| Purushartha Sidhyupaya
The
great saint Amrita Chandra Sűrĩ no doubt recommends the
highest full vows of a saint to a Right Believer because as a rule
one should always aim at the highest. If however one’s capacity
dose not permit him to scale so high, he may proceed on the path of
progress by a graduated course of self-discipline, the layman’s
path, which is also divided into eleven degrees, graduated according
to the increasing capacities of the disciple, the Shrâvaka. There
are six daily duties prescribed for a Shrâvaka, the performance of
which is of considerable help in spiritual advancement towards the
higher discipline of a saint. The six duties are, the worship of the
perfect ones, the Arhats; attendance upon spiritual leaders; study
of the sacred scriptures; meditation once, twice or three times a
day in calm, quiet place; temperance in eating, drinking, bodily
covering, and daily engagements; and charity. Charity according to
Jaina teachings comprises in giving food and medicine to those who
need them, imparting knowledge to the ignorant, and affording
protection to all living beings. This book Purushârtha
Siddhyupâya is not only a discourse on the importance of
Ahimsâ as a basic rule of conduct to be universally adopted by all,
but is sufficient to solve all problems which agitate man’s mind,
viz. what substance the universe is composed of, what are the
natural qualities and functions of each of these substances, what is
life, why dose it transmigrate, how can it attain the highest purity
and perfection?
After the usually
preliminary salutation, the author lays down the basic rule of
universal application, which helps in the complete understanding of
things, namely that everything has to be looked at from two points
of view, the real and the practical standpoint. Then soul or life is
defined, and thereafter the mutual action and re-action between life
and non-life, Jiva and Ajiva, Purusha and Prakriti, Âtmâ and
Karma.
The three Jewels
of Jaina Philosophy Right Belief, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct
are then lectured upon. Himsâ is described in great detail, and its
various implications and effects discussed at length. The Real and
Practical Right Conduct is then discussed, and it is shown that the
principle of Ahimsâ underlies all meritorious actions, and all
efforts for the acquisition of the goal of life – Divinity.
This
treatise treats of Ahimsâ in all its varying aspects. It proves to
demonstration that all evil thoughts, all evil acts, every
immorality, and every sin and crime is covered by the term Himsâ.
Even where no harm is caused to another by such thought, intention,
word or act, the purity of the soul of the persons who entertain
such thought, utter such word, or commit such act is certainly
injured, and that in itself is Himsâ. As such it must be avoided,
just like the crime of suicide. Causing harm to another may possibly
be justified or extenuated in particular circumstances, but
voluntarily causing injury to the self has no justification or
extenuation. The book lays down a clear method, a royal road, a
practical path. The path is simple, easy, straight, and not winding,
mazy, steep, narrow or strait. It would be a pleasure to follow it.
A person who has not taken to a course of physical exercise, is
staggered at the mention of a Sandow’s performances and feels skeptic
on hearing what a Râm Mũrti can achieve. He would not
believe unless he saw, that a four-cylinder car in full action can
be stopped from moving by the unaided physical resistance of a mere
man. It is difficult to fix limits to the development of bodily
strength, and the expansion of spiritual power is only limited by
space and substance. The process of expansion may seem difficult,
arduous, hard, impracticable to one from a distance, but when one
has entered upon the practice of discipline, there is for him an
ever-increasing joy in the consciousness of ever-increasing power
and knowledge, and every effort makes the succeeding attempt more
pleasant and joyful.
A
Jain ascetic is not an idle fanatic who mortifies his body and soils
his soul. He lives a life of extreme activity and joy. His
asceticism has a fascinating charm, and what seems a torture of the
body to the ignorant is a delicious enjoyment of constantly
increasing power and knowledge.
The joys of Yoga,
of communion with the Highest, are only known to those who have
experienced them. They are above all earthly pleasures. They lead to
heavenly happiness, and ultimately to the realisation, the
attainment of Godhood, where the soul is identified with limitless,
perfect, direct, complete knowledge of all that is, that was and
that shall be, where it is supremely self-satisfied, omniscient and
omniscient, for ever and ever, in the unending eternity of time and
space.
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