The concept of embodied soul and liberated soul in Jain philosophy

The concept of embodied soul and liberated soul in Jain philosophy
Professor Mahavir Saran Jain

The Jain philosophy accepts the independent existence of living being as also of the non- living being. It is the consciousness which draws an eternal dividing line between them. The living being has consciousness whereas non- living being does not have it. The independent existence of living being is definitely due to the consciousness. All living beings have consciousness which is known as the soul. The soul and body are two different entities. The doctrine of soul is the fundamental to the other philosophies also. For example, Ataman is declared to be one, eternal, conscious, of the nature of bliss. In some passages of the Upanishads, the Ataman is identified with Brahman.
The soul/self is that through which one knows. ( We will use the words ‘ soul’ and/or ‘ self ’as the synonyms of Sanskrit word ‘ Ataman’ and Hindi word ‘Aatmaa ‘.) In the absence of the self there cannot be (any) knowledge; therefore, knowledge is the self. According to the physical perspective, body and soul are the same. According to the spiritual perspective, the soul and body are never identical.
Bhagawaana Mahaaveera says—" Ataman (i.e., the soul) is that which knows. The definition that the soul is the knower is based on the substantial standpoint, which integrates Chetanaa (consciousness) and Upayoga (conscious activity). Another definition of the soul is—"The soul is that through which one knows." It is a differentiate definition, for it accepts both the aspects of the soul, i.e., (a) soul is subject of the quest itself and (b) it is also the means to know it.
Existence of soul:
The soul has existence. I am happy. I am said. In these sentences, feelings involving "I " automatically proves the existence of the soul. The Jain philosophy states that the soul does exist. In this sentence, the word soul is used as a subjective. The expressions such as 'the soul exists', 'this exists' or 'that exists' are all subjective. In Aachaaranga (1/5/5), it is said:
Je aayaa se vinnaayaa, je vinnaayaa se aayaa (The self is knower and the knower is self). In this sentence, the word soul/self is used as a subjective as well as an objective. In reality, the soul is non-verbal. A word cannot be synonymous with the soul. The soul is unknowable, invisible, undetectable, imperceptible and non-corporeal existence. He who knows is knowledge; the self does not become a knower with knowledge as an unrelated instrument. The very self develops knowledge, and all the objects stand (reflected) in the knowledge. In the absence of the self there cannot be (any) knowledge; therefore, knowledge is the self.
The knower has knowledge for this nature and all the objects are within the range of the knowledge, just as the objects of sight are within the ken of the eye, if there is no mutual inherence.
The knower, who is beyond sense-perception, necessarily knows and sees the whole world neither entering into nor entered into by the objects of knowledge, just as the eye sees the objects of sight.
The existence of the soul is justifiable also on the ground that the soul is endowed with other qualities also. They are remembrance, desire for knowledge, desire for activity, desire for movements and doubt etc. These are self-evident, for they are realized by one self. Hence, the self is also self evident.
According to Aacharya Kundakunda, the self is subject to transformation with regard to knowledge, action and fruit; therefore the self should be understood as consisting of knowledge, action and fruit. (Pravachanasaara, 2/35)
It can assume different forms and names in different states of existence but its substantial nature remains unchanged just as gold remains gold in different ornaments made of gold.
Living being and soul/self:
So long as living beings have embodied existence in the known universe, qualities of sound, color, smell, taste and touch etc., are present in them. The moment they liberate themselves from the bondage, sound, color, smell, taste and touch etc., have absolutely no relation to them. None of them is a denomination or the nature of the soul. Completely developed, incompletely developed, minute and gross, all these modifications pertaining only to the body are given the appellation of living being in the scripture from the empirical perspective of the mundane state.
From the transcendental perspective, living being and soul are one and the same. From empirical point of view, we can try to indicate both the terms, i.e. Living being & Soul. Linguistically, we can state that one is subject and the other is object. Philosophically, we can state that one is dravya (substance) and the other is guNa (attribute). Spiritually, we can affirm that one is an embodied soul (a soul limited or affected by karmic veil) and the other is liberated soul or who attains self-realization. Logically, we can state that one (living being) is pervade and the other (soul) is pervaded. Soul is also said to be self out of all living beings.
Consciousness is Comparable to Sun: The sun, which, even though overcast by the clouds, retains the power to reveal its appearance. In the same way, the consciousness in the form of knowledge, which exists in the soul, cannot be overshadowed by the veils (of karma). Some of the rays of the development of consciousness continuously remain manifest. If they do not manifest themselves, it would not be possible to draw a dividing line between the living being and non- living being.
On the basis of this fact, two states of the soul do emerge:-
Covered-cum-uncovered consciousness in non-active condition= Knowledge of the object to be known does not occur.
Covered-cum-uncovered consciousness in active condition= knowledge of the object to be known occurs.
From the transcendental view point, any veil around the soul is temporary, since it is 'paudgalika' (pertaining to physical substance). Soul is ultimately able to redeem itself from that paudgalika shell. But this happens only with human beings and does not relate to other living creatures.
The primary characteristic of Soul:
It has been described that Consciousness is its fundamental characteristic or nature. The soul is capable of upayoga (manifestation of consciousness into intuition and knowledge/ cognitive activity of knowledge and perception). In Tatttvaarthasutra (2/8), it is said that upayoga is the distinctive mark of the soul/self. (Upayoga laxaNam).
Upayoga is of two kinds, with form and without form. The formless upayoga is understood as vision (darshana) where as the upayoga with form is the cognition of the object; it is called Jňaana.
Caitanya (consciousness) is an eternal characteristic of the soul. Its veil is a non-eternal aspect because it is paudgalika, i.e., material or physical in nature. It is opposed to the real nature of the soul. The veil comes as an influx. The process of elimination of the shell of such bondages could be seen in varying degrees among different living beings. Total unveiling is possible only in case of humans.
Some of other important points of the nature of soul are following:
(1) With respect to time, the soul is without any beginning or end. It is neither created nor produced and hence it has no beginning. It is eternal, uncreated, non-concrete, immaterial, disembodied/incorporeal and beyond the range of physical vision. The soul is dravyaatmaa, hence is a reality.
(2) The soul is completely independent. Each soul is a separate entity.
(3) Infinite souls exist in the universe.
(4) It is doer and agent of its acts. Nobody else is the benefactor or agent of its activities. It is responsible for all its activities and their results. From empirical point of view, it is the doer and enjoyer of its material acts. It is said:’ Appaa kattaa vikattaa ya, duhaaNa ya suhaaNa ya A appaa mittamamittam cha, dupaTiThao - My own self is the doer and non-doer of misery and happiness. My own self is a friend and foe in accordance with the well or bad acts. (Uttaraadhyayana sutra, 20/37)
A liberated soul attains infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite conduct, infinite power and infinite bliss which have no end.
(5) An embodied soul expands and contracts in shape and size according to the body it lives in at different times. It co-exists in the entire body it owns.
The living being and the Body:
It is already said that so long as living beings have embodied existence, characteristics of sound, color, smell, taste and touch etc., are present in them. In other words, a soul is bounded by karmic veil; delusion, attachment and aversion are existing to some extent in an embodied soul. Some of those ignorant people, not knowing the true nature of the self, assert that the self is identical with such psychic states as desire, etc. In the same way some others state that the self is identical with karmic matter. Others believe the psychic potency, which determines the intensity or mildness of conscious states to be the soul. Still others identify the soul with non-karma matter which forms the constituent elements of the various kinds of organic bodies. Some consider the manifestation of karma (resulting in pleasure or pain) to be the Self. Some others consider the self to be the product of the combination of the various physical entities.
The various characteristics referred to above are all the result of the manifestation of karmic matter. How can they be then attributed to the pure self? In the (pure) soul there is no color, no smell, no taste, no touch, no visible form, no body, no bodily shape, and no skeletal structure. In the (pure) soul there is neither desire nor aversion. No delusion is found therein. There is no karmic condition, nor karmic matter, nor non-karmic matter in it. (Anne khalu kaamabhogaa, anno ahammasi, Sutra kritaanga, 2/1/13)
Each embodied soul has three kinds of bodies—
1. Audaarika Body (gross body) or the physical body
2. Taijas Body (subtle body) or the electromagnetic body
3. Karmic (or KaarmaNa) body (subtle body)
The first one is built by the living being at the time of birth and ceases with death. It is built in correspondence with the 'Karmic' body and therefore, all the centers of 'Karmic' body which are responsible for the development and obstruction of chetanaa (consciousness) have their corresponding centers in the physical or gross body. The 'Karmic' body controls attitudes, behavior and conduct of a living being. The 'Taijas' and the 'Karmic' bodies continuously accompany the living being, even between the intervening period i.e., the death and the next birth, which is called the 'antaraal gati'—transmigratory motion. The re-incarnation of the living being and building of the new physical body is possible due to them. Sometimes, it takes the human form; at other times, it may be an animal, and so on. Sometimes, it undergoes evolution and sometimes, it undergoes devolution. The descent from a developed into an undeveloped state and the vice-versa—both are due to the free will of consciousness itself. Internally, the kaSaaya (passions) are responsible for that. The kaSaaya is tented mind and tented consciousness. The laws that govern the non-living physical matter are not binding on pure consciousness. The living being in the mundane state has a form, and a body. The soul has the extension in the body equivalent to its size. Therefore it is called 'dehaparimaaNee`. ‘The soul acts through the nervous system reaching out to the entire body. In this state, knowledge, perception & power of the empirical living being is limited or affected by karmic veil.
PraaNa: A Bridge
'PraaNa' (vital energy) is a bridge between the living being and the body. It is the PraaNic energy which directs actions, speech and emotions of the living body. The PraaNa can be divided into ten kinds based on the different functions that each of our limbs perform. In the first five, the PraaNa is related to the sense-organs. The other five are responsible respectively for the activities of physique, respiration, speech, mind and the duration of life-span.
Pure soul (liberated from the bonds of Karma):
It is free from all such bondages and it remains eternally in its pure elemental form. In the mundane state, there is both evolution and devolution, whereas in the liberated state there is no evolution or devolution, since all the attributes of soul like knowledge, intuition, bliss and power have attained the irreversible and super most stage of infinity. The discriminative knowledge of the Self leads to discarding all alien dispositions, knowing them to be entirely foreign to the nature of the Self. When is free from all the karmic impurities, as a result of the infinite strength that is now its nature, It becomes still and unshakable like the great Meru mountain. This state is called Shaileshee (rock like). (Dashavaikaalika, 4/24)
At the end of this state, all the paudagalik impurities are destroyed in totality. Now it is pure consciousness. In other words, when the human being settles down in the state of 'Chaitanya' i.e., pure consciousness, its dual personality fades out and one attains a truly 'Kaayotsarga' (emancipated) personality due to total annihilation of all the Karma. Emancipated souls are ones who are devoid of the eight types of karmas, having attained peace, are devoid of all thought of blemish, are eternal, are equipped with eight auspicious qualifications, are such as have already accomplished whatever had to be accomplished and are residing at the top of the universe. There, it attains the stage by becoming totally free from 'Pudgala' and rests in pure 'Chaitanya' and that is the eternal bliss—ever free from physical effects.
In the (pure) soul there is neither desire nor aversion. No delusion is found therein. There is no karmic condition, nor karmic matter, nor non-karmic matter in it.
In the (pure) soul there is no varga (atomic potency), no vargaNaa (molecules or group of atoms), and no spardhaka (aggregates of molecules). There is no ego-consciousness of different types and no (karmic) manifestations (resulting in pleasure-pain experience).
In the (pure) soul, there is no activity of maanas (mind), vachana (speech), kaaya (body)), there is no karmic bondage; there is no effective manifestation of karma.
In the (pure) soul there is no stage of the duration of bondage, or of emotional excitement or of self-purification or of the acquisition of self-control.
The classification of the organic beings (according to the principle of biological development) and the classification of man (according to the principle of ethic-spiritual development) are not applicable to the pure soul, since all the above-mentioned differences are the result of the manifestation of the material conditions. The stages of spiritual development are (predicted) of the soul from the empirical perspective; but from the point of view of reality, not one of these can be predicted of the soul.
The liberated souls/ pure souls / siddhas are omniscient.
The omniscient lord neither accepts nor abandons, nor transforms the external objectivity; he sees all around, and knows everything completely.
The knowledge operates on the objects, just as a sapphire, thrown in the milk, pervades the whole of it with its luster.
If those are not within the knowledge, knowledge cannot be all pervasive; the knowledge is all-pervasive, how then objects do not exist in it?
All modifications present and absent, of all those types of substances, stand essentially (reflected) in the knowledge, as if in the present.
Those, which have never originated and those, in fact, that have been and are already destroyed are the absent modifications; they are directly visualized in omniscience.
If that omniscience would not directly visualize the future and past modifications, who then would call that knowledge omniscience?
If that omniscience would not directly visualize the future and past modifications, who then would call that knowledge super-natural?
A liberated soul has the right faith and vision, omniscience of a specific and general nature and which never diminishes nor is ever destroyed.
It is beyond the cycle of birth and death, since it attains the status of siddha. It stays in this state forever and without end. It does not get born again in any other form. In this state, it reaches the final destination at the top-most level of the cosmos known as ‘Siddhaksetra ‘.
A liberated soul is also a substance and a substance is that which is eternal. Hence a liberated soul is real and not “non-existing” as comprehended by Vedanta philosophy. A liberated soul does not dissolve its self in ‘Paramaatmaa (supreme soul) but itself becomes a supreme soul. ( siddhinivaasashcha yadaa, paramaatmaa syaattadaa vyaktah, Adhyaatmasaara,20/24)

