Alochana

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Alochana," focusing on its core concepts and explanations:

Title: Alochana Author: Ramanlal C Shah Publisher: Z_Jintattva_Granth_1_002039.pdf and Jintattva_Granth_2_002040.pdf Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/249437/1

The Jain text "Alochana" by Ramanlal C Shah delves into the significant Jain concept of "Alochana" (also known by its Prakrit form, "Aloyana"), which translates to observation, inspection, or critique. More specifically, it refers to the meticulous self-examination of one's faults, both subtle and gross, and the confession of these to a spiritual preceptor or elder. The practice is commonly referred to as "Alochana karvi" or "Alochana levi" (to perform or take Alochana).

The text explains that Jain scriptures identify four stages of sin or fault: Atikrama (transgression), Vyatikrama (violation), Atichara (infraction), and Anachara (improper conduct). The emphasis is placed on avoiding Atichara to prevent falling into Anachara.

Key Aspects of Alochana:

• Purpose: Alochana is a daily practice, ideally performed morning and evening, to confess one's sins, particularly Aticharas. It is an integral part of seeking purification and atonement.
• Atonement (Prayashchitta):
  • For minor faults, the very act of confessing through Alochana serves as atonement and purification.
  • For more serious faults, after listening to the confession, the spiritual preceptor prescribes penances like fasting, chanting, or other austerities as a form of atonement and to prevent recurrence.
• Severity for Monks: Faults committed by ordained monks are considered more serious. Examples include subtle or gross falsehoods, stealing, concealing possessions, breaking celibacy, and possessing money or valuables. Monks must confess these Aticharas to their gurus.
• Challenges of Alochana:
  • Moral Courage: Admitting faults requires significant moral courage, as it can potentially harm one's reputation and invite public criticism. Public figures and leaders often hesitate to admit their mistakes due to fear of losing followers.
  • Honesty and Humility: True Alochana requires honesty, without hiding anything, and a lack of pretense or pride. It emphasizes simplicity and purity of heart.
  • Self-Preservation: Some individuals, when lacking the moral strength to admit all faults, may confess only some and hide others, often with a tendency towards self-justification using logic and tactics.
• Ten Faults of Alochana (Alochana Dosha): The text, citing the Bhagvati Sutra, outlines ten ways in which the practice of Alochana itself can be flawed:
  1. Aakampita: Attempting to please the guru with services and rituals before confession to secure a lighter penance.
  2. Anumanita: Guessing or calculating how the guru will prescribe penance and tailoring the confession accordingly. This includes deliberately misleading the guru about one's health to request lighter penances.
  3. Yadrushta: Confessing only those faults that have been witnessed by others, while hiding those that have gone unnoticed.
  4. Badara: Confessing only gross or major faults while concealing subtle ones, assuming that confessing major faults implies the confession of minor ones.
  5. Sukshma: Confessing minor faults while hiding major ones, creating an impression of meticulousness to gain the guru's trust. This is driven by fear of heavier penance or deceit.
  6. Prachchhanna: Confessing faults secretly, perhaps by giving a false name to the fault or by performing penance privately without informing the guru. It also includes confessing in secluded places or in a manner that the guru cannot fully hear or understand.
  7. Shabdakul: Confessing loudly or in the midst of noise, often driven by a desire for self-praise and to project an image of honesty, rather than for genuine purification.
  8. Bahujanapuchchha: Confessing the same fault to multiple gurus to increase one's reputation or seeking out gurus who offer the lightest penance. It also refers to questioning the appropriateness of a prescribed penance with many elders.
  9. Avyakta: Intentionally confessing to immature or less knowledgeable monks to exploit their ignorance regarding appropriate penances.
  10. Tatsavi: Confessing to gurus who themselves indulge in similar faults (known as Parshvatya monks), believing they will offer sympathetic, lighter penances due to their own limitations.
• Qualities of a Disciple for Alochana: To be suitable for undertaking Alochana, a disciple should possess ten qualities:
  1. Good birth and lineage.
  2. Possessing knowledge.
  3. Possessing right faith.
  4. Possessing good conduct.
  5. Patience (Kshama).
  6. Self-control (Dama).
  7. Absence of deceit (Amayi).
  8. Not regretting the confession after undertaking it (Apashchattapi).
• Qualities of the Preceptor Receiving Alochana: The Bhagvati Sutra also describes eight qualities of the spiritual preceptor who hears the confession and prescribes penance:
  1. Acharyavan: Possessing the five aspects of conduct (knowledge, faith, conduct, penance, and virya).
  2. Avadharanavan: Having good memory and comprehension to prescribe appropriate penances based on scriptures.
  3. Vyavahāravan: Knowledgeable in various types of conduct and practices.
  4. Apravidaka: Able to encourage the disciple to confess by dispelling their shyness with gentle and affectionate speech.
  5. Prabhurvak: Capable of guiding the confessor towards immediate purification of their faults.
  6. Aparijnavi: Keeping the confessed faults confidential and not revealing them to others.
  7. Niryapak: Skilled in administering penance and guiding the confessor to complete it, considering their strength.
  8. Apāyadarshee: Adept at explaining the consequences of not confessing and motivating the disciple to do so.
• Types of Alochana based on Participants:
  • Chatushkarna Alochana: The most common form, involving only two people – the confessor and the listener.
  • Shatkarna Alochana: Involving three people, often when a young female ascetic (sadhvi) confesses to an elderly monk, and another mature and knowledgeable sadhvi is present for support.
  • Ashtak Alochana: Involving four people, typically when a young monk confesses to a young sadhvi, and another monk and sadhvi are present to prevent misunderstandings and potential slander.
• Types of Alochana based on Confession Method:
  • Samanya Alochana (or Ogha Alochana): A general confession stating oneself as sinful and weak, without detailing every specific fault, often when many vows have been broken.
  • Vishesha Alochana (or Padavibhagi Alochana): A detailed confession where each fault is recounted chronologically with specific details of time and context.
• Types of Alochana based on Perspective:
  • Nishchaya Alochana: The ultimate goal of accepting all faults, renouncing them completely, and resolving never to repeat them. This is the spiritual perspective.
  • Vyavahara Alochana: Confessing faults with repentance and self-condemnation. This is the practical aspect.
• Categorization of Faults for Alochana: Faults can be categorized for confession based on:
  • Dravya Alochana: Confession for consuming forbidden substances (animate, inanimate, or mixed).
  • Kshetra Alochana: Confession for faults committed within a locality or on the way to it.
  • Kala Alochana: Confession for faults committed during specific times (day, night, festivals, periods of scarcity or abundance).
  • Bhava Alochana: Confession for faults committed due to specific mental states like pleasure, displeasure, ego, hatred, or dejection.

In conclusion, "Alochana" emphasizes the vital role of self-reflection and honest confession in the Jain spiritual path. It is a disciplined practice that, when performed correctly and with the right intentions, leads to purification, atonement, and spiritual progress. The text highlights the importance of both the confessor's sincerity and the preceptor's wisdom in this transformative process.