Ahimsa (Non-Violence)

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. 

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. 

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. 

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." 

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. 

-Rahul Zota

Bhuj, India

JAIN MEDITATION

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.

RIGHT KNOWLEDGE

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. 

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.  

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

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. 

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. 

CONSTANT VIGILANCE 

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.” 

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. 

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. 

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.

a picture depicts a Jain Layman practicing Samayik

DHARMA DHYANA AND SHUKLA DHYANA

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.  

KAYOTSARG AND DHYANA

A Jain Tirthankara in Kayotsarga posture

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. 

FOURTEEN STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

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. 

1. 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.

2. The stage of one who has a slight taste of right belief: Indifference to reality with occasional vague memory of spiritual insight.

3. The stage of mixed belief: Fleeting moments of curiosity towards understanding reality.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The stage of higher control over removal of passions and elimination of conduct-deluding karma begins.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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. 

CONCLUSION

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.

-Rahul Zota
 Bhuj, India

COGNITIVE FUNCTION PART-2: DEFINITION

previous part

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our soul’s cognitive function is always functioning 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 ^-800 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.

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. 

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.

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. 

ERADICATING KARMA

Once Gajsukumal, the younger brother of Shri Krishna asked Lord Neminath (the 22^nd 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.”   

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 (Nam) 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.

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.

External Austerities

1. Fasting (Anshan): 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.
2. Partial Fasting (Unodari): 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.
3. Limiting Food Items (Vriti Sankshep):  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.
4. Limiting Tasty Food (Rasa Tyag): 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.
5. Physical Forbearance (Kaya Kalesh): 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.
6. Controlling the Senses (Salinta): 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.

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.

INTERNAL AUSTERITIES  

1. Repentance or Confession (Prayashchit):  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.
2. Humility (Vinaya): 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.
3. Selfless Service (Vaiyavruta): 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.
4. Self Study (Swadhyay): 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.
5. Meditation (Dhyana): 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.

*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^th stage of spiritual development (Gunasthana). Here by climbing the ladder of annihilation (Kshapak Shreni) one enters the Shukla Dhyana (Pure Meditation).

*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;

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).

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.

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.

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.

6. Abandonment (Vyutsarga):  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,

1.    Abandonment of Body

2.    Abandoning the company of other Mendicants

3.    Abandoning material objects (such as clothes, pots, blanket, medicine etc)

4.    Abandoning food and drink

          

         There are three types of Internal Aspects

1.    Abandoning or overcoming the passions (Anger, Ego, Pride and Deceit)

2.    Abandoning Worldly Life

3.    Eradicating Karma

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. 

SCIENTIFIC INTERPRETATION OF THE JAINA KARMA THEORY

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.

Source: Wikipedia

PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM OF SUBSTANCE

Only Arihanta, the conquer of love and hatred can achieve the height of ultimate truth

According to Jainism the cosmos is made of six substances and all the substances are eternal. Nobody has created them and nobody can destroy them. The six substances are described below:

Jeev (Soul): According to Jain philosophy, this universe consists of infinite Jivas or souls that are uncreated and always existing.  There are two main categories of souls: unliberated mundane embodied souls that are still subject to transmigration and rebirths in this samsara due to karmic bondage and the liberated souls that are free from birth and death. All souls are intrinsically pure but are found in bondage with karma since beginning-less time. A soul has to make efforts to eradicate the karmas attain its true and pure form. The sentient substance (soul) is characterized by the function of understanding, is incorporeal, performs actions (doer), is co-extensive with its own body. It is the enjoyer (of its actions), located in the world of rebirth (samsara) (or) emancipated (moksa) (and) has the intrinsic movement upwards. The qualities of the soul are cetana (consciousness) and upyoga (knowledge and perception). Though the soul experiences both birth and death, it is neither really destroyed nor created. Decay and origin refer respectively to the disappearing of one state and appearing of another state and these are merely the modes of the soul. Thus Jiva with its attributes and modes, roaming in samsara (universe), may lose its particular form and assume a new one. Again this form may be lost and the original acquired.

