CHARACTERISTICS OF A SAINT: The characteristics of a saint have
already been described in the previous chapter, Acara of the Muni.
The Mulacara excellently sums up the attitude of a saint. According
to it, the saint should get food by begging, stay in a forest, eat
only a little food, avoid excessive speech, get over sleep, endure
troubles, keep form social life, practise universal friendship, have
non-attachment, give himself to undivided meditation, adhere to
spiritual upliftment and lastly turn away from passions, acquisitions,
associations, and life-injuring activities. Besides, a saint is
required to practise ten-fold Dharama, namely,
41. 2 Sat. Vol. I. p. 176 3 Ibid. p.
Ji. 32. 5 Gomma. Ji. 33. 6 Mysticism.
895, 896. 8 Kartti. 394 to 403
to have an attitude of forbearance towards men, gods, and subhuman
beings in site of the fact that the saint is subjected to stupendous
torments by them. The saint forgive all, and does not yield to
anger. The causes of anger does not perturb him; 2) Mardava: to be
modest despite certain attainments in the field of erudition and
austerities. 3) Arjava: not to be impure, deceitful and inconsistent
in mind, body, and speech, and not to hide his own faults: 4) Sauca:
to cleanse the filth of craving and greed by the water of equanimity
and contentment and to be devoid of all sorts of hankering after food;
5) Satya: to preach in keeping with the scriptures even though the
saint himself has not been able to abide by the high conduct
prescribed in them; 6) Samyama: to be constantly vigilant in not
injuring even the small lives in all the activities that a saint is
supposed to reform; 7) Tapas: to practise austerities without any
desire to be fulfilled either in this world or in the next: 8) Tyaga:
to renounce tasty food, and such habitation as may engender
attachment; 9) Akimcana: to forsake all Parigraha; and 10) Brahmacarya:
to abstain himself from the association with women, from looking at
their beautiful forms, and from the discussion over female matters.
Before we preached to consider the nature of the next stages of the
mystic's advancement, we propose, first, to dwell upon the view of
scriptural study, and secondly, to deal with the conception of
devotion in Jainism, both constituting the integral parts of the
mystic's moral and spiritual organism. Without the due recognition of
the first, the aspirant shall not be able to achieve a remarkable
success, and without the proper valuation of the second, he shall have
to be disappointed in retaining and stabilizing and inspiring the mora
and spiritual attainments.
KINDS OF SCRIPTURAL STUDY: Scriptural study or Svadhyaya, is of five
types: 1) Vacana: To explain words or meanings or booth to the person
curious to learn; 2) Prcchana: To ask questions with a view to
clearing away doubts or confirming one's view regarding words,
meanings or both; 3) Anupreksa: To dwell upon the assimilated meaning
constantly; 4) Amyaya: To memorise and revise the scriptures with
unerring pronunciation; and 5) Dharmopadesa: To preach moral
principles with a desire to eradicate the unworthy path, to remove
doubts and to illuminate the essential aspects of life.
TYPES OF SCRIPTURES: Four types of scriptures have been recognised 1)
Prathamanuyoga, 2) Karananuyoga, 3) Carananuyoga and 4) Drav
30/34 Sarvartha. IX. 25; Rajava. IX. 25.
Prathamanuyoga depicts one man's character or portrays the characters
of sixty three great personalities or is concerned with both. The
characters are so portrayed as to illustrate the four objects of human
life, the attainment and culmination of the three brilliant jewels,
and the accomplishment of Dharma and Sukla Dhyana. The Mahapurana,
Harivamsapurana, Padnavapurana, Padmacaritra etc., illustrate this
Anuyoga. Karananuyoga speaks of the universe (loka) ad the beyond (aloka),
the vicissitudes of time and the four conditions of transmigratory
existence. The Trilokasara, the Tiloyapannatti etc., are comprised
under this Anuyoga. Carananuyoga dwells upon the conduct of the
householder and that of the Muni with a view to pointing out its
evolution, development and maintenance. The Mulcara, Bhagavati
Aradhana, Purusarthasiddhyappaya, Ratnakaranda Sravakacra etc., come
within the scope of this Anuyoga. Dravvanuyoga investigates the
nature of Jiva and Ajiva, Punya and Papa, Bandha and Moksa. The
Pravacanasara, Pancastikaya, Samyaasara etc., have been regarded as
delineating the subject of this Anuyoga. The Tattvarthasutra is the
embodiment of the latter three Anuyogas.
SIGNIFIANCE OF SCRIPTURAL STUDY: According to the Jaina, that is right
knowledge which enlightens the essence of life, fosters self-control,
directs the mind from the "abyss of sensuality tot the plane of the
spirit", instills the spirit of detachment, encourages the pursuance
of noble path, and helps to develop fraternal feelings with all
beings. Scriptural study may very well be equated with this type of
knowledge. Besides, it confers on the aspirant the benediction that
senses are restrained, three Guptis are observed, mental concentration
is obtains, and humbleness is brought about. The man with the
knowledge of Sutras saves himself from being led astray, just as the
needle with thread is not lost. Kundakunda emphasizes the importance
of scriptural study by pronouncing that it serves to exhaust the heap
of delusion. Pujyapada points out that the purpose of Svadhyaya is to
enrich the intellect, to refine moral and spiritual efforts, to infuse
detachment and fear from mundane miseries, to effect an advancement in
the practice of austerities, and to purify defects that may occur when
one pursues the divine path. In addition to these objectives
fulfilled by Svadhyaya, Akalanka recognises that it also
Comm. II. 2. 2 Ibid. 43. 3. Ibid. 44.
45. 5 Ibid. 46. 6 Yogsa of
the Saints, p. 66.