Bhupendra maurya

v/;kRe
,oa foKku

    izksQslj
egkohj lju tSu 

  

vxj
dksbZ /keZ&n'kZu foKku dh vo/kkj.kkvksa dk fojks/kh gksxk rks
;qok ekul ml ij fo'okl ugha djsxkA foKku ,oa v/;kRe ds
foosP; i`Fkd gSaA v/;kRe ijekFkZ Kku gS] vkRek&ijekRek lEcfU/kr
Kku gS] bYes bykgh gS] fpUe; lRrk dk Kku gSA foKku ykSfdd txr dk Kku
gsS] HkkSfrd LkRrk dk Kku gS] inkFkZ] oLrq] jlk;u] izd`fr dk
fo’ys’k.kkRed&foospukRed
Kku gSA lkekU; /kkj.kk gS fd nksuksa foijhrkFkZd gSaA fpUrd ,oa
euh’kh fo}kuksa dks Hkfo’; ds fy, ;g lkspuk gS fd
nksuksa dh ewyHkwr vo/kkj.kkvksa esa fdl izdkj lkeatL; LFkkfir fd;k
tk ldrk gS++\ bl lEcU/k esa esjh /kkj.kk gsS fd ;fn nksuks vius&vius
vkxzg NksM+ nsa rks nksuksa ds chp lkejL; ds lw= LFkkfir fd;s tk ldrs
gSaA

      v/;kRe
,oa foKku ds chp lkejL; dk ekxZ LFkkfir djus ds fy, ijEijkxr

/keZ
dh bl ekU;rk dks NksM+uk iM+sxk fd ;g lalkj bZ'oj dh bPNk dh ifj.kfr
gSA geas foKku dh bl n`f"V dks Lohdkj djuk gksxk fd l`f"V
jpuk ds O;kikj esa bZ'oj ds drZ`Ro dh dksbZ Hkwfedk ugha gSA l`f"V
jpuk O;kikj esa izd`fr ds fu;eksa dks Lohdkj djuk gksxkA MkfoZu ds
fodklokn ds vkyksd esa ik’pkR; /keZ dh bl ekU;rk ds izfr vkt ds
fpardkas dk fo’okl [kafMr gksrk tk jgk gS fd ß l`f’V
ds vkjEHk esa ijekRek us lHkh izkf.k;ksa ds ;qxy fufeZr fd, Fks rFkk
ijekRek us gh euq’;
dks ß bZ’ojh; Kku ß iznku fd;k FkkAß tho ds
fodkl dh izfdz;k ds lw= /keZ dh bl ikSjkf.kd ekU;rk esa Hkh [kksts tk
ldrs gSa fd ß tho pkSjklh yk[k ;ksfu;ksa esa HkVdus ds ckn
euq’;
;ksfu /kkj.k djrk gS ß rFkk Hkxoku fo’.kq
ds 10 vorkj
ysus dh ikSjkf.kd ekU;rk dh bl ifjizs{; esa iquj~ ehekalk dh tk ldrh
gSA eRL;korkj] dwekZorkj] ojkgkorkj] okeukorkj] ujflagkorkj]
ij’kqjkekorkj ds dze dh ehekalk fodklokn ds ifjizs{; esa lEHko
gSA

