharma
Dhyana: In Dharma Dhyana one meditates and reflects on the teaching of Lord
Tirthankar. That is called “Commandment Religious Meditation”. To contemplate
on the misery of the worldly people and animals is called “Misery oriented
Meditation”. To contemplate on the law of Karma and to think that one suffers
because of his own Karma is called “Fruition of Karma oriented Meditation”. To
contemplate on the structure of the Universe, like its substances and the three
folded Universe is called “Cosmos oriented Meditation”. Dharma Dhyana is
essential for stopping the binding of new karma and the observer eradicated
his/her past karma as well. By practicing it regularly one’s inner passions
become lighter and he/she reaches the 8<sup>th</sup> stage of spiritual
development (Gunasthana). Here by climbing the ladder of annihilation (Kshapak
Shreni) one enters the Shukla Dhyana (Pure Meditation).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">*Shukla
Dhyana: When climbing the ladder of Annihilation, the practitioner enters the
Shukla Dhyana. According to Jainism, the aspirant who enters Pure Meditation
never returns back in the cycle of rebirths. There are four types of Shukla
Dhyana;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.
Multi Aspect Spiritual Meditation: In this, one meditates on the different
modes of the self and matter. His/her mind cannot become steady on the
permanence nature of the self. This meditation lasts for Antarmuhurta (within 48
minutes). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.
Single Aspect Spiritual Meditation: In this, one meditates only on one subject,
the permanence nature of the self. The mind becomes steady and the
practitioner-meditation-goal becomes unite. In this meditation one destroys the
four destructive karma and attains the state of kaivalya (Omniscience), and
becomes Arihanta. He/she also known as the Jina (The one who has destroyed the
inner enemies). He/she now perceives the objects of the universe from infinite
past and future at once, directly by the soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3.
Subtle Activity Spiritual Meditation: This is observed only by an Omniscient
Lord. When the meditation involves a subtle bodily Yoga while putting an end to
all the remaining Yogas, this act of concentration is called Subtle Activity
Spiritual Meditation. At this stage, there proceeds only the subtle bodily
activities like inhalation and exhalation and there is no possibility of a
fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4.
Absorption in Self Meditation: When even the subtle bodily activities like
inhalation and exhalation cease altogether and the constituent units of the
soul become free from all wavering, then the state is called Absorption In Self
Meditation. In this state, no activity takes place. In the fourth subtype of
Dhyana, all Influx of Karma and all bondage of karma cease altogether, all
Karma come to the end, and liberation (Moksha) is attained. The last two are
also called Anälambana or devoid of any dependence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandonment (Vyutsarga):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The last austerity is Vyutsarga. It is
divided into two major types: Internal Aspects and External Aspects. There
comes four subtypes in the External Aspects,<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandonment
of Body<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandoning
the company of other Mendicants<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandoning
material objects (such as clothes, pots, blanket, medicine etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandoning
food and drink<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> There are three types of Internal
Aspects<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.75pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandoning
or overcoming the passions (Anger, Ego, Pride and Deceit)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.75pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Abandoning
Worldly Life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Eradicating
Karma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">From
this we learn that the external austerities are very important to make the grip
stronger in the internal austerities. One gets rid of karma by practicing
internal austerities. By overcoming bodily needs and sensual activities one
becomes able to practice meditation and kayotsarga and become equanimous in
every good and bad condition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br /></div>Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-47072374166417172162011-12-05T22:27:00.001-08:002012-10-26T22:52:44.933-07:00VISION OF NON-DIFFERENCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Expecting happiness from the modes of external objects is
wrong vision. Expecting happiness from the self-soul is right vision. The
modification of happiness comes from the self soul. According to Jainism the
Cosmos is made of six eternal substances which are Jeev (Souls), Pudgal (Fine
material atoms/Energy), Dharmastikay (Medium of Motion), Adharmastikay (Medium
of Rest), Aakash (Space) and Kaal (Time). There are infinite souls in this Cosmos and
all are independent from each other. None is the doer of the other’s happiness
and sorrow. The basic attributes of a soul are Infinite Knowledge, Infinite
Perception, Infinite Bliss and Infinite Power. To know and to perceive is
termed in Jainism as “Upayog”. When the Upayog is oriented towards the outside
things then it causes the raise of attachment and aversion. When it is fixed in
the self then there is no attachment and aversion and the soul stays away from
Karma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every substance in the cosmos has dual nature, special and general. From the special aspect the substance undergoes changes. From the general aspect the substance is steady and unchanged. The changing form of a substance is called modifications. For example, 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 bangle transient forms or modifications while gold is the matter (Dravya) which remains constant. This is just an example in real even the gold is modifications of Pudgal. Pudgal or fine material atoms are the substance in this case which remain unchanged in every process. The star (the sun) is a giant ball of plasma. Plasma is the state of matter which is ultimately made of innumerable sub atomic charged particles. The sun is the modification. After billions of years the sun will lose its present form and will convert into a new form, a planetary nebula. In this case the basic qualities of Pudgal is steady and unchanged only the form is modified.