267, 268. 8 Mula. 410, 969. 9 Ibid. 971.
I-86. 11 Sarvartha. IX-25
perpetuate the religion preached by the omniscient Tirthamkara, to
uproot one's own doubts and those of the co-religionists, and lastly,
to defend the basic doctrines against the onslaughts of antagonistic
philosophers. For those who are fickle-minded, intellectually
unsteady, nothing is so potent to terminate such a state of mind as
the pursuance of Svadhyaya or the scriptural study, just as darkness
can only be nullified by the light of the sun. It brings about mental
integration and concentration, inasmuch as the aspirant overcomes the
hindrances by ascertaining the nature of things through the study of
the scriptures. Without the acquisition of scriptural knowledge,
there is always a danger of being led astray from the virtuous path,
just as the free full of flowers and leaves cannot escape its
deadening fate for want of the root. Thus, the significance of
Svadhyaya is so great that of the twelve kinds of austerities already
discussed in the previous chapter, Svadhyaya is unsurpassable. If
scriptural study offers an incentive to the householder to lead the
life of a saint by consecrating himself completely to meditation and
devotion, it serves as a temporary help for the sojourn of the saint
when he experiences meditational fatigue. It imparts meditational
inspiration and intellectual fund and satisfaction. It is at once a
"tonic to the brain and sauce to the heart." It bestows upon as
philosophical satisfaction about the truths of mystical religion and
creates an insatiable desire to have an actual experience of these
truths. "It brings home to the mystic's mind the sense of weakness,
finitude and helplessness and awakens the Sadhaka to the need of
making more efforts, of cultivating the moral virtues and of
enchanting his meditations and devotions".
NATURE OF DEVOTION: We now proceed to deal with the nature, kinds, and
effects of devotion as recognised in Jainism. Devotion implies the
sublime affection, circumscribed by the immaculate of thought and
emotion, towards the divinity-realised should or towards those who are
much advanced on the path of the divine realisation. The devotee
profoundly knows the objet of has devotion, namely, Arhat and Siddha.
Every fiber of his being feels the supremacy and sublimity of the
objet of his devotion to such an extent that when the devotee finds
himself confronted with the omniscient and omnipotent God, (Arhat &
Siddha) he abruptly and spontaneously, proclaims himself to be
25. 2. Amita. Srava. XIII-83. 3. Prava-III. 32.
Srava. XIII. 88. 5 Mula 409, 970.
6 Yoga of
the Saints, p. 64. 7 Ibid. 65. 8 Sarvartha vI. 24.
Bhaktamara Stotra 15.
ant like a
child and an obstinate owl, etc., This is a sort of religious
humility, self-depreciation, self-disvaluation and a consciousness of
"creatutehood". This strange and profound mental reaction of calling
oneself a creature in the face of that which is transcendent is not a
conceptual explanation of the matter but a mode of submergence into
nothingness, an attempt to convey the content of the feeling response
in the best possible way. Again the object of devotional
consciousness is "wholly other" in the sense of its being Anupama,
i.e., it is absolutely and intrinsically other than every thing that
is and can be thought. It is "majestic" in the sense that its
infinite characteristics are incapable of being described by us.
Notwithstanding the fact of being possessed by the subjective feeling
of the status of a creature and the objective feeling of the
devotional objet being supreme and "wholy other", the devotes is led
to the singing of the praise of God (Arhat & Siddha) on account of
being captured by the fire of devotion like the deer which resorts out
of love to save its child from the clutches of a lion or like a Cuckoo
(koyala) which sings inautumn merely by the presence of small
mangoes. This refers to the "element of fascination" in the
devotional object. Though the object is awe-inspiring on account of
its infiniteness, yet it is fascinating and very easily captivates and
transports the devotee with strange ravishment. The consequence of
which is that his vocal cords automatically begin to function in
extolling the deity, though in a limited way. Again the devotee who
finds all the objects of the world as quite impotent to bestow upon
him spiritual solace surrenders himself to God (Arhat & Siddha) for
putting an end to transmigratory existence and to tribulations and
fears. The devotee is so much attracted by the divine consciousness
that he expresses his deep yearning for establishing the holy feet of
god in his heart for ever. Intoxicated by the devotional juice, the
devotee announces that he keeps the God in his heart, and so allows
him (God) to cross the ocean of mundane miseries; but after a moment
reverses the position by saying that God serves as the air inside the
leather bag of his heart for crossing the ocean of world. The spirit
of utter consecration is manifested when Samantabhadra proclaims that
that is intellect which remembers
Bhaklamara. 15. 2. Svayambhu. 30.
3. Kalyanamandira Stotra. 3.
4 Idea of
the Holy, p. 21. 5. Yuktyanusasana. 4 Sat. Vol. I-1
6. Idea of
the Holy, pp. 19, 20. 7 Yuktyanusasana, 2.; Bhaktanara, 4 ;
Kalyanamandira, 6. 8. Bhaktamara Stotra, 5, 6.
9 idea of
the hol, p. 31. 10 Svayambhu. 80.
Amitagati-samayikapatha,4. 12 Kalyanamandira Stotra,
is head which bows down to His feet, that is successful life which
lives under His pious shelter, that is speech which sings His praise,
that is a sacred man who is engrossed in His devotion, that is a
learned man who bows down to His feet. Consequently He alone is the
object of his belief, he exclusively remembers and adores Him, his
both hands are only meant for paying Him obeisance, his ears are ever
engaged in listening to His noble characteristics, his eyes are always
busy beholding His beauty, his deep-rooted habit is to write something
in His praise, and his head is for the sole purpose of bowing to Him.