foKku
dks Hkh viuh HkkSfrdoknh lhekvksa dk vfrØe.k djuk gksxkA foKku
fo'kq) :i ls HkkSfrdoknh jgk gSA foKku fo'o ds ewy esa inkFkZ ,oa
ÅtkZ dks gh vf/kf"Br ns[krk vk;k gSA foKku dks vikfFkZo
fpUe; lRrk dk Hkh laLi'kZ djuk gksxkA Hkfo"; ds foKku dks viuk
;g vkxzg Hkh NksM+uk gksxk fd tM+ inkFkZ ls psruk dk vkfoHkkZo gksrk
gSA MkfoZu ds fodklokn ds bl fln~/kkUr dks rks Lohdkj djuk lEHko gS
fd vour dksfV ds tho ls mUur dksfV ds tho dk fodkl gqvk gS fdUrq mudk
;g fln~/kkUr rdZlaxr ugha gsS fd vtho ls tho dk fodkl gqvkA esjh bl
/kkj.kk vFkok ekU;rk dk rkfdZd dkj.k gSA
ftl oLrq dk tSlk miknku dkj.k gksrk gS] og mlh :i esa ifj.kr
gksrk gSA psru ds miknku vpsru esa ugha cny ldrsA vpsru ds miknku
psru esa ugha cny ldrsA u dHkh ,slk gqvk gS] u gks jgk gS vkSj u
gksxk fd tho vtho cu tk, rFkk vtho tho cu tk,A inkFkZ
ds :ikarj.k  ls Le`fr ,oa cqf) ds xq.kksa dks mRiUu fd;k tk ldrk
gS exj psruk mRiUu ugha dh tk ldrhA psruk dk v/;;u v/;kRe dk fo"k;
gSA

      +
 ^tkuuk* psruk dk O;oPnsnd xq.k gSA tho psru gSA vtho vpsru gSA
tho dk LoHkko pSrU; gSA vtho dk LoHkko tM+Ro vFkok vpSrU; gSA tks
tkurk gS og thokRek gSA tks ugha tkurk og vukRek gSA tho vkRek lfgr
gSA vtho esa vkRek ugha gSA tho lq[k nq[k dh vuqHkwfr djrk gSA vtho
dks lq[k nq[k dh vuqHkwfr ugha gksrhA tks tkurk gS] og psruk gS( tks
ugha tkurk] og vpsruk gSA Le`fr ,oa cqf) rFkk efLr"d ds leLr
O;kikj ^psruk* ugha gSaA inkFkZ ds :ikarj ls Le`fr ,oa cqf) ds
xq.kksa dks mRiUu fd;k tk ldrk gS exj psruk mRiUu ugha dh tk ldrhA

      ,d
n`f"V us ekuk fd ije pSrU; ls gh tM+ txr dh l`f"V gksrh gSA
nwljh n`f"V ekurh gS fd HkkSfrd nzO; dh gh lÙkk gSA
HkkSfrd inkFkZ ds vfrfjDr vU; fdlh dh lÙkk ugha gSA cqf) ,oa
eu dh HkkW¡fr psruk Hkh ^Luk;qtky dh c)rk* vFkok ^fofHkUu
raf=dkvksa dk ra=* gS tks vUrr% v.kqvksa ,oa vk.kfod fØ;k'khyrk
dk ifj.kke gSA Hkfo";ksUeq[kh n`f"V ls fopkj djus ij ;g
Lohdkj djuk gksxk fd  nksuksa dh viuh viuh fHkUu lÙkk,Wa
gSaA

vtho
vFkok tM+ inkFkZ dk :ikUrj.k ÅtkZ ¼izk.k½] Le`fr]
d`f=e izKk ,oa cqf) esa lEHko gS fdUrq buesa pSrU; ugha gksrkA
dEI;wVj psruk;qDr ugha gSA dEI;wVj dks ;g psruk ugha gksrh fd og gS]
og dk;Z dj jgk gSA dEI;wVj euq"; dh psruk ls izsfjr gksdj dk;Z
djrk gSA mls lq[k nq[k dh vuqHkwfr ugha gksrhA mls Lo&laosnu ugha
gksrkA ^eSa gw¡]* ^eSa lq[kh gw¡*] ^eSa nq[kh gw¡*
& 'kjhj dks bl izdkj ds vuqHkoksa dh izrhfr ugha gksrhA bl izdkj
ds vuqHkoksa dh ftls izrhfr gksrh gS] og 'kjhj ls fHkUu gSAftls
izrhfr gksrh gS mls Hkkjrh; n”kZu vkRek “kCn ls vfHkfgr
djrs gSaA vkRek esa pSrU; uked fo'ks"k xq.k gSA vkRek esa tkuus
dh 'kfDr gSA vkRek ds }kjk tho dks vius vfLrRo dk cks/k gksrk gSA Kku
dk ewy lzksr vkRek gh gSA vkRek vewrZ rRo gSA bfUnz;ksa dk og fo"k;
ugha gSA bfUnz;kWaa  mls tku ugha   ikrhaA blls
bfUnz;ksa dh lhek fl) gksrh gSA blls vkRek dk vfLrRo ugha gS & ;g
fl) ugha gksrkA

gekjs
euhf’k;ksa us vUue;] izk.ke;]
eukse;] foKkue; ,oa vkuUne; dks’kksa dh foospuk dh gSA lEizfr
bldh foospuk dk vodk”k ugha gSA gekjk earO; ;g izfrikfnr djuk
gS fd /keZ&n”kZu ,oa foKku ds lEcU/k dh ppkZ ds le; eukse;
dks’k dh mis{kk djuk lEHko ugha gSA ge dsoy ;g dguk pkgrs gSa
fd foKku ,oa v/;kRe ds chp lkejL; dk ekxZ LFkkfir djus esa euksfoKku
dk v/;;u Hkh lgk;d gks ldrk gS A euksfoKku esa ^laKkukRed euksfoKku*
ij dk;Z gks jgk gSA igys euksfoKku mÙkstu&izfrfØ;k
O;ogkj ds vk/kkj ij gh ekuoh; O;ogkj dk v/;;u djrk FkkA vkt dk
euksfoKku mn~nhiuksa vkSj izfrfØ;kvksa ds vk/kkj ij ekuoh;
O;ogkj dk v/;;u djus rd lhfer ugha gSA vc euksfoKku ekuoh; O;ogkj dks
le>us ds fy, izR;{k.k] Le`fr] dYiuk] rdZ] fu.kZ;] vuqHko cks/k
vkfn dk Hkh mi;ksx dj jgk gSA laKkukRed euksfoKku ds v/;;u dk vk/kkj
laKku gSA laosnu ,oa laKku esa vUrj gSA laosnu ds }kjk izk.kh
dks mÙkstuk dk vkHkkl gksrk gSA laKku 'kfDr ds }kjk euq";
laosnuksa dks uke] :i] xq.k vkfn Hksnksa ls laxfBr dj] Kku izkIr djrk
gSA ;ksx lk/kuk ijEijk esa /;ku] /kkj.kk rFkk lekf/k dk fo”kn~
o.kZu ,oa foospu lqyHk gSA
euksfoKku dks xgu lekf/k ,oa
LoHkkoksUeq[k xgu /;ku esa yhu lk/kd dh 'kkUr] fufoZdYi] fopkj 'kwU;
,oa fØ;kghu fLFkfr ds vUrfuZjh{k.k dh fof/k ,oa i)fr dk la/kku
djuk pkfg,Abl izdkj dk xgu v/;;u v/;kRe ,oa foKku ds e/; lsrq dk dke
dj ldrk gSA

      foKku
dks bl vk/kkj.kk dk vfrØe.k djuk gksxk fd HkkSfrd foKku ds
fu;eksa  ls lEiw.kZ okLrfodrk dh O;k[;k lEHko gSA bl fn'kk esa
lu~ 1936 esa xksnsy }kjk izfrikfnr izes; dk egRo gSA mUgksaus fl)
fd;k fd xf.kr
dh cgqr lh okLrfodrkvksa dks fl) ugha fd;k tk ldrkA xf.kr
dh ;g viw.kZrk vKku ds dkj.k ugha gSA bldk dkj.k xf.kr
dh vk/kkjHkwr lajpuk gS A (jktk
jeUuk % fQfTkdy Lisl bu n dkUVsDLV vkWQ vkWy ukfyt & bafM;u
gkWjkbtUl ] [k.M XXXVI / 
1-2, i`å
1-6, Hkkjrh; lkaLd`frd lEcU/k
ifj’kn~ ] ubZ fnYyh ] 1987½