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our main problem is that all unenlightened people in this world directly focus and value the modifications of the substance. The one who is oriented in the modifications will value the gold more than the stone. The fact is the gold and the stone are made of same particles. We generally take the substance and its modifications to be different. To think that both are one is called the vision of non-difference or Abhed Drishti. The enlightened have this vision and they see all non living substances as atoms. We become addicted to the modifications not to the substance. That’s why if someone steals gold from us then we become unhappy and angry. But if someone takes stone from our hand then we won’t be angry that much because we have the value of gold far more than stone. The enlightened will see them to be the same. Thus they will develop detachment from all the external things and will remain in the meditation of the self-soul. We have divided things into too many forms and that’s why we have become too far from our real self. In order to remain in deep meditation of soul and to remain detached to the other things we have to practice the vision of non-difference.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Rahul Zota</span><br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-2645911193486096042011-11-24T02:46:00.001-08:002012-10-26T22:53:38.005-07:00SCIENTIFIC INTERPRETATION OF THE JAINA KARMA THEORY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jain philosopher-monks postulated the existence of karma as subtle and microscopic particles that cannot be perceived by senses, some two millennia before modern science proved the existence of atoms and subatomic particles. However, these and other elementary particles that have been either discovered or postulated cannot be equated with karmic particles. Some authors have sought to explain the concept of karmic particles in the context of modern science and physics. Hermann Kuhn points out that, although the idea of "karmic particles" is not yet proven, one only needs to recall that science found proof of the existence of molecules and atoms only the 19th and 20th century. Anyone who would have suggested that these "indivisible" particles were made up of even subtler units like quarks and leptons only a hundred years ago may have been dismissed, though such theories were in existence. With regards to interaction of consciousness and karmic matter, he further states that, it can be easily understood considering that ideas like the mind fundamentally affecting matter are now accepted in scientific circles. While admitting that though science has not discovered karmic matter yet, he is of opinion that it does not state anything against its existence. K. V. Mardia, in his book The Scientific Foundations of Jainism, has interpreted karma in terms of modern physics, suggesting that the particles are made of karmons, dynamic high energy particles which permeate the universe.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-themecolor: text1;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;">Source: Wikipedia</span></em> </span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985240181704558345.post-25032861671512265622011-09-18T03:42:00.000-07:002011-09-18T03:49:39.079-07:00SUBSTANTIVE AND INSTRUMENTAL CAUSES (UPADAN-NIMIT)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Every substance in this
world at every moment independently manifests in different modification of its
own attributes on its own accord. These manifestations of the substances are
their actions. These actions are called condition, change, modification or
behavior. Each substance is the creator of its own modifications. It does not
at all need the favor or co-operation of any other substance for these
modifications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Any activity materializes
with its cause only. The stuff that produces the activity is the cause thereof.
This stuff which produces the activity is in form of “<i>Uppadan</i> and <i>Nimmit</i>” only
(substantive cause and instrumental [conventional] cause).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Substantive cause</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">:
- (Uppadan Karan); - that which itself changes its own condition is called the
substantive cause or capacity of manifestation is existing in the substance
itself. This is known as uppadan-karan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Instrumental cause </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">:-(
Nimitt karan): - that which does not change, its own condition, but upon which
suitability is imposed is called the instrumental or conventional cause. Dravya
which itself does not manifest this particular action but which is considered
to be favourable cause of this action is called Nimmit Karan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Example</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">:
- In the making of an earthen pot, earth is the substantive cause and weed,
stick and the pot- maker are instrumental causes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The substance in which the
modification is born is the power of the self (Uppadan Karan) were produce
modification is the object i.e. Upadeya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">From the point of view of
the conventional cause, the same modification is the changed condition i.e.
Namittik.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The same modification is
thus illustrated in two ways; one from the point of views the power of the self
and from the other point of view the conventional cause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">6.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">In the emergence of the
making of pot, substantive cause is earth, from that aspect making of pot is
the object and potter wheel etc are conventional causes. The same making of`
pot from the point of view of conventional cause is the changed condition of
the substance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">These are just two aspect of the same
phenomenon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">7.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Conclusion is that in earth
and pot the relationship is of ‘Uppadan – Uppadey’. In pot maker and pot the
relationship is of Nimmitt – Naimittik.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">8.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">For activity – the eligibility
at that time of substance is called Uppadan – uppadan means the natural
capacity of the substance. During the activity – the instrumental other
substance is called Nimitt. Nimitt means presence of suitable favorable – other
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">9.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Let us understand this
phenomenon with other examples. Apply these concepts of substance or
conventional cause in necklace and right faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The substance gold is the power of the self and necklace is
the desired manifestation. Fire, goldsmith and others are conventional causes,
and necklace is the new condition.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">In the same manner the soul substance or the attribute of
faith is the power of self and right faith is the desired manifestation.