TYPES OF DEVOTION: We now proceed to deal with the types of Bhakti.
It may be mentioned as Arhat Bhakti, Acarya Bhakti, Upadhyaya Bhakti
and Pravacana Bhakti. In another way the classification runs as
Siddha Bhakti, Sruta Bhakti. In another way the classification runs
as Siddha Bhakti, Sruta Bhakti, Caritra Bhakti, Yogi Bhakti, Acarya
Bhakti, Nirvana Bhakti, Panca Guru Bhakti, Tirhamkara Bhakti,
Nandisvara Bhakti, Santi Bhakti, Samadhi Bhakti and Caitya Bhakti.
Kundakunda's Niyamasara categories Bhakti as Nivritti Bhakti and Yoga-Bhakti.
The former comprises devotion to right belief, right knowledge and
right conduct and to the emancipated soul, the latter implies
absorption in self-meditation after one has renounced attachment etc.,
and all foreign thought activities. We may mention in our own way the
different types of devotion as Stuti, Vandana, Idol Worship,
Namasmarana, Bhajana, Kirtana, Vinaya, Vaiyavrttya, and
Abhiksana-jnanopayoga. We have already dealt with Stuti, Vandana,
Vinaya and Vaiyavrtya. Idol Worship needs no dialation. Jaina
Temples are the illustrations of this sort of Worship. Namasmarana
implies the devoted repetition of Om, the name of Paramesthins and the
like. According to the Dravyasamgraha the Namokara Mantra and the
other Mantras given by the Guru are to be repeated and meditated
upon. Somadeva attaches great importance to the Namokara Mantra.
"The counting of the letters is to be done with a rosary composed of
lotus need or golden beeds or sun stones or gems and the counting may
also be done with flowers or on the finger-joints. The repeating of
the Mantras may be vocal or mental; the latter method being the more
efficacious. Great mystic value is attached to this formula."
Bhajanas also contribute to the development of moral and spiritual
life. They may serve as an incentive to spiritual life, indicate the
Sataka, 113. 2. Ibid. 114 3. Ta.su. VI- 24.
Dasabhaktyadi Samgraha pp. 96 to 226
134, 137. 6 Ibid. 134. 135, 137.
49. 8 Yas. & I.C. p. 272. 9 Ibid.
of virtuous life, reveal the significance of Deva, Sastra and Guru,
and bring out the effects of God-realisation. These different types
of Bhajana may be found out in Banarsi Dasa, Bhagacanda, Dyanataraya,
Dhudhara Dasa, Ananda Ghana etc., Abhiksana-jnanopayoga implies the
strenuous pursuance of spiritual knowledge. Though it is
predominantly intellectual, it capable of arousing our devotion
towards God (Arhat and Siddha). We have already pointed out the
importance of Svadhyaya. To be greatly affected by the importance of
Svadhyaya is called Pravacana Bhakti.
IMPORTANCE and EFFECTS OF DEVOTION: Next come the importance and
effects of Bhakti. According to Kundakunda, he who bows down with
great devotion to the feet of Jina undermines the root of Samsara.
Pujyapada pronouns that the self by dint of its devotedness towards
Arahanta and Siddha can transform itself into the State of Paramatman.
Vadiraja Muni represents that notwithstanding deep intellectual
attainments and untainted moral accomplishments the doors of the
edifice of liberation licked by delusion are incapable of being thrown
open by the aspirant without applying the key of profound devotion.
Again, sine God is incomparable and unlike, our devotional outpourings
are incapable of unfolding his being, says Vadirajamuni. Despite this
disharmony between our words and His Being, our expressions permeated
by the nectar of devotion are capable of bestowing upon us the desired
fruits. All sorts of mundane pleasantness and supremundane results
follow as a consequence of God's devotion, nay, perforce accompany the
devotee. Thousands of imperiling disturbances and obstructions
forthwith disassociate themselves from the devotee. He who has heard
God's pious name and has applied his heart and soul to it has escaped
the mountain of distresses. He who unwaveringly and with tears of joy
and with jubilant voice adores God relieves himself from diverse
heart-rending diseases. Though God has transcended the duality of
praise and censure, yet the singing of His glory sweeps away the filth
of vices form the mind of devotee. Again, in spite of the fact that
the ocean of God's characteristics cannot be crossed by the ship of
words, it is unequivocally certain that
Pa-153. 2. Samadhi. 97. 3. Ekibhava Stotra, 13.
21. 5 Ibid. 21. 6. 7 Santi
Bhakti,2 : Kalyanamandira Stotra, 9. 8 Kalyanamandira
Stotra, 35, 38; Santi Bhakti, 4. 9 Jinasataka, 81 ; Ekibhava Stotra, 3
bhaktamara Stotra, 45;
Svayambhu. 57; Ekibhava. 2; Bhaktamara. 7.
person by his moment's devotion can purify his soul, nay, even God's
name is capable of purifying him. Samantabhadra points out that just
as iron is turned into gold by a mere touch of Parasa stone, so also
the devotee is transformed into an effulgent personality and his words
are reckoned as pregnant with great momentousness. According to
Vadiraja it is by devotion that the obstacles that might baulk the
movement of the devotee towards heavenly pleasures and his pilgrimage
towards liberation are overthrown; and the devotee gets endowed with
such a penetrating intellect that he never encounters any difficulty
in memorizing the scriptures. Samantabhadra exhorts that in his case
devotion has resulted in fearlessness and in the dissipation of
several diseases, and in making him a magnificent, respectable and
virtuous personality. Bhakti, in the view of Dhananjaya, blesses a
devotee with eminence, riches and success. We thus see, on the whole,
that the effects of devotion are mundane pleasures (this worldly and
heavenly) and supermundane happiness, abrogation of distresses and
disturbances, banishment of physical diseases, removal of vices and
attainment of virtues, overthrowing of the obstacles, acquisition of
penetrating intellect, development of effulgent personality and
weighty tongue, wide recognition, achievement of success and riches,
and lastly, attainment of fearlessness.
