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Jain BhavanaThe sixteen soteriological reflections are spiritually beneficial to one's self and to others as well. Theendow one with new spiritual vision or attitude as opposed to old worldly one. They purify the sou

and manifest its natural love for truth. The natural love for truth is strengthened by these reflection

1.Transitoriness : According to the first sermon of the Lord, it is the nature of mod

(transformations, composite things) to originate and to get destroyed while it is the nature of substan

to continue for ever. Wealth, prosperity, youth, power, strength and associations with loved ones -

these are impermanent as they depend on past karmas. Having cultivated equanimity towards life andeath, union and separation, happiness and misery one should deeply reflect on the eternal sou

2. Utter helplessness : Worldly objects, friends, kinsmen, loved ones - all have their limitations. Thcannot share one's diseases, grief and death. They cannot free one from one's fear. Supreme Doctrin

(Dharma) propounded by the attachment-free Deity is the sole refuge in the world and one should see

refuge in it alon

3.Transmigratory Existence : Tirthankaras (Builders of ford-of-Religion which leads across tocean-of-transmigratory-existence) have declared that this transmigratory existence involves consta

and infinite misery. All its effects and all its associations or courses are miserable. One wrongregards absence of misery as happiness. Feeling of my and mine and egoism give rise to attachme

and aversion. Attachment, desire and expectation lead to misery. Longing for delicious food, fear, lu

and acquisitiveness cause a living being wander in the fourfold transmigratory existence infinite timeSo having become contented and equanimous one must engage one's mind in virtuous concentratio

4. Absolute Aloneness : In this transmigratory existence a being is born alone, and alone he dies. Onalone has to experience the good or evil consequences of one's auspicious and inauspicious of pa

deeds. One should constantly reflect : 'I have nobody belonging to me, nor do I belong to anybody, m

soul alone belongs to me.' So having turned inward one should fix one's mind on virtuoconcentration.

5.Fundamental Separateness : The soul and the body are utterly separate. Who am I ? I am not th

body. The relations that are due to it are also not mine. I am the immortal soul who is by natuendowed with infinite knowledge, infinite bliss and infinite power. None can torture me, pierce m

cut me, burn me or kill me. Then, why should I have any fear

6.Impurity of the body : The body is the receptacle of impurities. It is filled with filthy substanc

like flesh, blood, excrement, urine, bones, etc. It is the home of diseases. It makes pure things impur

Its beauty is superficial and skin-deep. So having abandoned attachment towards one's own body an

other's body as well, one should abstain from doing evil activities for its sak

7. Deep reflection on Religion (Dharma) : In this worthless worldly existence the only thing worth

of one's attention is the Religion (the Doctrine) propounded by the Lord who, having conquereattachment and aversion, attained omniscience. It is so because it saves beings from falling into lo

existence, puts them on the right path of salvation and ultimately emancipates them from the whirlpo

of fourfold existence. One should repeatedly concentrate on Religion which is constituted of riginclination, right knowledge and right condu

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8. Deep reflection on the nature of Universe (Loka) : One should deeply reflect on the nature

Universe (loka) and Empty Space (aloka). Auspicious and inauspicious past Karmas cause us to go heaven and hell respectively. But our ultimate goal is to reach Siddhashila (Abode of the liberated) an

rest there. We should never lose sight of it. We must cultivate this type of wakefulne

9. Rarity of right faith : Human birth, good family, healthy body with unimpaired sense-organ

hearing of the true Doctrine, etc. are very difficult to attain. And it is to be borne in mind that th

succeeding one is even more difficult to attain than the immediatelypreceding one. Of them, a goospiritual teacher and faith in his words are extremely difficult to attain. Infinite Tirthankaras ha

flourished in the beginningless past yet this being has remained unenlightened even to this day. It is s

because for that abundant auspicious Karmas-causing-auspicious-karmas-in-their-train and merit a

needed. One should strive for the cultivation of required merit or qualificatio

10.Reflection on universal friendliness : In the infinite past births at one time or another on

happened to have close and loving relationship with each and every living being of the entire univers

Having remembered this love and affection as also having forgotten; wrongs done by them one shoudevelop a feeling of friendliness towards them. Others have their souls as one has one's own. All sou

are similar in nature. So one should view others as one views one'sself. One should behave with otheas one would like others to behave with one. One should conquer attachment and aversion an

cultivate equanimity. One should curb passions. One should wish the well-being of all beings. One

own well-being or good is contained in the well-being or good of others. So one should cultivatefeeling of universal friendliness. One should never bear ill-will or enmity towards others.

posted by Rajesh Jain @ 6:25 AM 0 comments

Jainism -- Sixteen Soteriological Reflections (Part II)