Pudgala (Material Atoms): Matter is classified as solid, liquid, gaseous, energy, fine Karmic materials and extra-fine matter i.e. ultimate particles. Paramāṇu or ultimate particle (atoms or sub-atomic particles) is the basic building block of all matter. One of the qualities of the paramāṇu and pudgala is that of permanence and indestructibility. It combines and changes its modes but its basic qualities remain the same. It cannot be created nor destroyed and the total amount of matter in the universe remains the same.

Dharma-Dravya (Medium of Motion): Dharma and Adharma are peculiar to the Jain system of thought, depicting the principles of Motion and Rest. They are said to pervade the entire universe. Dharma and Adharma are by themselves not motion or rest but mediate motion and rest in other bodies. Without Dharma motion is not possible. The medium of motion helps matter and the sentient that are prone to motion to move, like water (helps) fish. However, it does not set in motion those that do not move.

Adharma-Dravya (Medium of Rest): Without Adharma, rest and stability is not possible in the universe. The principle of rest helps matter and the sentient that are liable to stay to stay without moving, like the shade helps travelers. It does not stabilize those that move.

Ākāśa (Space): Space is a substance that accommodates the living souls, the matter, the principle of motion, the principle of rest and time. It is all-pervading, infinite and made of infinite space-points.

Kaal (Time): Kāal is a real entity according to Jainism and all activities, changes or modifications can be achieved only through the progress of time.
Only souls are living and has consciousness, the rest of five has no consciousness. The five substances other than Matter are formless and cannot be perceived by both the senses and the sensors.


Now the Principle of Freedom of Substance is as below:

Now there is an important principle in Jainism called the PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM OF SUBSTANCE taught by the enlightened masters. This principle states that each of the six substances is independent. None depends on another. None can harm, alter, affect or influence the other substance. Each soul is independent and cannot harm, alter, affect or influence the other soul. Every soul is the doer and enjoyer of its own attributes. Each atomic particle being substance is also independent. Each substance remains in boundary of its own attributes and modifications. All matters absorbed in own substance, touches their own circle of infinite virtues, yet they do not mutually touch each other. Even one soul cannot interfere in the activity of other soul. Activity of two substances is different only. Consciousness is not doing activity of inanimate; an inanimate is not doing activity of consciousness. Man who believes doing two activities of one substance is of illusory sight.



In this world, many have great illusion that by karma (karma atoms), soul’s pure state is spoiled. In other words, inanimate karma atoms is doer of soul’s spoiled state, but it is not so, because it is against the Principle of Freedom of Substance. Here we can take an example to understand this. A soul resides in a body but from the absolute view point both are different substances. The soul is consciousness and the body is inanimate (made of innumerable particles). Now as we walk, run or stop the body also walks, runs and stops. So anyone can say that in this case the animate (soul) is doing the work of inanimate (the body) but it is not so. Because the ability (the energy for movement) is an attribute of matter also, so in real case it is not us who causes this body to move. We are the Instrumental Cause (Nimitta) but the Real Cause (Upadaan) is within each atoms of this body.



Suppose, an atomic particle (an electron etc) is in space, here again a particle and space are two different substances. So a particle, despite being in space never touches any attribute of space. Space is absorbed in its own attributes and a particle is absorbed in its own. Same thing can be considered for soul.



People who are in illusory state believe that, * this world cannot be made without a doer (God or something like that). * One soul can do other soul’s life, death, happiness, misery. * By inspiration of soul body can move here, there and can speak. * Karma (Matter) can trouble the soul. * Somebody’s blessings become welfare of others. * A potter makes a pot or a goldsmith shapes ornaments.