SIXTEEN KINDS OF REFLECTION AS THE EMBODIMENT OF JNANAYOGA, KARMAYOGA
AND BHAKTIYOGA: In order that the citizenship of superempirical
world may be acquired by the mystic, it is incumbent upon him that he
should pay the utmost allegiance to the tricoloured flag of Jnanayoga,
Karmayoga and Bhaktiyoga properly propped up by the staff of
Samyagdarsana. The triple colours refer, first, to the spiritual
knowledge treasured up by Svadhyaya in its most comprehensive sense,
secondly, to the conduct including the strenuous pursuance of various
vows and austerities, thirdly, to the religious humility emanating
from the single-minded devotion to God (Arahanta and Siddha), and the
staff refers to the basic support in the form of transcendental
awakening. The enunciation of sixteen kinds of reflection is the
embodiment of Jnanayoga, Karmayoga and Bhaktiyoga, satisfying at once
the intellect, the will and the heart. Because of their integral
character, they have been considered as being potent to accumulate the
suspiciousness in the constitution of
to such an extent that he may wear the crown of a Tirthagikara either
in this very life or in the ensuing birth. Abhiksanajflanopayogai
is suggestive of Jnanayoga;
gilavratesvanaticara,9 Samvega,3 gaktitastapa4, Avasyakapariharas may
be comprised under the personal aspect of Karmayoga; gaktitastyaga,6
Pravacanavatsalya,7Mdrgaprabhavana8 may refer to the social
aspect of Karmayoga; Vinaya-Sampannata,9 Sadhu Samadhi,
Vaiyavrtya," Arahanta Bhakti,l2 Acarya Bhakti,l3 Bahug�ruta
Bhakti,l4 Pravacana Bhaktil s may be regarded as indicative
of Bhakti Yoga; and Darsana Visuddhii6 which is at the head of them
all is suggestive of the pervasive principle of flanayoga, Karmayoga
and Bhaktiyoga. - This means that without the recognition of
Samyagdarsana w the inspiring and backing essence, the activities of
intellect, will and heart will be unfructifying for the ascension of
the spirit on sublime heights. The above classification simply points
to the predominance of intellectual, emotional and volitional elements
in different reflections; but, just as the' three aspects of psychical
life are interwoven into a com. plex harmony, so also any of these
reflections, when deeply understood; represent the interpenetrating of
one Yoga into the other; i.e., each of them may serve as an
independent whole of Jnanayoga, Karmayoga and Bhaktiyoga: It is
probably on account of this recognition that the great
Acarya Pajyapada has
explicitly pronounced that these reflections sepa�l
1 To apply
oneself constantly to the earning of spiritual knowledge is
observe vows and to renounce passions for their proper pursuance is
apprehensive of worldly miseries is Samvega.
the concealment of strength, to pursue proper bodily austerities is
perform six essential duties is Avasyakaparihara.
charitable in food;: shelter and knowledge is Tyaga.
have an affectionate attitude towards the spiritual brethern, as the
cow keeps towards the calf, is Pravacanavatsalya.
influence society through the medium of knowledge, austerity, charity,
Bhakti or adoration is Margaprabhivang.
possess reverential attitude towards the Guru and spiritual path is
Vinaya Sam�' pannata.
remove obstacles from the path of a Muni is Sadhu Samadhi.
nurse the virtuous souls is Vaiyavltya.
12 Is To
have pure Bhakti in Arahanta, Acarya, Upsdhylya & Pravacana is
respectively called Arahanta, Acarya, Bahugruta and Pravacana Bhakti.
Transcendental awakening is Darsana-visuddhi.
or collectively may serve as
the cause of Tlrthamkaraship. These reflections are helpful both to
the house-holder and the Muni. We may point out in. passing that the
culmination of Jfianayoga is omnisci�ence, the consummation of
Karmayoga is Atmanic steadfastness, and the perfection of Bhaktiyoga
is blissful experience.
CERTAIN PROCESS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE HIGI3ER ASCENSION:
with the process of purgation which is not only negative but
we now turn to higher stages
of advancement. When there is rise of Samjvalana and nine
sub-types2 of passion in such a mild form that it cannot generate even
Pramada in the constitution of the self, the self is in the 7th stage
styled `Apramatta Samyata Gunasthana.3 This admits of two kinds,
namely, Svasthana Apramatta and Satisaya Apra�matta. As long as the
self which has abrogated
Pramada in its fullness, which is associated with Vrata, Guna and
Vila, and which is incessantly absorbed in discriminatory knowledge
and in Dharma Dhyana (auspici�ous meditation), does not turn to ascend
to higher stages by dint of either the ladder of subsidence or that of
annihilation, it may be regarded as `Svasthana Apramatta' or
Niratisaya Apramatta.4 When it turns, it is Satigaya
Apramatta. But here a certain process is to be completed before
climbing up higher stages. The Vedaka Samyagdrsti by undergoing the
three aforementioned processes of Adhahpravrttakarana etc.,
transforms' the first types of passions into other types' and'
sub-types.' After the lapse of one Antarmuhnrta he either suppresses"
the three fragments of vision-deluding Karma or destroys" them by
resorting to the same
pro�cess. In the former case he earns the name of Dvitiyopasama
Samyag�drsi and in the latter, he
is styled Ksayika Samyagdrsti. It is to be noted here that the
self oscillates between the 6th and
7th Gunasthanas thousands of times, and when it attains
steadiness, he strenuously pre�pares himself either for
suppressing or _ for annihilating the remaining
Sarvartha. VI. 24.
