Anarthdanda Virman - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the Jain text "Anarthdanda Virman," based on the provided pages:

Anarthdanda Virman: Avoiding Unnecessary Harm and Sin

This text, "Anarthdanda Virman," authored by Ramanlal C. Shah, delves into a crucial vow within the twelve vows of a Jain layperson (Shravak). The vow, "Anarthdanda Virman," translates to "abstinence from Anarthdanda."

Understanding "Anarthdanda" vs. "Arthdanda"

The core concept is differentiating between "Arthdanda" and "Anarthdanda."

Arthdanda (Meaningful Punishment/Sin): This refers to sins or harmful actions that are committed out of necessity or for a specific purpose, often related to livelihood, self-defense, or maintaining one's household. These are considered unavoidable to some extent in worldly life. For instance, the cost of maintaining an army for national defense is an Arthdanda, as it's a necessity for protection. Similarly, earning a living through activities that might cause minor harm (like farming which involves harming insects) is also categorized as Arthdanda when done within limits for sustenance.
Anarthdanda (Meaningless Punishment/Sin): This refers to sins or harmful actions committed without any specific purpose, necessity, or benefit. These are considered frivolous, wasteful, and purely driven by ignorance, carelessness (pramada), or negative emotions. The text emphasizes that Anarthdanda is the accumulation of inauspicious karma without any practical gain.

The Significance of Anarthdanda Virman

The Jain religion's inclusion of this vow highlights its profound and subtle consideration of ethical conduct. "Virman" means to abstain or to stop. Therefore, Anarthdanda Virman is the vow to stop committing these unnecessary sins. This vow aims to prevent harm (both external and internal, material and mental) that arises from unrestrained activities of mind, speech, and body, undertaken without a true purpose. The essence of this vow is to redirect energy wasted on trivial matters towards higher spiritual goals.

Examples Illustrating the Distinction:

The text provides several examples to clarify the difference:

Material Possessions: A poor woman carefully using bangles for years versus a wealthy woman frequently recasting gold jewelry. The latter, if done without genuine need, can be seen as Anarthdanda.
National Defense vs. Expansionist Wars: The cost of an army for self-defense is Arthdanda. However, wars fought for territorial expansion, leading to unnecessary expenditure and loss of life, are Anarthdanda.
Public Utilities: Streetlights kept on all night when no vehicles are passing, although a necessity for public safety, can be considered Arthdanda. However, if these lights are left on due to employee strikes for prolonged periods, wasting electricity, it becomes Anarthdanda.
Airport Security: Increased security measures due to hijacking incidents lead to more checks for everyone. This is presented as a form of societal Anarthdanda.
Modern Conveniences: The text notes that the proliferation of large houses, luxurious furnishings, TVs, computers, dining out, and elaborate meals has increased the occasions for Anarthdanda.

Categories of Anarthdanda:

The text identifies four main categories of Anarthdanda, as expounded by the Jinas:

Apadhyan (Unholy Contemplation): This includes Artadhyan (contemplation driven by attachment and aversion, such as lamenting separation from loved ones, craving worldly pleasures, worrying about illness, or making vows for future worldly gain) and Raudradhyan (contemplation driven by intense anger, malice, deceit, or greed, involving thoughts of violence, theft, destruction, etc.).
Papakarmopadesh (Inciting to Sin): This involves advising or encouraging others to commit sinful acts. Examples include guiding someone to areas with more demand for labor (potentially leading to exploitation), recommending selling animals in specific locations, advising hunters on hunting grounds, or encouraging agricultural practices that cause extensive harm to living beings. Even modern advice for certain professions can fall under this if it leads to unnecessary harm.
Himsapradan (Giving Instruments of Violence): This is the act of providing others with tools or substances that can cause harm, such as knives, swords, poisons, or even materials for creating such items. The text also extends this to encouraging or facilitating harmful actions indirectly.
Pramadacharan (Careless Conduct): This is perhaps the broadest category, encompassing actions performed out of negligence or heedlessness. It includes:
- Five types of Pramada (carelessness): Intoxicants (madya), sensual pleasures (vishay), passions (kashay), sleep (nidra), and idle talk/gossip (vikatha).
- Eight types of Pramada: The text elaborates on these, including gambling, theft, hunting, illicit sexual relations, and other vices.
- Specific examples of careless conduct: Bathing in water bodies teeming with organisms, leaving cooking vessels uncovered, not covering lamps, not using screens in kitchens, wearing excessive perfumes or cosmetics, indulging in fashion excessively, wasting time on entertainment, careless actions with water (spilling, leaving taps open), wasting food, leaving fans or ACs on unnecessarily, using vehicles without need, and generally engaging in activities that cause harm to living beings without purpose.

The Difficulty and Importance of the Vow:

The text acknowledges that this vow is considered difficult to observe and requires subtle understanding because the line between Arthdanda and Anarthdanda can be fine. Despite the difficulty, it is crucial to strive to avoid Anarthdanda with awareness and diligence.

The Role of Anarthdanda Virman in the Vow System:

Anarthdanda Virman is the third of the three "Gunavratas" (qualifying vows) that reinforce the five "Anuvratas" (minor vows) taken by a Shravak. It helps to refine the practice of other vows by removing unnecessary activities that can lead to harm and sin. While vows like Dikpariman (limiting direction) and Bhogopabhog Pariman (limiting enjoyment of consumables) set boundaries, Anarthdanda Virman addresses the unnecessary and purposeless activities that can still occur within those boundaries.

The Ultimate Goal:

The ultimate aim of observing all these vows, including Anarthdanda Virman, is to progress towards the ideal of a monk's life and ultimately achieve liberation (moksha). Even in worldly life, a true Shravak should strive to live consciously and ethically, making decisions based on the necessity and purpose of their actions. The text encourages introspection: is an action necessary or unnecessary? Is it purposeful or purposeless? The effort should be to cease from the purposeless and unnecessary, guided by one's conscience and the principles of Dharma.