The removal of perverted faith or karmic matter is the instrumental cause
and right faith is the changed state of faith attribute.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">10.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The uppadan and Nimmitt does
not have subject – object relationship; because both are different independent
substances. The Nimmitt – Naimaittik relation should be acknowledged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">11.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">This power of self is of two
kinds:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The eternal self power (Trikali means permenent Uppadan)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The momental power of the self (Temporary Uppadan)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The substance or attribute that undergoes the change itself
is the eternal self power.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The momental power of self can be illustrated in two ways:<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">a)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">An eternal current of manifestations flows
in the substance and the attributes. In that eternal current the immediately
previous momentary manifestation (purva prayay) is the momental power of the
self and the manifestation immediately after the present moment (uttar prayay)
is the action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">b)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The momentary capacity (eligibility) of the
substance to change in that particular modification is the momental power of
the self and manifestation is the action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">12.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: TimesNewRoman; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The momentary
self power is called the forceful cause also. The eternal self power is always
present, but if that is regarded as the completely forceful cause, alleged
actions will always be in the process of happening. As such the forceful cause
is the immediately previous manifestation of the substances and the momentary
ability of the substance itself is there. Action can not be fruitful without
these two and it always materializes when the two are present. We can say
conclusively that the substance itself with its previous modification is the
power of the self and substance with the immediately next manifestation is the
desired action. Favourable external circumstances and objects are conventional
causes and the alleged modification their action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">13.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Conventional causes are of
two kinds:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">a)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Indifferent (Udasin)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">b)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Prompt (Prerak)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">14.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">When the self is completely
ready, the desired action materializes and that time the favorable instrumental
causes are always present; one does not have to find them. It is therefore said
that the seeker of the soul should not be restless in finding favorable
instrumental causes. Who says that instrumental causes are not there? However
we have not to make a search of these. When the action is self materialized,
the favorable instrumental causes are always there. This is state of the things.
We should understand this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">15.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Action does not follow the
instrumental causes; instrumental causes are so called according to the action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">16.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Non self substances do not
forcefully obstruct the altered action; when our own manifestation is
undesirable, then it is only an external cause, while another man spoils his
thoughts without any instrumental cause. As such, there is no instrumental
causation as a rule. Thus, it is perverted faith to find fault of non self
substances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">17.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;"> Neither the instrumental cause does anything
by force nor does the self collect or brings instrumental causes together. The
mutual relationship is very simple. This is explained in the following way:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">If a karmic matter by its own effort hurts the sentient
nature of the soul and if it fetches external material, then karma must be
animate as well as possessing strength, but is never like that; the
relationship is very automatic. When the karmas reach the stage of
fruition, the soul itself leaves it natural poise and behaves otherwise and
the other substances also behave in their own manner. Such is the
relationship of the desired action with the instrumental cause. The same
holds good in the case of karmas. The whole of karma principle is
explained in terms of Nimitta. So try to understand uppadan & Nimitta
karran.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">18.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">By understanding the correct
nature of the power of self and the instrumental causes for materialization of
an action. We can avoid unnecessary controversy and become happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">19.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Because a person does not
have a correct knowledge of the intrinsic power of the self and the
conventional causes of its manifestation, he throws the blame of his guilt on
the conventional causes and wants to remain innocent. The soul cannot be free
from unhappiness and grief by throwing the responsibility of its own delusions,
attachments and aversions on the karmas. In such a state we lose the capacity
to find our own truth and to see within us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">20.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: TimesNewRoman; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">By understanding
these in their right perspective, the pride of being able to do something in
others is gone. The inferiority due to the desire of help or support from
others is finished. The desire of association of the non self substances and
the consequent restlessness is eliminated and natural, quiet, undisturbed state
of soul emerges. This is state of self-realization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">21.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">It is very much essential to
know both Uppadankaran and Nimittkaran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">22.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">But for looking within or
for self-realization process - we have to remove our Dristi from Nimitt and
concentrate on Uppadan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">23.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">The activity of knowing
which is the work of our Gnyan (knowledge) attribute is continuously going on.
Each one of us realizes this continuous activity of knowing. But ignorant Jeev
(Soul) has believed that because there is a particular thing present and
existing before it, he is having Gnyan (knowledge) of it or he knows it. One
has this erroneous belief that dhyana (meditation) of knowledge take place
because of Gnyeya (other thing). Each paryaya (mode) of Gnyan is the
manifestation of Gnyan attribute, and that is real Uppadankaran of this Dhyana
Paryaya. And that particular object. (Gnyeya) is called Nimittkaran; this
understanding will be helpful in process of self-realization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRoman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">24.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">All this knowledge you are
acquiring is only because of your Uppadan. This preaching or sermons are only
Nimmitta guru or scriptures are Nimitta only. This should be understood very
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11pt;">Courtesy: <i>“Jainism Means Self-Realization”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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Rahul Zotahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15423708494838835239noreply@blogger.com6