We have already dealt with these on p. 53.
Comm. Candrika. 45. 4
5. Some Acaryas hold that the Dvitiyopasama Saniyagdrsti does
Aprasasta Upasama instead of Visamyojana (transformation) of first
type of passion i.e., this passion simply, refuses to come in rise
(MokBamargapraka~aka, p. 498). But all are unani�mous regarding
the transformation of the passion in the case of Ksayika Samyagdpsti.
Apratyakhyanavarana. Third= Pratyl�khyanavara4a. Fourth =Samjvalana.
Comm. 205. 9. Sub-types =We
have dealt with these in chapter III. 10. Labdhi. 117.
11 Labdhi. 204. 12
Bhavanicviveka, 101. ,
conduct-deluding Karma of awentyonel kinds.2 Out of
the three Kara�4as, the self
commences with the state of Adhahpravrttakarana for the purpose of
higher ascension.3 It will not be amiss to point out
here that the Ksayika Samyagdrsti is capable of ascending both the
ladder of subsi�dence and that of annihilation, while Dvitiyopasama
Samyagdrsti can only climb up the ladder of-subsidence.
4) ILLUMINATION OR (A) SATISAYA APRAMATTA, (B) APIJRVAKARANA,
(C) ANIVRTTIKARANA, (D) SUKSMA-SAMPARAYA, (E) UPASANTA KASAYA, (F)
The second part of the
seventh Gunasthana and the rest higher Gnnasthanas up to the 12th are
the meditational stages or the stages of illumination and ecstasy. The
ladder steps are ascended by the aid of deep meditation. It is through
the. medium of contemplation that the mystic pursues the higher path.
By this time, he has developed a power of spiritual attention, of
self-merging and of gazing into the ground of the soul. He has
developed a deep habit of introver�sion. In the process of
Adhahpravrttakarana which is completed with the Satisaya Apramatta
Gunasthana, the mystic abundantly experiences the pure states of the
self, and, after the expiry of one Antarmuhnrta, he comes to the
eighth stage, namely, Apnrvakarana where he realises such states'
as were unprecedented in the
history of the sou1.4 The
maximum sojourn of the self in this stage is one Antarmuhurta. Here
the self engages itself either in subsiding or annihilating the
residual of conduct� deluding Karma according to the ladder it chooses
to climb Up
.6 After the end of
the aforementioned duration, it performs the process of
Aruvrt�tikarana where exists
the state of profound purity. This is the ninth stage known as
Anivrttikarana Gunasthana. In the tenth Gunasthana known as
Snksmasamparaya, there is only subtle greed of the fourth type that
can disturb the soul.7 The self which has chosen the ladder
of subsidence for its spiritual ascent suppresses even this subtle
greed in the eleventh Gunasthana and absolves itself from the rise of
all types of passions: This stage is known as Upasantakasaya
Gunasthana. This height has been arrived at by the first type of Sukla
Dhyana.8 It is the culmination of the first type of white
contemplation (Sukla Dhyana). Pujyapada observes that contemplation
produces supreme ecstasy in a mystic who
Comm. 205, 217.
Twenty-one kinds -The second, third, fourth groups and
Gomma. Ji. 49, 50, 51. S
Gomma. Jz. 59, 60: 8
Mna'. LXII. 20.
firmly established in the self, and who has withdrawn himself from
worldly intercourse. Such an ecstatic consciousness is potent enough
to burn the Karmic fuel; and then the person remains unaffected by
exter�nal troubles, and never experiences discomposure.' All the
stages des�cribed above are undoubtedly the stages of illumination.
The last stage is the termination of `first mystic life'. If the
ladder of annihilation has been ascended, the self instead of entering
the eleventh Gunasthana from the 10th rises directly to the twelfth
one known as Ksinakasaya Guvas�thana. Here the residual of conduct
deluding karma is destroyed instead of being suppressed.2
A11 other characteristics are identical with the eleventh stage. The
soul remains for one Antarmuhnrta in this stage. With the help of the
second type of gukla Dhyana, the self in the last instant of this
stage annuls all the remaining3 destructive Karmas; and the mystic
enjoys the transcendental life, which shall be presently
5) DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL POST-ILLUMINATION:
The mystic who
possesses the fresh fruits of contemplation may encounter his outright
putrefaction, and experience a swing-back into darkness. This "divides
the `first mystic life' or illuminative way, from the `second mystic
life' or transcendental life. It is generally a period of utter
blankness and stagna�tion, so far as mystical activity is concerned.
"The self is tossed back from its hard-won point of
vantage".' Technically speaking, the Dviti�yopasama
Samyagdrsti, i.e., one who attains the designation of illuminat�ed
consciousness in the eleventh Gunasthana falls to the lowest stage of
Mithyatva step by step after completing the period of stay in each
stage_7 This may be accounted for by saying that the suppressed
passions gain strength after the lapse of one Antarmuhurta; and the
mystic has to suffer unhappy consequences. The ecstatic awareness of
the transcenden�tal self, which was the governing characteristic of
illumination, gets negated. The illuminated consciousness is perfectly
content and tranquil, but after the lapse of the aforementioned
period, the state of illumination begins to break up; and an
overwhelming sense of darkness and depriva�tion envelops the mystic.
