Abandonment Of Passions In Jainism

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Abandonment of Passions in Jainism" by Dr. B. K. Sahay:

Core Tenet: Ethical System Focused on Suffering's Removal

The text establishes Jainism as primarily an ethical system dedicated to the removal of misery and suffering. This suffering is intrinsically linked to "passions" (Kaṣaya), which are described as the spiritual unrest stemming from humanity's ego-asserting nature. Therefore, eradicating suffering necessitates the abandonment of these passions.

The Four Core Passions and Their Role in Bondage

The four fundamental passions identified are:

• Krodha (Anger)
• Māna (Egoism)
• Māyā (Hypocrisy)
• Lobha (Greed)

These passions are identified as the primary forces binding the soul to worldly existence. Activities (Yoga) driven by these passions attract karmic particles (Karmic matter). This inflow of karmic particles (Asrava) leads to bondage, as Yoga propelled by passions is the direct cause of this inflow.

Internal vs. External Conditions of Bondage

The text clarifies that Yoga represents the external condition of bondage, while Kaṣaya (passions) represent the internal condition. Only when Yoga is tinged with passions does it cause the inflow of karmic particles. Consequently, achieving liberation, the ultimate goal of Jainism, is impossible without completely abandoning passions.

Jainism's Unique Approach Compared to Other Religions

The text highlights that Jainism, like Brahmanism (Hinduism) and Buddhism, recognizes the ideal of passionlessness. However, it emphasizes that each tradition approaches this problem with distinct methods:

• Buddhism: Takes a purely ethical approach, advocating for mental and moral discipline to abandon egoity. It views the concept of the soul itself as the most potent form of egoistic clinging and therefore promotes the doctrine of "No-self." This approach is considered entirely negative, offering no room for positive affirmation of the self.

• Hinduism: Takes a positive stance, considering the individual soul ultimately an illusion to be purged in favor of a Higher Self. It emphasizes the unity of all individual souls in a single Supreme Reality (God or Brahman) to overcome egoity and passions. This approach asserts transcendental oneness.

• Jainism: Avoids the extremes of both Buddhism's nihilism (annihilation of self) and Hinduism's eternalism (dissolution of self into a unified Absolute). Jainism embraces both negative and positive aspects, asserting they are two sides of the same reality, realized through its core principle of Anekāntic (non-absolutist) philosophy.

The Jain Path: Elevation and Equalization

Against the backdrop of Anekāntic philosophy, Jainism proposes that by elevating the soul to a transcendental state, it survives in its full glory, devoid of passions. In affirming what is, it denies what is not.

• Unlike Buddhism, Jainism does not advocate for the annihilation of the self but rather the extinction of personal identity and personal life.
• Unlike Hinduism, Jainism does not advocate for the dissolution of the self into an infinite Brahman or God. Instead, it recommends the soul's elevation to a most perfect and fully developed state where anger, egoism, hypocrisy, and greed are completely eradicated.

Therefore, Jainism posits that passions are overcome not by outright renunciation or absorption into the Absolute, but through the raising and elevation of the individual soul to the transcendental state.

Foundational Principles of Jain Liberation:

The eradication of passions in Jainism is founded on the principles of:

• Equalization: Recognizing the inherent equality of souls.
• Elevation: Raising the soul to its pure and unadulterated state.

These principles lead to the noble idea of the peaceful coexistence of liberated souls, reminiscent of Immanuel Kant's "Kingdom of Ends."

Illustrative Verses and Their Meanings:

The text includes several verses (in Prakrit with Hindi translation) that illustrate the concepts discussed. These verses express:

• The abandonment of "mine-ness" and the embrace of the soul as the sole refuge.
• The eternal nature of the soul characterized by knowledge and perception, distinct from transient external conditions.
• The confession and repentance of all internal and external attachments and actions driven by passion.
• The futility of worldly possessions and sensual pleasures in satisfying the soul, akin to how fire cannot be quenched by fuel or the ocean by rivers.
• The soul seeking refuge in knowledge, perception, conduct, austerities, and self-control, with Lord Mahavir as the ultimate refuge.
• The aspiration for the same eternal state of liberation attained by Arhats, Siddhas, and the Vītarāgas (those who have conquered passions).
• The profound insignificance of worldly and divine pleasures when compared to the bliss of the Vītarāgas in Nirvana.

In essence, the text emphasizes that Jainism offers a balanced and nuanced path to liberation, focused on purifying the soul through the systematic abandonment of passions by elevating it to its true, unblemished, and eternal nature.