      igys
HkkSfrd&foKkuh ekurs Fks fd HkkSfrdh O;k[;k esa rjax ,oa lw{e
va'k ijLij foijhr Nksj gSaA ijek.kq ds vkfo"dkj ds ckn
HkkSfrd&foKku dk mDr fl)kUr vekU; gks x;k gSA vc loZekU; gS fd
ijek.kq fØ;k dh O;k[;k ds fy, nksuksa dh lkFk&lkFk O;k[;k
djuk vko';d gSA ijek.kq ds lEcU/k esa ;g Hkh /;ku nsus ;ksX; gS fd
ijek.kq ds va'kksa dks xf.kr
dh n`f"V ls fo'ysf"kr fd;k tk ldrk gSA ijek.kq ds va'kksa
dh fdlh Hkh fof/k ls >yd ikuk lEHko ugha gSA ÅtkZ.kq dk
lw{e&va'k ;qxir ,dkf/kd LFkkuksa ij gks ldrk gS vFkok ,dkf/kd
ekxksZa ij xeu dj ldrk gSA tc HkkSfrd txr ds ÅtkZ.kq ds Lo:i dh
vk/kkjHkwr ;FkkFkZrk dk izR;{k.k bruk nq"dj ,oa tfVy gS rc leLr
vkHkklksa dk vfrØe.k djus okys vkRe rRo dk fdlh ;a= ls
izR;{k.k fdl izdkj
lEHko gSA ftlls lcdks tkuk tkrk gS
mldks ckg~;&fof/k ls dSls tkuk
ldrk gSA foKku esa ÅtkZ.kq
HkkSfrdh ds {ks= esa u, vuqla/kku dk;Z gks jgs gSaA buls Hkfo";
esa vkRek vFkok psruk ds Lora= vfLrRo dk izek.k fl) gksuk lEHko gSA
foKku esa ÅtkZ HkkSfrdh vkfn {ks=ksa esa tks uO;re vuqla/kku
gq, gSa] muds vkyksd esa foKku bl fl)kUr dh iqf"V dh vksj dne
c<+k jgk gS fd izR;sd izk.kh
dh psruk dks izdV djus ds fy, tSfod psruk lafgfr rks dsoy HkkSfrd
<k¡pk tqVkrk gSA
 
 

fgUnh
ds lEcU?k esa dqN fopkj

izksQslj
egkohj lju TkSu  

1]
Lok/khurk ds fy, tc&tc vkUnksyu rhoz gqvk] rc&rc fgUnh dh
izxfr dk jFk Hkh rhoz xfr ls vkxs c<+kA fgUnh jk"Vªh;
psruk dk izrhd cu xbZA fgUnh dks jk"VªHkk"kk dh ekU;rk
mu usrkvksa ds dkj.k izkIr gqbZ ftudh ekr`Hkk"kk fgUnh ugha FkhA

2]
Lok/khurk vkUnksyu dk usr`Ro ftu usrkvksa ds gkFkksa esa Fkk mUgksaus
;g igpku fy;k Fkk fd foxr 600&700 o"kksZa ls fgUnh lEiw.kZ
Hkkjr dh ,drk dk dkjd jgh gSa( ;g larksa] Qdhjksa] O;kikfj;ksa] rhFkZ
;kf=;ksa] lSfudksa }kjk ns'k ds ,d Hkkx ls nwljs Hkkx rd iz;qDr gksrh
jgh gSA

3]
tc lafo/kku lHkk us ns'k dh jktHkk"kk ds lEcU/k esa fopkj fd;k
rc rd jk"Vªh; psruk dh /kkjk dk izokg bruk rst Fkk fd
,dersu fgUnh dks la?k dh jktHkk"kk ?kksf"kr fd;k A

4]
lRrk/kh'kksa us lkekU; tu ls viuh nwjh fn[kkus rFkk lkekU; tu dks
viuh izHkqrk fn[kkus ds fy, lkekU; tu dh Hkk"kk dks iz'kklu ,oa
f'k{k.k dh Hkk"kk ugha cuus fn;kA rdZ fn;k x;k & fgUnh esa
oSKkfud ,oa rduhdh 'kCnkoyh dk vHkko gSA oSKkfud ,oa rduhdh 'kCnkoyh
vk;ksx dk xBu dj fn;k x;kA dke lkSai fn;k x;k & 'kCn cukvks] 'kCn
x<+ksA  

5]
chloha 'krkCnh ds vfUre pj.k esa ,d lEesyu dk lekiu djrs gq, eSaus ;g
er O;Dr fd;k Fkk fd 19oha 'krkCnh Ýsap Hkk"kk dh Fkh] 20
oha 'krkCnh vaxzsth Hkk"kk dh Fkh rFkk 21 oha 'krkCnh fgUnh dh
gksxhA bl er dh LFkkiuk ds dkj.k Fks & Hkk"kk cksyus okyksa
dh la[;k] Hkk"kk O;ogkj {ks= dk foLrkj] fgUnh Hkk"kk ,oa
fyfi O;oLFkk dh lajpukRed fo'ks"krk,a¡] Hkfo"; esa
dEI;wVj ds {ks= esa Text to Speech
rFkk Speech to Text rduhd dk fodkl]
Hkkjrh; ewy ds vkizoklh ,oa vfuoklh Hkkjrh;ksa dh la[;k] Je'kfDr]
ekufld izfrHkk esa fujUrj vfHko`f)A

Narration chart ऑफ़ २४ Tirthankars

Narration Chart of 24 Tirathankars


Tirthankar Heaven Birthplace;
Consecration Parents Complex Symbol
I. Lord Rishabha (Adinath)
Sarvarthasiddha Vinittanagari;
Purimatala Nabhiraja
by Marudeva golden bull or ox
II. Ajitnath
Vijayavimana Ayodhya;
Sammet Shikharji
Jita['s]atru
by Vijayamata golden elephant
III. Sambhavanath
Uvarimagraiveka Savathi;
Sravasti Jitari
by Senamata golden horse
IV. Abhinandannath
Jayantavimana Ayodhya;
Sammet Shikharji
Sambararaja
by Siddhartha golden monkey
V. Sumatinath
Jayantavimana Ayodhya;
Sammet Shikharji
Megharaja
by Mangala golden curlew or
red goose
VI. Padmaprabha
Uvarimagraiveka Kausambi;
Sammet Shikharji
Sridhara
by Susima red lotus
VII. Suparshvanath
Madhyamagraiveka Varanasi;
Sammet Shikharji
Pratish[t.]haraja
by P[r.]ithvi golden
or emerald swastika
VIII. Chandraprabha
Vijayanta Chandrapura;
Sammet Shikharji
Mahasenaraja
by Lakshmana white moon
IX. Pushpadanta
Anatadevaloka Kanandinagari;
Sammet Shikharji
Sugrivaraja
by Ramarani white Crocodile
X. Sheetalnath
Achyutadevaloka Bhadrapura or Bhadilapura;
Sammet Shikharji
Dridharatha-raja
by Nanda golden Kalpavriksha or
ficus religiosa

XI. Shreyansanath
Achyutadevaloka Simhapuri;
Sammet Shikharji
Vishnuraja
by Vishna golden rhinoceros
XII. Vasupujya
Pranatadevaloka Champapuri;
Sammet Shikharji
Vasupujya
by Jaya ruddy female buffalo
XIII. Vimalnath
Mahasaradevaloka Kampilyapura;
Sammet Shikharji
Kritavarmaraja
by Syama golden pig
XIV. Anantnath
Pranatadevaloka Ayodhya;
Sammet Shikharji
Simhasena
by Suyasah
or Sujasa golden porcupine
XV. Dharmanath
Vijayavimana Ratnapuri;
Sammet Shikharji
Bhanuraja
by Suvrita golden vajra
XVI. Shantinath
Sarvarthasiddha Gajapura or Hastinapuri;
Sammet Shikharji
Visvasena
by Achira golden deer
XVII. Kunthunath
Sarvarthasiddha Gajapura;
Sammet Shikharji
Suraraja
by Srirani golden goat
XVIII. Aranath
Sarvarthasiddha Gajapura;
Sammet Shikharji
Sudarsana
by Devirani golden fish or
Pisces