"This sense is so deep and strong that it inhibits all consciousness
of transcendent and plunges the self into the state of
Istopa. 47, 48. 2
Gomma Ji. 62. 3
2) Intuition-covering (Darsan&vara4a) 3)
600, 609. 5Mystieism.
p. 381. 6
Ibid.-381. 7 Labdhi:
negation and misery -which is called the Dark-night.", The dark-night
experienced by the Ksayika-Samyagdrsti is not so intense as it is
experi�enced by the Dvitiyopasama Samyagdrsti, inasmuch as the latter
may fall to the first Gunasthana in contradistinction to the former
who cannot go beyond the fourth one. Those who are great contemplative
emerge from this period of destitution, but those less heroic succumb
to its dangers and pains. It may be noted here that not all the
mystics experi�ence this dark-night. Those of them who ascend the
ladder of annihila�tion escape this tragic period, and forthwith
materialising the final
accomplishments, in relishing the fruits of transcendental life
comparison with those who ascend
the ladder of subsidence. Mystics of
latter type no doubt will also
reach the same heights, but they do so only when they climb up the
ladder of annihilation either in this life or in some other to come.
As a matter of fact, the soul which has once attained spiritual
conversion is entitled to be the inhabitant of the holy world. The
question is only of time and not of certitude. To sum up, some souls
are confronted with darkness of three types in their life: first,
before conversion, secondly, after conversion, thirdly, after the
ascension of the ladder of subsidence. In the first, though the self
is overwhelmed by utter
darkness, he is not aware of it; in the second, the fall from
spiri�tual conversion is not consciously recognised; in the third, the
self, having touched the sublime heights, falls to the ground; hence
the invasion of darkness is naturally most perturbing and painful.
6) TRANSCENDENTAL LIFE, OR (A) SAYOGAKEVALl, (B) AYOGAKEVALl
The slumbering and the unawakened soul, after passing-
through the stages of spiritual conversion, moral and intellectual
preparation, now arrives at the sublime destination by dint of
ascending the rungs of meditational ladder. The dormant self who is
prone to the renouncement and choice of external things, and who, when
awakened, is occupied with the rejection of inner evil desires and the
acceptance of auspicious psychical states, now by virtue of his
metamorphosis into transcendental self neither abandons nor adopts
anything, but rests in eternal peace and tranquillity.' The self which
was swayed by perversion, non-abstinence, spiritual inertia, and the
Samjvalana types of passion and quasi-passions refuses now to be
deflected by them; and possesses the dispassionate vocal and physical
activities (yogas) which cannot
Mysticism. p. 382.
the soul of mystical experience. Activity
is not incompatible with
transcendent experience. It is a state of Jivan-mukta, an
example of divine life upon earth. In the transitional stages, the
auspicious Bhavas which were
used as temporary structures for taking refuge, have now succumbed,
and the Suddha Bhavas which will now serve as a permanent dwelling
have emerged. The Antaratman has been displaced by the
Paramatman. Potentiality has been turned into an actuality. The
dis�harmony between belief and living has vanished. This is
transcendent life, a super mental state of existence. It is the final
triumph of the spirit, the
flower of mysticism, the consummation towards which the soul of the
mystic strenuously engaged itself from the commencement of the
spiritual pilgrimage. Technically it is termed "Sayoga Kaveli
Gunasthana," since it is accompanied by Yoga (activity) and
Kevalajnana (omnisci�ence).' The Gommatasara proclaims that in this
Gunasthana the Atman is
called `Paramatman'.z The next stage is called `Ayoga Kevali
Gunas�thana', as there the soul annuls even the vibratory activities,
but preserves omniscience and other characteristics; and afterwards
attains disem�bodied liberation in contradistinction to the two
types of. liberation enjoyed
by the ' self in
the previous Gunasthanas.
However, the difference in the state of liberation (embodied and
disembodied) does not create the difference in spiritual experience,
inasmuch as the four types of obscuring Karmas (Ghati Karmas), namely,
the knowledge-covering, the intuition-covering, the deluding and
obstructive, have ceased to exist in the embodied state of
emancipation. Even the influx of Karmas, which is due to the presence
of `Yoga', cannot operate in the polluted manner owing to the absence
of passions. When the self lands in the `Sayoga Kevali Gunasthana' he
may be credited with the designation of `Arhat', and it holds good
before the attainment of Siddha state.3 To be more clear, the self in
the Sayoga Kevali and the Ayoga Kevali Gunasthanas bears the title of
there are seven kinds' of Arahantas. They do -not differ in their
nature of spiritual experience, but in certain outward circumst�
Sat. Vol. I-191. Z Gomma. Ji.
63, 64. 3
Bhavanaviveka. 234. 4 Ibid.
Pancakalyftadhari. (ii) Tinakalyanadhari. (iii)
These three are the _types of Titthamkaras. (iv)
Satigaya-kevali. (vi) Upasargakevali. (vii) Antak,rtkevali.
These four are ordinary omniscient souls or non-Tirthamkaras.
Bhavandviveka. 237 to
All these forms of Arahantas may be
comprised under the two
categories of Tirthamkara and non-Tirthamkara or ordinary
omniscient soul. The distinction between the two is this that the
former is capable of preaching and propagating religious doctrines in
order to guide the mundane souls immersed in the life of illusion, and
his sermons are properly worded by the Ganadharas; while the latter is
not the propounded of religious faith or principles, but silently
enjoys simply the sublimity
of mystical experience. These two tendencies of the perfected mystics
or Arahantas may be compared
with the "activists" and "quie�tistic"
tendencies of the mystics.2 Thus the word Arahanta should
be primarily esteemed as referring to the Tirthamkara and only
secondarily to the ordinary omniscient souls. 3 In view of
this whenever we have used the word `Arahanta' and whenever we shall
use it, we have meant and would mean thereby the Tirthamkara. It is
only the privilege and pre�rogative of those rare souls to have the
designation of Tirthamkara Ara�hanta, who in the past or the present
life have accumulated in
themselves the potency of revealing truth by the performance of
virtuous activities resulting from their dedication to the sixteen
kinds of reflections.4 Accor�ding to the Jaina dogma the
number of Arhats in each cycle of time is limited, i.e., twentyfour.5
The attainment of Siddhahood
without passing through the stage
of Arhatship in the sense of Tirthamkaraship has been conceived
to be a possibility.'