Ignorant believes that God will rescue him/her. If we think that way then it does mean that there is no spirit and power in us. Thus we become dependent on someone else, something fantasy. To get rid of such ideas one has to develop faith that one’s freedom is in one’s own hands. When a soul destroys the bondage of karma then it attains the state of perfection and that state is called God or Siddha. Every soul is doing own feeling and suffering – cannot become doer or sufferer of other things. In the time of intense disease, soul does not feel suffering of inanimate disease but experiences hatred feeling because of its wrong belief and ignorance. In the experience of pure soul with spiritual knowledge and faith – soul is not doer or sufferer of attachment and resentment – but is doer of pure state of modification and enjoys its bliss. This is the stage of self-realization.



From this we conclude the independence of each substance, its attributes and its modification. This is the most important principle of Jain philosophy. One can attain state of self-realization by complete understanding and faith of this great principle of Jain philosophy.

LORD SHANTINATH: THE 16TH JAIN TIRTHANKAR

Lord Shantinath was the 16th Tirthankar (Ford-maker) of present era in Jainism. Shantinath was born to King Viswasen Raja and Queen Achira Rani at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku clan. His birth date is the thirteen day of the Jyest Krishna month of the Indian calendar.

Previous Births of Lord Shantinath

Kind Shrishen 2. Birth as a Celestial Being 3. Shriprabhdev 4. Amittej Vidyadhar, 5. A Celestial Being 6. Aparajit Baldev, 7. In the Achyut Celestial World. 8. Vajrayudh Chakravarti, 9. In the Graiveyak dimension 10. Meghrath 11. In the Sarvarthasiddha dimension, 12. Lord Shantinath.


The 10th Birth: King Meghrath

According to Jain Cosmology this Universe is divided into three realms. The upper realm is constituted of 12 Celestial Worlds. We live in the middle realm which contains billions of galaxies (dweep). The lower realm is constituted of seven hells. The souls that reside in the upper realm are powerful than us (from absolute perspective all souls are alike but because of virtuous karma many souls take birth in the celestial worlds). The celestial beings can do things which we can’t.

Meghrath was a benevolent and religious ruler. He was compassionate and protected all living things. Being a Kshatriya and a warrior he had the chivalry to sacrifice all he had in order to protect those in trouble. One day while observing the partial renunciation vow (Paushadh) he was about to start a discourse on the religion propagated by the Tirthankars. All of a sudden a pigeon, trembling with fear, fell in his lap and uttered in choking human voice, "Save me, O king! Give me refuge; take me under your protection!" The compassionate king comforted the bird and took it under his protection. The pigeon was followed by a falcon who too uttered in human language, "O king! This pigeon is my food, leave it alone." The king tried to explain, "It has taken refuge with me, as such I am duty bound to protect it. I will give you any type of food you want; why kill a living thing just to fill your stomach?" The falcon insisted, "If you will not leave it I may die of hunger. I am a carnivore; who will provide me food. If I die, you will be responsible and bear the sin." When the falcon did not yield, Meghrath said at last, "O falcon! As long as I exist, I will not allow you to die. I will cut out flesh from my body equivalent to the weight of this little pigeon and give it to you. You may satisfy your urge to eat. But under no circumstance I shall allow you to kill the bird that has taken refuge with me." The falcon agreed to this proposal and the king put the pigeon in one pan of balance and in the other started putting pieces of flesh cut out from his own body. Surprisingly, the weight of the pigeon continued to increase as the king went on putting his flesh in the pan. Witnessing this pathetic scene, the queens and the members of the assembly were moved to tears. They requested the king not to sacrifice his precious life for a mere pigeon. The falcon, was also requested relent but he too declined. The king continued to cut flesh from his body and put it in the pan of the balance. At last, when the pieces of flesh were not enough, the king got up from his seat and sat down in the pan. Everyone present was dumb struck at this lofty compassion and chivalry displayed by the king. Suddenly there was a flesh of divine light and a divine personage appeared. The pigeon and the falcon disappeared. The celestial being appeared and addressed the king, "Maharaj! The Indra was praising your compassion and courage, in his assembly. I could not contain myself and came around to test you myself. All this was my creation. You come out with flying colors. You are worthy of the praise bestowed on you by Indra. Please forgive me." The celestial being filled Meghrath’s wounds instantaneously and left for his abode. Whenever there is a talk about chivalry and compassion king Meghrath’s name is taken with respect.
Disturbed by the miseries of the mundane life, one day king Meghrath was doing mediation. He transcended to a very high level of purity. Knowing about this uncommon purity and determination of Meghrath, indra bowed to him with reverence, "My salutations to you O citizen Yogi! There are but a few in this world who could reach this level of detachment and purity." Two senior consorts of Indra, Surup and Atirup did not like this gesture of praise of a mere human. They both came to disturb the meditation of Meghrath. They made several beautiful and voluptuous damsels appear before the king. These beauties tried to disturb Meghrath by a display of dances and inviting gestures. When these night long seductive afflictions failed to disturb king Meghrath, the goddesses, before returning to their abode, appeared themselves and asked the king to forgive them. King Meghrath, then, crowned his son and took Diksha from Arhat Dhanrath. Due to his increasing purity in meditation in the face of many afflictions, he earned the Tirthankar-nam-and-gotra-karma. Completing his age he reincarnated in the Sarvarthsiddha dimension.

