Essence Of Jaina Scriptures

SR No.: 022313
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdish Prasad Jain
Publisher: Kaveri Books
Publication Year: 2014
Total Pages: 508
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 38 MB

Page 211

INTRODUCTION
185
do not enter the mouth of the sleeping lion.” The lion has to make efforts to catch the deer. “The only place,” as Donald Kendall states, where success comes before work is in the dictionary.191
Empirically speaking, moksha is krta-sadhya, 'what is yet to be”; what is yet to be accomplished through man's knowledge, will, and effort. To bring the desired objective (moksha liberation is the highest objective to be attained) into existence or to realize it involves will or effort; value arises therefore by the conscious effort we make to realize it, and realizing it means overcoming the obstacles to its realization. 192
In the introductory verse to Tattvartha Sutra, the worthy Lord is said to be “the destroyer of the mountains of karmas” (bhettaram karma bhubhratam), and the destruction of karmas is not an easy task; it requires great deal of effort.
In spite of what is stated above, Bharill still persists in his mistaken view that the one and only one (eka matra) means (upaya) of attaining liberation, of being happy, of getting rid of transmigratory existence (samsara), and of putting an end to the psychic states or modes of infatuation (moha), attachment and aversion, is the path comprising of the method, technique or the process (prakriya) of knowledge of the self (atmajnana) and meditation of the self (atma-dhyana) alone. 193 In support of this mistaken view, Bharill does not hesitate to distort the important concepts of pure psychic-attention (shuddha upayoga), meditation (dhyana), conduct (charitra), etc., given in Jain texts, including Kundakunda's works.
Although it may be said that he who knows Arahant (the worthy Lord) with reference to substance, qualities and modes, knows the self (atma). This can be considered as (one of the] the means for the destruction of deluding-view (PS 80). However, to argue that it is the sole method for the destruction of conduct-deluding attachment and aversion is totally incorrect. In fact, Amrtachandra states, that the verse emphasizes that after attaining enlightened view, one must eradicate attachment and aversion in order to realize the pure self lest the soul be robbed of the valuable enlightened world-view due to negligence (pramad). Therefore, one must be fully awake, in order to get rid of attachment and aversion (PS 81 AC), which is possible only through the conduct of self-restraints (samyam) and austerities (tapas) which are the characteristics of pure psychic-attention (shuddha upayoga) (PS 14), and the means of attaining the pure self (shuddhatma).