: Arahanta is the ideal saint, the supreme Guru, and the
divinity-realised soul; hence he may be designated as Paramat�man or
God. Siddha has also been called God. But "neither Arhat nor Siddha
has on him the responsibility of creating, supporting and
destroy�ing the world. The aspirant receives
no boons, no favours, and no
curses from him by way of
gifts from the divinity. The aspiring souls pray
to him, worship him
and-meditate on him as an
example, as a model, as an
ideal that they too might reach the same condition".' But it should
not be forgotten that unified, single minded devotion to Arahantas or
Siddhas accumulates in the self the Punya of the highest kind, which,
as a natural consequence, brings about material and spiritual
benefits. Samantabha�dra -observes that the adoration of Arahanta
deposits great heap of
1 Bhavanaviveka. 237. 2 RANADE: Mysticism in Maharahtra,
Preface, p. 28. 3 Mok,samargaprakaaka. p. 6. 4 Saruartha.
VI. 24. We have already dealt with these in this chapter. 5 Pp.
Intro. Upadhye. p. 36. 6 Pp. Intro Upadhye.
He who is devoted to him relishes prosperity, and he who casts
aspersions sinks to perdition; in both these Arahanta is astonishingly
indifferent.2 The aspirant, therefore, should not breathe in
despondency for the aloofness of God. (Arahanta & Siddha). Those who
are devoted to him are automatically elevated. The ultimate
responsibility of emanci�pating oneself from the turmoil's of the
world falls upon one's own un�divided efforts, upon the integral
consecration of 'energies to the attain�ment of divine life. Thus
every soul has the right to become Paramatman, who has been conceived
to be the consummate realisation of the divine potentialities.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ARAHANTA OR THE EFFECTS OF TRANSCENDENTAL LWE : We
shall now dwell upon the characteristics of Arahantas, the effects of
transcendental life, the effects which the realisation of Paramat man
produces upon the perfected mystic. The
Acaranga tells us that the
Arahanta is established in truth in all directions. He is Atmasamahita.
He has freed himself from anger, pride, deceit, greed, attachment,
hatred, delusion, birth, death, hell, animal existence and pain.
Arahantas lead a life of
supermoralism but not of amoralism. It is inconceivable that the
saint. who has attained supremacy on account of the realisation of
perfect Ahimsa may in the least pursue an ignoble life of Himsa, a
life of vice. He is no doubt beyond the category of virtue and vice,
good and evil, Punya and Papa, auspicious and inauspicious psychical
states, yet he may be pronounced to be the most virtuous soul, though
the pursuit of virtuous life is incapable of binding him to the cycle
of life and death.3 Technically speaking, - Satavedaniya
Karma in the absence of deluding Karma cannot sow the seeds of mundane
career. Samantabhadra ascribes inconceivability to the mental, vocal
and physical actions of Arhat, since they are neither impelled by
desire nor born of ignorance.4 Whatever issues from him is
potent enough to abrogate the miseries of tormented. humanity:
Hundreds of souls get spiritually converted by his mere sight,
forsaking their sceptical and perverted attitude towards life. His
pres�ence is supremely enlightening. Even his body causes amazement to
Indra in spite of his beholding that with thousand eyes.' As he has
trans�cended human nature and is revered and worshipped even by
celestial beings, he is supreme God.' Thus he is the embodiment of
Ibid. 69. 3.In"dnd. LXII. 33.
Ibid. 89, 6
and is the spiritual leader of society.,
beyond attachment, aversion and infatuation, and consequently he is
absolutely dispassionate.2 By virtue of his intuitively apprehending
the nature of reality, as also the implications of the sacred text,
all his doubts have been resolved.3 The perfected mystic has been able
to adorn himself with self-control, since he has abandoned all
Himsa and has resisted the
temptations of senses and mind. He has also subdued anger, lust, greed
etc., by performing the internal and external austerities.4
In mystical language we may say : that with the emergence of the
Atmanic experience and steadfastness
in it, the conquest over the
mind, the senses, and the passions becomes natural to
him, i.e., a thing flowing
from his intrinsic nature. By virtue of his
self� realisation, and of
having achieved sublime concentration
and owing to his
simultaneous establishment in the triune path of right belief, right
knowledge and right conduct, he has transcended the dualities of
friends and enemies, pleasure and pain, praise and censure, life and
death, sand and gold's And yet in spite of this transcendence, he
embraces reconcil�able contradictions;
he is self-established yet
all pervading, is knowing all things yet detached, is associated with
great longevity, yet devoid of senility.6 The transcendent mystic has
manifested pure consciousness, destroyed the destructive Karmas, and
attained supersensuous know�ledge,7 infinite potency and
unique resplendence,' As a consequence of which all his desires for
bodily pleasures and pains vanish immediately.-9 The
infinite life of the mystic has rendered possible the emergence of
omniscience which possesses the potency of completely, simultaneously
and intuitively or unassistedly.10 apprehending all the
substances along with their present and absent modifications" in
contradistinction to the limited life of sensuous knowledge which
cognises substances incomplete�ly, successively and intellectually or
assistedly.l2 In view of the fact of :
Svayambhu. 35. 2 Prava. I-14 and Comm. Amrta. 3
Prava. 1-14,11-105. 4 Prava. Comm. Amrta.