11. Karmic Inflow (Ashrava) : Ashrava means the inflow of Karmic matter into the soul. Ansecondarily even the causes that effect the inflow are also regarded as ashrava. These causes are five

1. wrong understanding (mithyatva), 2. non-refrainment from violence etc. (avirati), 3. fourfo

passion (kashaya), 4. Negligence (pramada); it includes eightfold pride, longing for the pleasure

worldly objects, passions, idleness and indulgence in talks arousing feeling of attachment, 5. mentavocal and bodily activities. Karmic inflow is of two types, viz. auspicious and inauspicious. On

should stop the inauspicious Karmic influx by abstaining from evil activities, cause the auspicious o

by performing virtuous activities, and keep the ultimate goal of absolute self-purification constant

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before onese

12. Stoppage of the inflow (Samvara) : Samvara means the stoppage of the inflow of Karmic matteAnd secondarily even the causes that effect the stoppage are also called samvara. The causes in poi

are - (1) right inclination or understanding (samyaktva), (2) self-restraint (virati), i.e. observance of t

vows of the monk or the householder, (3) vigilance or mindfulness (apramada), (4) victory over tafflictions (parishaha-jaya), (5) cultivation of ten meritorious qualities (dharma), viz. forbearanc

modesty, uprightness, purity, truthfulness, restraint, austerity, renunciation, non-attachment a

continence, (6) wholesome restriction of mental, vocal and bodily activities (gupti), (7) five selregulating careful activities of mind, speech and body (samit

13. Partial dissociation (Nirjara) : Nirjara means partial dissociation of Karmic matter clung to th

soul. It is of two types, viz. involuntary and voluntary. The Karmic matter gets dissociated from tsoul as soon as it rises and gives its fruit. This dissociation is called involuntary dissociation as it is n

effected by voluntary efforts of the soul. The Karmic matter which has not risen to give its fruit b

remains dormant is dissociated from the soul by the voluntary efforts. As this dissociation is effecte

by voluntary efforts it is called voluntary dissociation. The voluntary efforts here meant are ttwelve-fold austerit

Of the twelve austerities, six are external and six are internal. The six external austerities are

follows : to give up all sorts of food for a limited period of time or till death (anashana), to eat le

than what is needed to fill the belly (unodari), to limit the items of food (vruttisamkshepa), to give ustimulating or delicious food (rasaparityaga), to stay in lonely places free from all disturbanc

(viviktashayyasanasamlinata) and to place one's body under stress through cold or heat, throug

adopting diverse postures and the like (kayaklesha). These external austerities help and strengthen t

practice of the internal one

By the practice of the internal austerities one can achieve the dissociation of more Karmic matter. Th

six internal austerities are as follows : atonement; to repent and atone for the sinful acts (prayaschittaveneration; to respect and honour the teachers and elders (vinaya), service; to render service

teachers, elders, the sick etc. (vaiyavruttya), study; to study scriptures and other works conducive

spiritual development (svadhyaya), to prevent one's body from doing unwholesome and evil acts, renounce all attachment to one's body and to give up all egoistic thoughts (kayotsarga), and ment

concentration; to renounce all the distraction of mind, to concentrate mind on wholesome objects an

to cultivate trance states (dhyana). These internal austerities are capable of destroying (dissociatin

infinite Karmic particle

14. A feeling of gladness : One will gradually develop those very qualities in one'sself if one fee

great joy on seeing good qualities and progress of those superior to oneself. The Master has declarthat (in accordance with the internal mental state) one may or may not attain the good result of one

good act, but one who approves and praises the good act is certainly benefitted. This is the reason wh

one should honour the Lord Arihanta endowed with all spiritual qualities, saints, patriots, Jaina lafollowers, philanthropists, donors, followers of the path of salvation, etc., constantly recall their goo

qualities to one's mind and derive pleasure from it. At least one should not indulge in backbitin

slandering and reproaching othe

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15. Compassion : Having compassion on the miserable, the poor, the helpless and the wicked on

should ever strive to remove or lessen their hardships and sufferings. One should render all possib

assistance and service to them. One should help them financially according to one's capacity. Onshould always reflect as to when one will attain the spiritual capacity to free the beings from ev

activities that cause misery. One should never be hard-hearted and cru

16. A feeling of indifference : When one comes across a person who does not adopt a wholesom

path inspite of one's right instruction and advice but on the contrary disrespects and despises one, o

should not be angry with such a deluded, perverse and egoist person but should maintain an attitude neutrality (indifference) towards him. Of course, under such circumstances it is very difficult

maintain an attitude of neutrality. One should pray the Lord that we may attain more and mo

capacity to maintain an attitude of neutrality when our attempt at reforming a person or a group

persons ultimately comes to utter nought.