XIX. Mallinath
Jayantadevaloka Mathura;
Sammet Shikharji
Kumbharaja
by Prabhavati blue jar or Kalasa
XX. Munisuvrata
Aparajita-devaloka Rajagriha;
Sammet Shikharji
Sumitraraja
by Padmavati black tortoise
XXI. Nami Natha
Pranatadevaloka Mathura;
Sammet Shikharji
Vijayaraja
by Viprarani yellow;
or emerald blue water-lily or blue lotus
XXII. Neminatha
Aparajita Sauripura and Ujjinta (Ujjain);
Mount Girnar (Girnarji) 3
by Senamata black conch
XXIII. Parshva
Pranatadevaloka Varanasi;
Sammet Shikharji
Asvasenaraja
by Vamadevi blue snake
XXIV. Mahavira
Pranatadevaloka Kundagrama or Chitrakuta;
Rijupaluka Siddhartharaja,
Sreyansa or
Yasasvin
by Trisala
Vidchadinna
or Priyakarini yellow lion

Antiquity of Jainism01

Antiquity
of Jainism

Professor Mahavir
Saran Jain

Lord MAHAVIRA is not the founder
of Jainism. Since Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism,
belonged to the same region of Magadha as MAHAVIRA- the
24^th Tirthankar of Jainism ,and because both
were contemporaries, it was assumed erroneously that Jainism
was contemporary of Buddhism or was an off shoot of Buddhism.
It is now accepted that Jainism is not only older than
Buddhism but it has got its roots going deep into the
antiquity in pre-Aryan and pre-Vedic times.
Herman Jacobi, states in his article on Jainism in
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (Vol. II, pp. 465-74)
:

“Notwithstanding the
radical difference in their philosophical notions, Jainism and
Buddhism being outside the place of Brahmanism, present
resemblances in outward appearance, so that even Indian writers
occasionally have confounded them. It is therefore not to be wondered
that some European scholars who became acquainted with Jainism
through inadequate samples of Jain literature easily persuaded
themselves that it was an outcome of Buddhism. But it has since been
proved that their theory is wrong.”

According
to Jain beliefs, the universe
was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. Time is divided
into Utsarpinis (Progressive Time Cycle) and Avsarpinis (Regressive
Time Cycle). An Utsarpinis and an Avsarpinis constitute one Time
Cycle (Kalchakra). Every Utsarpinis and Avsarpinis is divided into
six unequal periods known as Eras. During the Utsarpinis half cycle,
humanity develops from its worst to its best. During the Avsarpinis
half-cycle, these notions deteriorate from the best to the worst.
Jains believe we are currently in the fifth Era of the Avsarpinis
phase, with approximately 19,000 years until the next Era. After this
Avsarpinis phase, the Utsarpinis phase will begin, continuing the
infinite repetition of the Kalchakra.

Lord
Rishabha
(ऋषभ)
is regarded as the first and Lord Vardhamana (Mahavira,
महावीर)
is regarded the last Tirthankar
to attain enlightenment (599-527 BCE) of the present six-cycle period
of Jain chronology. Before Mahavira, Jain tradition was known by
many names such as

1. Sraman

   
   

2. Nirgganthas/nirgranthas

   
   

3. Arhat

   
   

4. Vatarshana
   Muni

   
   

5. Vratya

   
   

1.The Sraman Tradition

Dr. Ramdhari Singh 
Dinkar has discussed the
opinion of Sanskrit Grammarian Panini
 about the perpetual
struggles between two different cultures/ traditions: ( 1) Sramanas (
2 ) Brahamanas

They were called Sramanas
(Monks) because they were believed in the equality of all beings and
practiced nonviolence etc.

In
his Indus Civilization and Hindu Culture, the eminent
scholar, P. R. Deshmukh says:”The first Jain Tirthankar
belonged to Indus civilization. The Indus Valley
deities were nude. The Jains sustained that culture and
worshipped nude Tirthankaras”.

H.T.
Colebrook has traced the non-Aryan origins of Jain culture
and He observes in his Observation on the Sect of Jains
that the Greek Authors of the third Century B.C. divided all
philosophers into two groups Shramanas and Brahmans
so greatly differentiated that they considered them as belonging to
different races. From this Dr.Guseva concludes: “Only
one interpretation can be given to this, and that is, in those times
followers of Jainism were, in the main, representatives of
pre-Aryan population of the country. This means that there is
basis to assert that the chief components of this non Vedic religion
were engendered by non Aryan ethnical environment.” 

Ex.
Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India,
M. N. Deshpande states,

 

“This extract helps in
satisfactorily understanding the distinctive nature and origin of
Jain asceticism which was distinct from Brahmanic
asceticism. This path of the Shramanas inculcates
complete nivratti (turning away completely from worldly
life) and pravrajya (renunciation), enjoining total
anagaratva (the state of homelessness) together with
the vow of non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing and celibacy. The
concept of “Trigupti or the total abstinence by
mind (manas), body (kaya) and speech
(vacha), further tends to sharpen the ascetic ideal to
a point that casting one’s body by prolonged fast (sallekhana)
is recommended in no other religious order. Among other distinctive
practices of the Jain faith mention may be made of alochana
or confession of sin’s and the daily ceremony of pratikramana
or expiation of sins” The Background and Tradition ,
Ch-2 in The Jain Art and Architecture , Bharatiya
Jnanapitha, Vol. I, 1974)

 

2.The
Nigganthas tradition

they
were called Nigganthas/Nirgranthas because they were detached and
free from passions

Bhikshu
Dharmananda Kosambi has said; “In Tripitakas,
there is a mention in several places about Nigganthas-
Jains. From this it is clear that the Nigganthas
tradition was in existence many years before Buddha. It is
mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya that one “Bappa”
named Shakya (belonging to the clan of Shakyas
in which Buddha was born) was a lay follower (Sravaka)
of the Nigganthas (Jain). In the same Sutta’s
Atthahatha it is also said that this “Bappa”
was an uncle of Buddha.

 

It
may be mentioned here that Nigganthas means unattached,
without possessions, an ancient name for the Jain community.

Buddhist
texts refer to the existence of large numbers of Nigganthas
(unattached ones) who followed the Samvara.

 

Prof.
Jacobi notes;

 

“The Nigganthas
are frequently mentioned by the Buddhists, even in the oldest
part of the Pitakas. But I have not yet met with a
distinct mention of the Buddha in any of the old Jain
Sutras. As it is inconsistent with our assumption of a
contemporaneous origin of both creeds, we are driven to the
conclusion that the Nigganthas were not a newly founded
sect of Buddha’s time. This seems to have been the
opinion of the Pitakas too, for we find no indication
to the contrary in them.” (“On Mahavira and
His Predecessors” in the Indian Antiquary, IX,
1880 158-163)

3.The
Arhatas

they
were called Arhatas /Arhantas (worthy of Worship) because they were
lived virtuous life. several authors contend that during the time
when Vedas were taking shape, a number of elements which had
subsequently entered in Jain religion were already known. This
is confirmed by the fact that monks are called arahans
or arahatas in Rigveda and Atharva Veda.

4.The
Vatarshana Munis

Rishabhadeva
has been described as the incarnation of Vishnu for the
establishment of the religion of Vatarashana Munis.”
“These Munis appeared pisanga
(Pingalavarna) because they were indifferent to
bathing, even though they were Maladhari that is
unclean, due to sweat etc. They used to remain silent and looked wild
owing to their meditative practices. By controlling breathing (by
means of pranayama) they used to attain to godhood. The
mortal world could only see their external bodies, not their inner
soul”:

 

मुनयो
वातरशना पिशंगा
वसते मला:

वातस्यानु
थ्रांजिं यंति
यद्दैत्रासो
अविक्षत्:

उन्मतिदा
मौनयेन वातां
जा तास्थैमा
वयम्

शरीरे
दस्माकं युयं
मतांसो अभि
पश्यथ    (ऋग्वेद,१०,
१३६,
२)

 

  Dr.
Hiralal Jain has explained “They are Munis
and their ways of renunciation, silence and non- attachment
distinguish them from the Rishi tradition. But a new
word Vatarashana is connected with them. Vata
means air and vashana means girdle or waistband.
Therefore the meaning is air-cloth or one whose clothing is air, that
is, naked. This is not a new term for the Jain tradition, and
it occurs in Jina sahasranama – Thousand names
for Jina- Thus:-

 

“According to this
Vatarashana, Digvasa, Nigganthas
and Digambara, all these are synonymous terms and
indicate a naked or nude state, So it can be concluded that at the
time of the Rigveda composition such munis
were in existence who used to go about naked and who were revered
as gods in the Rishi tradition and were eulogized and
worshipped.