I-14. 5 Prava. I. 14, III-41, 42. 6
Vifdpahdra Stotra, 1.
7 That is
called supersensuous knowledge which knows any substance, with or
without space points, with or without form and those modifications
which have not come into existence and those which are destroyed. (Prava.
I-41, Trans. Upadhye. p. 6).
I-15, 19. 9 Ibid. I. 20.
Unassistedly :-Without the help of senses light, and mind. (Sat.
Vol. I-9. p. 191). 11 Absent modifications:-Those which have never
originated and those in fact that have been and are already destroyed
are the absent modifications (Prava. I-38, Upadhye. p. 5) 12
Prava. I-21, 51. Prava. I-40, 50.
omniscience, it will not be contradictory to say that the omniscient
being is all-pervading, and that all the objects are within him, since
Arahanta is the embodiment of knowledge and all the objects are the
object of knowledge.' The omniscient being neither accepts nor
aban�dons, nor transforms the external objectivity,2 but only
witnesses and apprehends the world of objects without entering into
them, just as the eyes see the objects of sight.3 Yogindu, in a
similar vein, proclaims that the universe resides in the Paramatman,
and he resides in the universe, 4
but he is not the universe.
The pure soul, according to him, is all-pervad�ing in the sense that
when delivered from the Karmas he comprehends, by his omniscience,
physical and superphysical wordless The knowledge which is
independent, perfect, immaculate, intuitive and extended to infinite
things of the universe, may be identified with bliss on account of the
absence of discomposure arising from the knowledge which is
depen�dent, imperfect, maculate, mediate6 and extended to limited
things. In other words, the consciousness of the perfected mystic is
not only omni�potent and intuitive but 'also blissful. Bliss is
naturally consequent upon the destruction of the undesirable and
accomplishment of the desirable. The consummate mystic experiences
unprecedented bliss, which originates from the innermost being of
self, and which is supersensuous, unique,
infinite, and interminable.7
A legitimate question is apt to be asked;' what does the culminate
mystic who has swept away the dense destruc�tive Karmas, who "intuits
all the entities who does not allow even an infinitesimal fragment of
the objects to escape his all-comprehensive know�ledge, and who is
free from doubts, meditate upon' ? This may be replied by saying that
the consummate Atman who is supersensuous, bereft of senses, free from
all hindrances, permeated by knowledge and happiness, meditates upon
the happiness supreme.' According to Kundakunda he is the real
contemplator of the Atman who, after removing the filth of delusion,
overthrowing attachment and aversion, detaching himself from the
objects of pleasure, restraining his mind, and attaining indifference
to pleasure and pain, is established in the intrinsic nature of the
Atman; he thus attains inexhaustible bliss." The perfected mystic is
the exem�plary illustration of this sort of living. Thus the
mystical or spiritual consciousness is intuitive, blissful and
all-powerful. We may conclude by
I-26. 2 Ibid. I-32. 3 Ibid. I-29. 4
52. 6 Prava. I-59 and Comm. Amrta. 7 Prava. I.
II-105. 9 Ibid. 106. 10 Prava. 11. 103, 104.
saying that the cognitive, cognitive and affective tendencies of the
perfec�ted mystic reveal their original manifestation in his supreme
mystical experience, which is ineffable and transcends all the
similes of the world.
ARAHANTA AS THE CATEGORY OF `HOLY':
The element of
ineffability indicates that the essence of Arhat cannot be completely
exhausted in conceptual and rational terms. It points the
luminous aspect of Arhat which transcends
or eludes comprehension in
rational or ethical terms. We may in other words say that the Arhat is
the `wholly other'.3 By this, "that aspect of Deity, the
mysterious overplus surpassing all that can be clearly understood and
appraised, is asserted emphatically against any excessive
anthropocentric tendency to scale down the .sacred and Holy to the
measure of our human reason."4 It is on account of this element that
the mind resorts to purely negative expressions. Though the
expressions are negative, what they point out is something positive,
which can. only be within the reach of a direct and living experience.
Thus the glory of spiritual life is inexplicable and beyond the reach
of the Vedas, the gastras and the senses, and can only be experienced
through pure meditation or contemplation's "In eternal divinity, there
is no devotional control of breath, no object of meditation., no
mystical diagram, no mira: coulees spell; and no charmed circle6:
It will not be inconsistent if it
is averred that the category of Arhat is the category of the
holy, a category of "interpretation and valuation." In other words, in
the religious consci�ousness of the transcendent mystic there is
"intimate interpenetrating of the non-rational with the rational
elements like the interweaving of warp and woof," ineffability being
the non-rational element and the evapora�tion of bodily urges, the
emergence of omniscience, obtainment of infi�nite power, abolition of
all fear, enjoyment of illimitable joy, resolution of all doubts,
consummation of virtues etc., being the rational elements.
SAMUDGHATA IN SAYOGA
GUNASTHANA: The acme of the
ladder, the fourteenth stage of absolute motionlessness, the Ayoga
Kevali Gunasthana- is arrived at when the perfected mystic gets over
the vibratory activities of body and speech by resorting to the two
types of Sukla Dhyana when
the small duration of longevity-determining Karma re�mains. Though the
self has annulled the four Ghati Karmas, yet the four Aghati Karmas,
namely, feeling-producing (vedaniya), Longevity deter�
Jnana.. LXII. 76, 77, 78. - 2 Idea of the Holy. pp.
5-7. 3 Idea of the Holy: p. 25.
4 Idea of the Holy,
Preface. WIT. 5 Pp.
23. 6 Pp. Intro. Upadhye: