Antahskaran Ka Swroop Kannada

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Antahskaran Ka Swroop" by Dada Bhagwan, based on the provided pages:

The book, "Antahskaran Ka Swroop" (The Nature of the Inner Instrument), authored by Dada Bhagwan and published by Dada Bhagwan Aradhana Trust, delves into the nature of the "Antahskaran," which is understood as the inner instrument or the internal mechanism of a being. The text, compiled by Dr. Niruben Amin and translated into Kannada, is based on the teachings of Dada Bhagwan, who is described as a Gnani Purush (a self-realized soul).

Core Concepts and Definitions:

• Antahskaran (Inner Instrument): This is presented as having four components:

  • Manas (Mind): Formed by "granthi" (knots or impressions) created by past actions driven by attachment and aversion due to ignorance. These knots manifest as thoughts or "discharge" of impressions. If the ego does not get involved, these thoughts discharge, and the mind becomes empty. The intensity of thoughts relates to the size of the mental knots.
  • Buddhi (Intellect): Described as the indirect light of the soul. It constantly informs about worldly gains and losses.
  • Chitta (Consciousness/Mind-Stuff): Its nature is to wander. It incessantly searches for happiness, but since it seeks physical, perishable pleasures, its search is endless. Its wandering ceases only when true self-happiness is attained. Chitta arises from "Gnan-Darshan" (knowledge-vision). Pure Gnan-Darshan leads to pure Chitta (the pure Self), while impure Gnan-Darshan leads to impure Chitta (worldly consciousness).
  • Ahankar (Ego): The ego becomes involved with thoughts. It claims "I did it" and thus becomes the doer and enjoyer. When the knowledge that actions happen due to combination and not by oneself is realized, the ego becomes non-doer and is no longer affected by karma.

• Gnani Purush (Self-Realized Being): Gnani Purush is considered the "observatory of the entire universe," possessing knowledge of all that happens in the cosmos. They can impart knowledge beyond the Vedas. They are described as "Nirgranthi" – their minds do not get entangled in thoughts for even a second; they witness thoughts like a film reel.

• The Nature of the Mind:

  • The mind is not an obstacle; it is the vehicle to liberation.
  • It originates from "granthi" (knots or impressions) formed by past ignorant attachments and aversions. These knots are like seeds that sprout when the right conditions (circumstances) arise.
  • Thoughts arise based on these knots. The nature and intensity of thoughts depend on the nature and size of these knots within an individual.
  • Opinion is the Father of the Mind, and Language is the Mother.
  • The mind is not inherently bad; it's the ego's involvement with it that creates problems.
  • The mind is considered "Relative" when with the body and "Real" when with the soul. The book advocates for the "operation" of the "Bhav-Manas" (mind with the soul) through Self-Realization.

• The Nature of Chitta:

  • Chitta is a composition of Gnan (knowledge) and Darshan (vision).
  • Darshan is the initial, undecided awareness of something.
  • Gnan is the decided knowledge about that something.
  • When Gnan and Darshan are pure, it leads to the Self (Atma). When they are impure, it leads to impure Chitta.
  • Chitta wanders externally, seeking happiness. The mind, on the other hand, remains with the body and only processes thoughts.
  • The wandering of Chitta stops with the attainment of self-happiness.

• The Nature of Buddhi (Intellect):

  • It is the indirect light of the soul and is responsible for making decisions in worldly matters.
  • It is described as "par-prakash" (other's light) or indirect light.
  • Where intellect is present, true knowledge cannot exist, and vice versa. Gnani Purush are "Abuddha" (without intellect).
  • Intellect creates emotional reactions and is responsible for calculating profit and loss. It prevents one from reaching liberation.
  • The presence of "I" (Ahankar) is essential for Buddhi to function.

• The Nature of Ahankar (Ego):

  • The ego is the cause of the "I" and "mine" feeling.
  • It is the root of all conflicts and suffering in the world.
  • The ego, by claiming to be the doer, binds one to karma.
  • When ego is destroyed, "anger, pride, deceit, and greed" (Krodh, Man, Maya, Lobh) also cease to exist.
  • The ego can be "living" (Sajeev) or "dead" (Nirjeev). Living ego causes new karma and binds one to rebirth. Dead ego performs actions mechanically without creating new karma.
  • True solution for ego comes only from a Gnani Purush.

Key Teachings and Analogies:

• Granti (Knots): Like roots of plants hidden in the soil, mental knots sprout when stimulated by circumstances.
• Mind as a Film Reel: Thoughts come and go like a film reel, but the Gnani does not get entangled in them.
• Giving away wealth: An analogy is given of scattering money on the road to break the knot of greed.
• Opinion as the Father of Mind: Past opinions, formed by past knowledge, influence the present mind, leading to internal conflict.
• The distinction between Gnan and Buddhi: Gnan is direct light, while Buddhi is indirect light. True knowledge (Gnan) is independent of the ego, while intellectual knowledge (Buddhi) is ego-based.
• The Self (Atma): The Self is eternal, unchanging, and pure consciousness. It is not born and does not die. What dies is the relative self (ego and its manifestations).
• The World: The world consists of the Pure Self and "Sanyog" (combinations or relative entities).
• Dhyan (Meditation): True meditation is the awareness of the fluctuations of the ego, not the forceful concentration of the mind. Actions performed with ego are not true meditation.

The Goal:

The ultimate aim of Dada Bhagwan's teachings presented in this book is to understand the true nature of the inner instrument, transcend the ego, and realize the pure Self (Atma), leading to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This realization is achieved through the grace and scientific knowledge provided by a Gnani Purush. The book emphasizes that understanding and internalizing these concepts, rather than just performing rituals, is crucial for spiritual progress.