Birth of Lord Shantinath
From the Sarvarth Siddha Dimention of the heavenly realm, the being that was Meghrath descended into the womb of queen Achira, wife of king Vishvasen of Ikshvaku clan and ruler of Hastinapur. On the thirteenth day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshta the queen gave birth to the great and illustrious son. The whole universe, including even the hell, was pervaded by a soothing glow and a feeling of joy and happiness. Due to the pacifying influence during the period of pregnancy, the new born was named Shanti Kumar (Shanti = Peace). When he came of age he was married to several beautiful princesses.

The Sovereign King Shantinath
After a few years king Shantinath got a son who was named Chakrayudh. Several years later, the divine disc weapon appeared in the armory. When the traditional worship rituals of this weapon were concluded, it started moving toward the east on its own. Shantinath followed the Chakra with his armed forces. Most of the kings on the way surrendered. After defeating the remaining few Shantinath became a Chakravarti (A Sovereign King).

Renunciation and Spiritual Practices
Slowly and steadily all his Karmas to live in palace and rule as a king was over. He realized the real purpose of his life, his ultimate goal to be achieved in this very life span. He handed over the responsibilities of the kingdom to his son Chakrayudh.

For the entire year from that time, he distributed wealth among the people. One day, along with thousand other kings, he came out of the palace, removed his hair with his fist, uttered, “Namo Siddhanam” (I bow down to all liberated souls) and became an ascetic.

He went roaming place to place and meditating. Lots of problems came in his path but they all had to surrender to Lord Shantinath’s feet. Due to his pacifying glow of compassion all the animals around him used to come near him and sit peacefully. For one long year, Lord Shantinath did hard practices and remained engrossed in meditation to realize the self.

Omniscience and Nirvana

After wandering as an ascetic for one year he returned to the same jungle of Hastinapur Town, where he had taken renunciation. There on the ninth day of the bright half of the month of Paush, while meditating under a Nandi Tree, Lord Shantinath attained Omniscience. His first discourse was on the subject of disciplining the senses. In his first religious discourse his son, mother, wife, all the people of Hastinapur and many people from all around came. Under the influence of the Pravachan Chakrayudh also took diksha (renunciation) and started his journey towards Moksha in the end.

He came to the Sammet Shikhar after a long period of preaching and propagating true religion. There, along with nine hundred other Omniscient ascetics, Lord Shantinath started his final meditation to shed the non-destructive karma. On the thirteenth day of the dark half of the month  of Jyeshtha Lord Shantinath attained Nirvana.

The Difference between Tirthankars and Omniscient (Kewali)

Depending on mental alertness or dynamism of the practicer there are numerous levels of practicers, viz. Jinakalpi (solitary), Abhigrahdhari (who gives emphasis on specific resolution), Pramatta (partially alert), Apramatta (absolutely alert), Saragi (partially detached), Vitragi (absolutely detached), etc.  The first step in this progression is Sadhu (ascetic) and the last is Vitrag, Tirthankar and Kewal Jnani (omniscient).  Although there is no difference in the level of knowledge of a Tirthankar and an omniscient, the status of Tirthankar has its own importance.  It has its own attributes and recognition.  The difference between these two states of highest purity are as follows –

In a Tirthankar there is precipitation of the Tirthankar-nam-karma.  This is absent in case of common omniscient.

For two earlier births a Tirthankar necessarily acquires right-perception.  It is not a rule    for a common omniscient.

A Tirthankar while in the womb has Avadhi Jnan (all knowledge of the physical world). It is not a rule for a common omniscient.

The mother of a Tirthankar has fourteen great dreams at the time of conception.  It is not so in the case of a common omniscient.

A Tirthankar is always a male, the case of Lord Mallinath (19^th Tirthankar) being a unique exception.  For a common omniscient this rule does not apply.

A Tirthankar is not breast-fed; whereas a common omniscient (Kewali) is.

A Tirthankar gives charity for one year immediately before Diksha, as a rule. A Kewali does not necessarily.

A Tirthankar does not give discourse before attaining omniscience, he may, however, answer a question.  A Kewali does give discourses even as a common ascetic.

In a Tirthankar’s life there are five auspicious events.  It is not so in case of a Kewali.

A Tirthankar acquires Manahparyav Jnan immediately after his Diksha.  A Kewali does not.

A Tirthankar is self-enlightened.  A Kewali is not necessarily.

Before his Diksha a Tirthankar is formally asked for that by the gods.  For Kewali no god arrives.

A Tirthankar establishes the four pronged religious organization or ford; not a Kewali.

A Tirthankar has a religious order; not a Kewali.

The principal disciples of a Tirthankar are Ganadhars.  A Kewali’s disciples are not.

A Tirthankar has eight auspicious attributes; not a Kewali.

A Tirthankar has thirty four unique attributes; not a Kewali.

A Tirthankar’s speech has thirty five unique attributes; not a Kewali’s.

A Tirthankar in his progression to purity does not touch the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5^th Gunasthans (the specific stages on the path of purity); whereas a Kewali may touch all Gunasthans except the 11th.

A Tirthankar does not have Kewali-Samudghat (a special process of spsiritophysical transformation); a Kewali has.

A Tirthankar is born in the Kshatriya caste.  A Kewali may be from any and all castes.

A Tirthankar has Sam-chaturasra Samsthn (one of the six types of anatomical structures).  A Kewali may have nay of the six.

A Tirthankar may exist only in fifteen specific Karma-bhumi’s (the worlds of action). A Kewali exists generally in the fourth part; however, one born in the fourth part may attain the status during the fifth part also.

A Tirthankar is always self initiated.  A Kewali may also be initiated by others.

A Tirthankar exists only in the third and fourth part; however, one born in the fourth part may attain the status during the fifth part also.

Two Tirthankars never happen to meet each other; whereas Kewalis do.

The minimum number of Tirthankars existing at one time is twenty and maximum

is 170.  For Kewali’s these numbers are 20 million and 90 million.

The Ganadhars create the twelve canons based on Tirthankar’s preaching.  This is not so in case of a Kewali.

A Tirthankar does not face any afflictions after he becomes an omniscient.  A Kewali may have to face.

A Samavasaran (divine pavilion) is created for a Tirthankar; not for a Kewali.

The first discourse of a Tirthankar is never a failure; it is not necessarily so in case of a Kewali.

The soul of a Tirthankar always descends from the dimension of gods or ascends from hell.  The soul of a Kewali may come from any of the four dimensions.

In case of a Tirthankar the Vedaniya Karma (the Karma of sufferance) is of good-bad quality and the remaining non-vitiating Karmas are of exclusively good quality. In case of a Kewali only the Ayushya Karma (age determining) is of exclusively good quality, the remaining three being good-bad.

Only worthy souls arrive in the assembly of a Tirthankar; whereas in a Kewali’s assembly even unworthies may come.

There is only one Tirthankar in one specific area.  Kewali’s may be many.