5.The
VRATYA TRADITION

 

In
Atharva Veda 15^th chapter there is a
description of Vratyas who are said to be unversed in
Vedic tradition and ritual and belonging to Licchavi,
Natha and Malla clans.

Dr.
Guseva, the Russian scholar in her ethnological monograph Jainism
states

“
Ancient Indian literature
contains indications of the deep antiquity of the sources of Jainism
and it also indicates that the Ksatriyas and ascetics
from Vratyas i.e. non-Aryans played noticeable
role in establishing non-Vedic teachings.

The
word JAINISM is derived from JIN which means conqueror-One who has
conquered his passion and desires, love and hate, pleasure and pain,
attachment and aversion, and has thereby freed `his' soul from the
karmas obscuring knowledge, perception, truth, and ability.In this
respect Jain Dharma/ Jainism is self-originated.It is not founded by
any One. The tradition of Jain religion is propounded by such
conquerors/ Tirthankaras. According to Jain philosophy, all
Tirthankaras / Arihants / Siddhas/ Jinas were born as
human beings but they attained a state of perfection or
enlightenment through meditation and self- realization or
atmadarshan.

There
is no doubt that Jainism prevailed before Bhagwaan Mahavira.

Dr.
Hermann Jacobi believes that "Jainism goes back to a very early
period, and to primitive currents of religious and metaphysical
speculation, which gave rise to the oldest Indian philosophies.
Critical and comparative study has brought to light several words
like ‘Asrava’, `Samvara’ etc., which have been used
by Jains in the original sense but which have been mentioned in
Buddhist Literature in figurative sense. On the basis of these words,
Dr. Jacobi has concluded that Jainism is much older than the
religion of Buddha and therefore it is incorrect to imagine Jainism
as the offshoot of Buddhism.

Dr.
A. N. Upadhye remarked –

“The
origins of Jainism go back to the pre-historic times. They are to be
sought in the fertile valley of Ganga, where they flourished in the
past, even before the advent of Aryans with their priestly religion,
a society of recluses who laid much stress on individual exertion, on
practice of a code of morality and devotion to austerities, as means
of attaining religious Summum Bonum.”

German
Indologist Heinrich Zimmer agreed that there is truth in the Jain
idea that their religion goes back to a remote antiquity, the
antiquity in question being that of the pre-Aryan, so called
Dravidian period, and that Jainism is the oldest of all Dravidian
born philosophies and religions.

 

Noel
Retting, another Indologist, writes, "Only in Jainism, of all
the living religions, do we see a fusion of the primitive with the
profound. It has preserved elements from the first stage of man's
religious awareness, animism. It affirms the separateness of spirit
from matter, even though our modern philosophers and religionists
regard neither form of dualism as untenable. Despite the opinion of
these men, Jainism is fundamentally scientific. And, it may very well
be, contrary to the opinions of many anthropologists and students of
comparative religion, the oldest living faith."

Professor
L. P. Tessitory is of opinion that "Jainism is of a very high
order. Its important teachings are based upon science. The more the
scientific knowledge advances the more the Jain teachings will be
proven".

 

In
fact, the Jain system of thought is so wonderfully consistent with
modern realism and science. Dr. Walthur Schubring observes, "He
who has a thorough knowledge of the structure of the world cannot but
admire the inward logic and harmony of Jain ideas. Hand in hand with
the refined cosmographical ideas goes a high standard of astronomy
and mathematics."

The
Pre-Aryan aspects of the Jain tradition can be traced
to Indus Valley civilization which flourished six to eight
thousand years ago. Nude standing images found in the Indus
Valley ruins bear a striking resemblance to the oldest Jain
sculpture. There may be a link in the bull seals of Indus and
the bull lancchana of Rishabhanatha. It is significant as
various scholars have suggested that the nude standing images in the
Indus Valley in a typical Jain ascetic Yogic
pose Kayotsarga bear a striking resemblance to the
oldest Jaina sculptures, and further that there is a link
between the Indus bull-seals and the bull insignia
(lancchana) of Rishabha. . In the Adi
Purana Book XV III, Kayotsarga posture is
described in connection with the penance of Rishabha or
Vrashabha,”

 

In
his Indus Civilization and Hindu Culture, the eminent
scholar, P. R. Deshmukh says:”The first Jain Tirthankar
belonged to Indus civilization. The Indus Valley
deities were nude. The Jains sustained that culture and
worshipped nude Tirthankaras”.

The
opinion of Dr.Guseva is notable: “ --- in those times
followers of Jainism were, in the main, representatives of
pre-Aryan population of the country. This means that there is
basis to assert that the chief components of this non Vedic religion
were engendered by non Aryan ethnical environment.”

Dr.
S. Radhakrishnan affirms that “The Bhagavata Purana
endorses the view that Rishabha was the founder of Jainism.
There is evidence to show that so far back as the first century B.C.
there were people who were worshipping Rishabhadeva, the first
Tirthankar. There is no doubt that Jainism prevailed
even before Vardhamana Mahavira, or Parsvanatha.
The Yajurveda mentions the names of three Tirthankaras,
Rishabha, Ajitnath and Aristanemi” (Indian
Philosophy, P.287)

Historicity
of First Tirthankar

 

 

The
idea of Rishabha Tirthankar being an epoch-making man is
deep-rooted in the Jaina scriptures. He was the son of the fourteenth
Kulakara or Manu known as Nabhi. He is also known as Adinath.
Rishabha inaugurated the karmabhumi and pioneered human
civilisation and culture.

 

Rishabha
was the first preacher of the ahimsa dharma, the first
Tirthankar or ford-maker to the path of liberation
according to Jain Sramanic path of purification and
liberation. He attained nirvana on the summit of Mount Kailasa
in Tibet.

 P.
C. Roy Choudhury states in his Jainism in Bihar;”Not
much research is possible in the pre-historical age as to the role
Bihar played in the story of Jainism. But some of the ancient
Jain scriptures mention that Jainism had been preached
in Magadha (Bihar) by Lord Rishabha at the end of Stone
Age and the beginning of the agricultural age. At the remote period
Magadha was separated from the rest of India by Ganga-sagar.
The ancient history of Nepal bears this out”. (P.7)

 

 

 

The
point to be noted is that there is a consistent tradition found in
the Jaina religious literature and also in the Itihasa-Purana
Brahmanic lore from earliest time of invoking Rishabhadeva as Rudra
or Shiva.

 

It
is in this context it is important to consider the definite opinion
of Sir Marshall that the Vedic Aryans adopted Shiva worship (Shiva,
Pashupati, Rudra) from Indus valley civilisation. It is
significantly suggested by the various scholars that the nude
standing images in the Indus Valley in a typically Jain Sramanic
yogic pose-Kayotsarga- abandonment of the body in
meditation- bears a striking resemblance to the oldest Jain sculpture
and further that there is a link between the Indus bull seals and the
bull insignia (lancchana) of Rishabha.

 

From
Vedic times the alternative names or designations for Rishabha dev
have been: Digambara, Digvasa, Tapomaya, Charukesha, Shanta,
Akshobhya, Ahimsa, Jnani, Kapardi, and Jati. These are such
attributes as become perfectly applicable in their meaning to
Rishabha Tirthankar. The characteristic mark of
Shankar as found in Jaina creations and images known as Triratna
which is found clearly marked in the cave of Sarata Kharavela
at Udaigiri in Orissa. It is found marked in the ancient images
of Rishabha and other Tirthankaras.

 

The
arch-form of this symbol is found in the sign of tri-horn on the
Indus Valley seal images. It should not be surprising if the same
mark evolved later as a phase of moon, Om, swastika
and the cross of Christianity as well as the mood and the star of
Islam as noted by Dr.Hiralal Jain. 

The
disciples of Shiva are collectively called Gana,
whose leader is called Ganapati and Ganesh. The group of munis
or disciples established by Rishabha is also called Gana
and its leader, the chief disciple, is called Gandharva.
The tradition of Gana and Gandharva is
found unbroken till the last Tirthankar, Mahavira. Such
parallels and spiritual affinities since pre-historic times between
Rishabha and Shiva show unmistakably that Jainism and its first
profounder have been the precursor of the later Shiva
doctrine.

