Atmanushasana Ek Adhyayana - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Atmanushasana Ek Adhyayana" by Jitendra B. Shah, focusing on the work attributed to Parshvanaga:

Overview of Atmanushasana by Parshvanaga: A Study

This study, "Atmanushasana Ek Adhyayana," by Jitendra B. Shah, delves into the significance and characteristics of the Atmanushasana attributed to Parshvanaga. The text is described as a valuable yet lesser-known work, composed in Sanskrit verses in the Āryā metre. It offers ethical advice and focuses on self-welfare, though it is currently difficult to obtain despite being published.

Core Jain Tenets and the Purpose of Atmanushasana

The central theme of the Atmanushasana, as understood by the Nirgrantha tradition, is that the soul (Atman) is bound by karma. The consequences (vipaka) of these karmas lead beings to experience happiness and suffering. This often results in attachment to pleasure and despondency in sorrow, fueled by negative passions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed (kashayas). This cycle of suffering causes the soul to transmigrate through the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

The Atmanushasana aims to provide guidance for disciplining the soul (Atmanushasana) to break free from this cycle. It advocates for achieving a state of equanimity (samabhava) and offers relevant descriptions of renouncing vices, practicing ethical conduct, and understanding the impermanence and emptiness of worldly existence.

The Text's Structure and Authorship:

The Atmanushasana by Parshvanaga consists of 77 verses in the Āryā metre.
The first verse (padyā 1) is a pledge by the author to propagate the Atmanushasana for the welfare of oneself and others, also revealing the title of the work.
Verse 76 reveals the author's name as Parshvanaga.
Verse 77 provides the year of composition: "dvayachatuḷvārishat samadhika-vatsara-sahasra sankhyāyām" (in the year 1042 + 40 = 1042, likely a typo in the original summary, or referring to a specific calculation related to the verse). It specifies the date as the full moon day of Bhadrapada, on a Wednesday, with Uttara Bhādrapada as the lunar mansion.

Comparison with Other Atmanushasanas:

The study notes the existence of three Atmanushasana texts in Jain literature:

Ātmanushasana by Gunabhadra: Composed in the 9th century CE, this work has 270 verses in various metres. It often incorporates philosophical principles alongside its focus on the soul.
Ātmanushasana by Parshvanaga: This is the subject of the study. It is composed in a single metre with simple and understandable language, distinct in style from Gunabhadra's work.
Ātmanushasana by Jineshvaracharya: This work is in Prakrit and has 40 verses. Its author is believed to be an early Acharya of the Kharatara Gachchha, potentially dating to the 11th century CE. It remains unpublished.

Dating and Authorship of Parshvanaga's Atmanushasana:

The dating of the text relies on the colophon in verse 77. While a manuscript mentions "dvyangula" instead of "dvayagral," the oldest manuscript uses "ichagral," suggesting the year 1042 Vikrama Samvat (986 CE) is more reliable.
Determining the author's sect (sampradaya) is challenging. The initial invocation might suggest a Digambara author, but no prominent Digambara author named Parshvanaga or with a similar suffix is known.
However, the study presents strong evidence for the author belonging to the Shvetambara tradition:
- Order of Heavens and Hells: Verse 27 lists the four states of existence as Tiryaktva (animal), Manushyatva (human), Naraka Bhava (hellish), and Devatva (celestial). This order follows the Shvetambara Tattvartha Adhigama Sutra, whereas the Digambara tradition typically places the celestial realm before the hellish realm.
- Influence of Uttaradhyayana Sutra: Verse 55-56 echoes the themes of the rarity of human birth, the right path, and the importance of not being negligent, as found in the Uttaradhyayana Sutra. The author appears familiar with this text.
- Stylistic Similarities with Sutrakritanga: The use of similes and examples to prove the superiority of Dharma in the Atmanushasana (verse 61) is stylistically similar to the Viratthava chapter of the Sutrakritanga, which uses similar literary devices to establish the greatness of Arhat Vardhamana.
Further research into manuscripts indicates that many copies of Parshvanaga's Atmanushasana are found in Shvetambara collections, but none from Digambara repositories, strengthening the argument for Shvetambara authorship.

Content and Themes of the Atmanushasana:

The Atmanushasana addresses the following key themes:

The Suffering of Samsara: It begins by highlighting the paradox of beings experiencing immense suffering in the transient world without developing detachment.
Karma and Responsibility: All suffering is attributed to past bad karma. Blaming others or succumbing to despair due to suffering is foolish. One should patiently endure and eradicate their own bad karma with equanimity.
Equanimity in Adversity: The text emphasizes maintaining equanimity (samabhava) in both favorable and unfavorable circumstances. It advises against lamenting or celebrating excessively, as worldly possessions, strength, beauty, youth, and life itself are impermanent.
The Value of Human Life: Human birth is considered rare and precious. Good karma is the true refuge, and one should engage in meritorious deeds while abstaining from sins.
Ethical Conduct: The work advocates for renouncing vices such as coveting another's wife or wealth, harsh speech, envy, slander, deceit, discontent, and ego. It encourages benevolence, devotion to Dharma, equanimity, and purity of heart to attain liberation.
Human Virtues: Truthfulness, compassion, charity, modesty, self-control, devotion to the Guru, learning, and humility are presented as the ornaments of a person.
Impermanence of Worldly Things: Wealth, beauty, strength, youth, and life are compared to fleeting phenomena like water waves, sunset hues, the fluttering of a flag, and lightning flashes, highlighting their ephemeral nature.
Avoiding Negative Passions: The text urges against attachment to worldly pleasures and stresses the importance of recognizing the fleeting nature of life.
The Futility of Worldly Efforts Without Dharma: Similar to how one's efforts are useless without proper knowledge or circumstances, the text emphasizes that without Dharma, there is no true happiness.
The Path to Liberation: The ultimate goal is to seek knowledge and practice meditation under the guidance of a qualified Guru to achieve liberation, free from old age, death, rebirth, suffering, and afflictions.

Literary Style:

The author employs alliteration in some verses to enhance their melodious quality, making them suitable for recitation. While not overly ornate, the work uses various similes to illustrate the impermanence of wealth, beauty, strength, and life.

Conclusion:

Atmanushasana Ek Adhyayana presents the Atmanushasana of Parshvanaga as a beautiful and insightful work that aims to guide the soul towards equanimity and spiritual well-being. The study asserts that the text is likely composed by a Shvetambara Acharya based on its doctrinal alignments and manuscript evidence. The author is diligently working to prepare a reliable critical edition of the text by comparing ancient manuscripts.