 

The
most notable example of the fusion and synthesis of not only the
Jaina, Shiva, but also the Brahmanic, Vedic, Buddhist and other
Indian philosophies are found in the great Himalayan centre of
pilgrimage, Badrinatha or Badri Vishala.
In the Badri Vishala temple the following
stotra is recited in the daily worship:

 

यं
शैवा समुपासते
शिव इति ब्रम्हेति
वेदांतिन्:

बौध्दा
बुध्द इति
प्रमाणपटव:कर्त्रैति
नैयायिका

अर्ह्न्नित्यथ
जैनशासनरता:
कर्मेति
मीमांसका:

सो&यं
वो विदधातु
वांछितफलम
त्रैलोक्यनाथो
प्रभु:
(हनुमन्नाटक)

 

Meaning:
“One who is revered as Shiva by the Shaivas, as
Brahma by the Vedantins,as Buddha by the
Buddhists, as the Cause by the Naiyayikas, Arahan
by the Jains, Karma by the Mimamsakas, such god of the
three worlds may grant us our longed for fruits.” This
illustrates how the Badrinatha embodies the true secular synthesis of
India.

 

 

INDIA
KNOWN AS BHARATVARSHA AFTER BHARATA SON OF RISHABHA:

 

Dr.
Hiralal Jain has stated:

 

“But they have ignored
other mentions in the same Purana and elsewhere about Rishabha
son Bharata….For this opinion the necessary
testimonials have not been adduced. Probably these cannot be anything
else than the slokas quoted above. But the fact that in
the same Purana it is clearly mentioned elsewhere that
the name Bharatvarsha was given by Rishabha son
Bharat, and that the word “ Desha”
or “ Varsha” does not occur with
Dushyanta’s son Bharata, does not appear to have
been considered carefully by these scholars before asserting their
opinion”

 

In
the Purana it is clearly mentioned:

 

ऋषभो
मरुदेव्याश्च
ऋषभात भरतो
भवेत्

भरताद
भारतं वर्षं,
भरतात
सुमतिस्त्वभूत्

 

 

That
is “Rishabha was born to Marudevi, Bharat was born to Rishabha,
Bharatvarsha (India) arose from Bharat, and Sumati arose from
Bharat.”

Historicity
of twenty-second Tirthankar

 

Besides
Rishabhadeva, Neminatha has also been mentioned as the
Tirthankar of the Jains. He is said to be the twenty-second
Tirthankar.

Neminatha
is connected with the legend of Sri Krishna as his relative.
According to the TrilokpuruS charit, he was a cousin of Lord Krishna
who negotiated his marriage with Rajamati, daughter of Ugrasena, but
Neminatha, taking compassion on the animals which were to be
slaughtered in connection with the marriage feast, left the marriage
procession suddenly and renounced the world. He then left Dwarika and
proceeded to a garden called Sahasramarvana on the mount Raivataka,
where he practiced asceticism and attained salvation. According to
the Kalpasutra, he lived up to the age of 1,000 years.

The
Chandogya UpaniSad refers to Krishna, son of Devaki, as a
disciple of Ghora Angirasa who instructed him about Tapas
(austerity), Dana (charity), Aarjava (simplicity or
piety), Ahimsa (non-injury) and Satyavachana (truthfulness) – virtues
which are extolled by Krishna in the Gita. According to Jain
tradition Bhagwaan Krishna was contemporary of Tirthankar
Neminatha who preceded Parsvanatha.

Historicity of twenty-third
Tirthankar (Parsvanatha as an Historic Figure )

H. Jacobi
and others have proved on the authority of both the Jaina and the
Buddhist records that Parsvanatha
was an historical personage. (Sbe,
XLV, pp. xx-xxiii.) Their arguments are as follows:–

1. In the
Buddhist scriptures, there is a reference to the four vows
(Chaturyama Dharma) of Parsvanatha.
The Buddhists could not have used the term Chaturyama Dharma for the
Nigganthas unless they had heard it from the followers of
Parsvanatha. This proves the
correctness of the Jaina tradition that the followers of
Parsvanatha, in fact, existed at the time
of Mahavira.

2. The
Nigganthas were an important sect at the time of the rise of
Buddhism, as may be inferred from the fact that they are frequently
mentioned in the PiTakas as opponents of Buddha and his
disciples. This is further supported by another fact. Mankhali
GoSala, a contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira, divided mankind into
six classes, and of these, the third class contained the Nigganthas.
GoSala, probably, would not have ranked them as a separate class of
mankind if they had recently come into existence. He must have
regarded them as members of a very important and at the same time an
old sect.

3. The Majjhima Nikaya records a
dispute between Buddha and Sakdal, the son of a Nirgrantha. Sakdal
was not himself a Nirgrantha. Now, when a famous controversialist,
whose father was a Nirgrantha, was a contemporary of Buddha, the
Nirgrantha sect could scarcely have been founded during Buddha's
life-time.

4. The
existence of Parsva's Order in
Mahavira time is proved by the reported disputes between the
followers of Parsvanatha and
those of Mahavira. The followers of Parsvanatha,
who did not fully recognize Mahavira as their spiritual guide,
existed during Mahavira life-time. A sort of compromise has been
affected between the two sections of the Jaina Sangha.

These
arguments clearly show that Parsvanatha
was a real historical figure. Very few facts of his life are,
however, known. The Kalpasutra informs us that Parshva
was the son of king Ashvasena of Varanasi (Banaras) and queen Vama.

Many
legends have gathered round Parshva.
Throughout his life, he was connected with ‘snakes’
in one way or the other. In his childhood, for instance, while he lay
by the side of his mother, a serpent was seen crawling about. When he
grew up, he saved a serpent from the grave danger it was in. He also
saved a poor terrified snake which had taken shelter in a log of wood
to which a Brahmanic ascetic had set fire. After its death, the snake
became God Dharanendra who spread a serpent's hood over
Parshva.

According
to Svetambaras, Parshva was married to Prabhavati, the daughter of
Prasenajit the king of Kaushala. But according to Digambaras, Parshva
was unmarried. He lived for thirty years in great splendor and
happiness as a householder, and then, forsaking all his wealth,
became an ascetic. After 84 days of intense meditation, he attained
the perfect knowledge of a Tirthankar, and from that time, he lived
for about seventy years in the state of most exalted perfection and
sainthood. At last, he attained NirvaaNa²²
(liberation) in 777 B.C. on the summit of Mount Sammed shikhara,
now named Parsvanatha hill after him.

A man of
practical nature, Parsvanatha was
remarkable for his organizing capacity. He organized the Sangha
(Organization) efficiently for the propagation of Jainism. He is said
to have visited many cities for the dissemination of Jainism.

The Jaina
Sutras and the early Buddhist texts enlighten us about the
doctrines and followers of Parsvanatha.
The religious order founded by him was reputed for a high and rigid
standard of conduct. He made four moral precepts binding upon his
followers, precepts which were later enforced by Mahavira and Buddha
upon their followers. His rules were not confined only to these four
precepts but they embraced many other rules laid down for the
practical guidance of the fraternity and laity.

The
Uttaradhyayana Sutra fürnishes a dialogue which sheds
abundant light on this obscure point. The interlocutors are the two
leading representatives of the Nigganthas Order of the time. Kasha, a
follower of Parsvanatha rule,
asks Gautama, who was one of the chief disciples of Mahavira: "When
the four precepts promulgated by the great sage Parsvanatha,
are equally binding upon the two orders, what is the cause of
difference between us?" "Wisdom" replies Gautama,
"recognizes the truth of the law and the ascertainment of true
things. The earlier saints were simple but slow of understanding, the
last saints, prevaricating and slow of understanding, those between
the two, simple and wise; hence there are two forms of the Law.

About the
teachings of Parsvanatha, it must
be admitted, we have no exact knowledge. His religion was, however,
meant for one and all without any distinction of caste or creed. He
allowed women to enter his Order. He laid stress on the doctrine of
Ahimsa. According to him, strict asceticism was the only way to
attain salvation. Fundamentally, the doctrines of Parsvanatha
and Mahavira were the same. Parsvanatha preached
four vows instead of five. According to H. Jacobi,
the Order of Parsvanatha seems to
have undergone some changes in the period between the Nirvana of
Parsvanatha and the advent of Mahavira.

Parsvanatha
enjoined on his followers four great vows: (1) Abstinence from
killing living beings; (2) Avoidance of falsehood; (3) Avoidance of
theft, and (4) Freedom from possessions. H. Jacobi has clearly
perceived that a doctrine attributed to Mahavira in the Buddhist
Literature, properly belonged to his predecessor, Parsvanatha,
insofar as the expression Chaturyama Samvara is concerned.
(Sbe, XLV, pp. xix-xxii.) The doctrine is that, according to
Mahavira, the way to self-possession, self-command, and
imperturbability consists of 'a four-fold self-restraint', such as
restraint in regard to all things, restraint in regard to all evil,
and restraints imposed for the purification of sin and feeling a
sense of ease on that account.
(Die,
II, pp. 74-75.)

Parsvanatha
had a large number of followers around Magadha even in the days of
Mahavira. Mahavira parents, who belonged to the Kshatriyas, were
worshippers of Parsvanatha (Aachaaraang,
II, 15-16.) Following the teachings of Parsvanatha,
they peacefully died practicing slow starvation Sallekhana. The
Uttaradhyayana Sutra relates a meeting between Keshi and
Gautama as representatives of the two Jaina Orders, the old and the
new. (Uttaradhyayan, 23, pp. 119-129.) The Bhagavati Sutra
refers to a dispute between a follower of Parsvanatha
and a disciple of Mahävïra.(   Bhag, I, 76.) The
Bhagavati Sutra refers to Gangeya, a follower of Parsvanatha
(Bhag, IX. 32 ). A follower of Parsvanatha
named Udaka met Gautama, the first GaNdhara of Mahavira. Gautama was
successful in winning over Udaka to his side. (Sutra, II 7. ) From
the dialogue between Udaka and Gautama, it appears that the followers
of Parsvanatha and the disciples
of Mahavira were respectively known as the Nirgrantha Kumaraputtas
and the Nirgrantha Nathaputtas.

Mahavira was
an elder contemporary of Buddha? As a matter of a fact,
Buddhist literature and history establish that after he had
renounced the world Buddha was for some time an ascetic
following the Jain cult of Parsvanatha, the 23^rd
Tirthankar whose death took place 250 Years before Mahavira.

About
2600 years ago Lord Mahavira or Vardhamana (599 to 527 BC), the
twenty fourth and the last Tirthankar of this era revived the Jain
philosophy previously preached by his predecessor Lord Parshva (950
to 850 BC) in India. He expanded the code of conducts and implemented
daily rites for his followers. He felt that such changes are
essential for proper religious practice. The present Jain scriptures
reflect only his teachings. Thus Mahavira was more of a reformer and
propagator of an existing religious order than the founder of a new
faith. He followed the well-established creed of his predecessor
Tirthankaras.

Jainism
does not believe in any divinity as the creator of this universe
because according to Jain cosmology and metaphysics the world
is beginning less and endless, and each human being, by the dint of
his own ethical discipline as laid down in Jainism, that is,
Ratnatraya Dharma-Sam yak Darshana, Samyag
Jnana, Sam yak Charitra –Right perception,
Right knowledge and Right conduct- can attain liberation
without the intervention of any deity.

 

Thus,
one may sum up, the antiquity of Jainism in the words of
Hermann Jacobi; “In conclusion let me assert my conviction that
Jainism is an original system, quite distinct, and independent from
all others.

Gandhi Ji

xk¡/kh
dh izklafxdrk %&

xk¡/kh
dh izklafxdrk ij fopkj djus ds iwoZ ;g tkuuk vko';d gS fd xk¡/kh
ds O;fDrRo ,oa fopkj n'kZu dk ewy vk/kkj D;k gS \

O;fDrRo
dh n`f"V ls fopkj djsa rks xk¡/kh th jktuhfrK gSa]
nk'kZfud gSa] lq/kkjd gSa] vkpkj'kkL=h gSa] vFkZ'kkL=h gSa] ØkfUrdkjh
gSaA lexz n`f"V ls xk¡/kh ds O;fDrRo esa bu lcdk lfEeJ.k
gSA exj bl O;fDrRo dk ewy vk/kkj /kkfeZdrk gSA

xk¡/kh
dk /keZ ijEijkxr /keZ ugha gSA xk¡/kh dk /keZ foHkktd nhokjsa
[kM+h ugha djrkA

xk¡/kh
dk /keZ ck¡Vrk ugha gSA xk¡/kh ds /keZ dk vFkZ gS &
bZ'oje; thou thukA bZ'oj dk eryc fdlh :i lk¡ps esa <yk nsork
ugha gSA bZ'oj dk vFkZ gS & lR;@lR;kpj.kA xk¡/kh th us
ckj&ckj dgk & ^^lR; ds vfrfjDr vU; dksbZ bZ'oj ugha gSA bl
bZ'oj dh ;k bl lR; dh izkfIr rFkk vuqHko dk vk/kkj gS & izse ,oa
vfgalkA /keZ euq"; dh ikf'kod izd`fr dks cnyus dk miØe
gSA /keZ euq"; dh o`fÙk;ksa ds mUu;u dh izfØ;k gSA
/keZ ,d lexz lR; lk/kuk gSA /keZ vUr% dj.k ds lR; ls psruk dk lEcU/k
LFkkfir djuk gSA /keZ og ifo= vuq"Bku gS ftlls fpRr dk] eu dk]
psruk dk ifj"dkj gksrk gSA /keZ og rRo gS] ftlds vkpj.k ls O;fDr
vius thou dks pfjrkFkZ dj ikrk gSA /keZ euq"; esa ekuoh; xq.kksa
ds fodkl dh izHkkouk gS] /keZ lkoZHkkSe psruk dk lRladYi gSA xk¡/kh
ds iwoZ Hkkjrh; v/;kfRed lk/kuk ijEijk esa izkfIr dk y{; Fkk &
eks{k izkIr djuk@fuokZ.k izkIr djuk@cSdaqB izkIr djuk@Hkxoku dh
lehirk izkIr djukA xk¡/kh dh izkfIr dk y{; gS & euq";
ek= dh fujUrj lsok djrs jgukA xk¡/kh th dk Hkkjr ds lanHkZ esa
rkRdkfyd mn~ns'; Fkk & Hkkjr dh Lok/khurk A Hkkjr dh lkekU; turk
esa LokfHkeku dks txkus] Lok/khurk izkfIr ds fy, lkewfgd psruk dk
fuekZ.k djus] Hkkjrh; jk"Vªh;rk ds uomRFkku dk 'ka[kukn
djus rFkk nklrk dh J`a[kykvksa dks pwj&pwj djus dk dke ftu
yksxksa us fd;k mudks izsj.kk nsus dk lcls vf/kd dke jk"Vªfirk
us fd;kA ^py iM+s

ft/kj
nks Mx ex esa] py iM+s dksfV ix mlh vksj*A

xk¡/kh
dk bl n`f"V ls ns'kHkDrksa dh iafDr esa lcls Å¡pk
LFkku gSA

bruk
gksrs gq, Hkh xk¡/kh dh ns'kHkfDr eafty ugha] vuUr 'kkfUr rFkk
tho ek= ds izfr izseHkko dh eafty rd igqapus ds fy, ;k=k dk ,d iM+ko
ek= gSA

xk¡/kh
th us dgk &

^^ftl
lR; dh loZO;kid fo'o Hkkouk dks viuh vk¡[k ls izR;{k ns[kuk gks
mls fuEure izk.kh ls vkReor izse djuk pkfg,A**

tho
ek= ds izfr le n`f"V@tho ek= ds izfr vkRerqY;rk ds thou n'kZu ls
lR;] vfgalk ,oa izse dh f=os.kh izokfgr gksrh gSA

^^oS".ko
t.k rks rs.ks dfg;s] ts ihj ijkbZ tk.ks js**

nf{k.k
vÝhdk vkSj Hkkjr esa mUgksaus lkoZtfud vkUnksyu pyk,A bu tu
vkUnksyuksa ls mUgksaus lEiw.kZ lekt esa ubZ tkx`fr] ubZ psruk] rFkk
u;k ladYi Hkj fn;kA muds bl ;ksxnku dks rHkh Bhd <ax ls le>k tk
ldrk gS tc ge muds ekuo izse dks tku ysa] muds lR; dks igpku ysa]
mudh vfgalk Hkkouk ls vkRelk{kkRdkj dj ysaA

xk¡/kh
th ds 'kCnksa dks mn~/k`r dj jgk gw¡ %&

^^yk[kksa
djksM+ksa xwaxksa ds ân;ksa esa tks bZ'oj fojkteku gS] eSa mlds
flok vU; fdlh bZ'oj dks ugha ekurkA os mldh lRrk dks ugha tkurs] eSa
tkurk gw¡A eSa bu yk[kksa&djksM+ksa dh lsok }kjk ml bZ'oj
dh iwtk djrk gwW tks lR; gS vFkok ml lR; dh tks bZ'oj gSA**