Concealing And Protecting Stories On Upagahana

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided text from "Concealing And Protecting. Stories on Upagahana" by Luitgard Soni:

The article explores the Jain concept of Upaguhana (or Upagūha), one of the eight auxiliary virtues (angas) of samyaktva (right belief). While the first four angas focus on internal purity (freedom from doubt, craving, repulsion, and wrong belief), the latter four are outward-facing and contribute to the growth and maintenance of the Jain community and its faith. These include sthiti-karana (strengthening the faith of the wavering), prabhāvanā (propagation of the faith through good deeds), and vatsalya (kind assistance to community members).

Upaguhana is specifically defined as the protection of the Jain religion by concealing the faults of fellow community members. This virtue is described as a "political guideline" due to its pragmatic strategy of protecting the religion's public image by hiding transgressions. The author highlights the explicitness of this demand and its didactic handling in Jain stories.

Key Definitions and Interpretations of Upaguhana:

• Samantabhadra: Defines it as the removal of blame arising from ignorant or incompetent individuals regarding the pure Jain path.
• Somadeva: Emphasizes guarding the religion's reputation by suppressing any blemishes that might lower its esteem. He suggests concealing accidental or erroneous offenses of fellow members, comparing it to a mother protecting her children.
• Luitgard Soni's Interpretation: While acknowledging the term upabṛṃhaṇa (increasing one's powers), the author argues that the intention of the stories presented clearly points to upagūhana as concealing and protecting, often through outright lies to prevent scandal.

The article then presents three illustrative stories from various Jain texts:

1. The Jinendrabhakta and the Thief (from AKP):

• Story: A prince's thief disguises himself as a Jain novice to steal a valuable gem from a Jaina merchant, Jinendrabhakta. The merchant, impressed by the "novice," hires him as a guard. When the thief steals the gem, Jinendrabhakta, realizing the truth, tells the watchmen that he instructed the "ascetic" to bring the jewel, thereby concealing the theft and protecting the reputation of the religious figure.
• Significance: This story exemplifies a direct, pragmatic application of upagūhana through a deliberate lie to prevent scandal and uplift the religion. It raises questions about double standards but is interpreted as a realistic depiction of communal endeavors. The author suggests that lying to avoid causing himsa (violence) or to uphold the faith might be acceptable for lay followers.

2. The King Srenika and the Fishing Muni (from BKK, story #9):

• Story: A god tests King Srenika's faith by appearing as a muni fishing in a tank. Srenika, out of devotion, pays respects to the muni and even undertakes the task of fishing himself to protect the muni from criticism. Later, when vassals criticize Srenika for venerating a fishing muni and the muni for his actions, Srenika uses an analogy to explain his devotion, equating it to their unquestioning acceptance of his royal edicts, even if they are soiled. The god then reveals himself and praises Srenika.
• Significance: In this story, upagūhana doesn't involve concealing a fault but rather publicly demonstrating devotion and rectifying a perceived misbehavior (the muni's fishing) by taking on the "sin" himself as a layman. Srenika's actions protect the Jain principles from criticism and prove the purity of the teaching by revealing the divine nature of the "muni."

3. The Laywoman Celana and the Monk (from BKK, story #8):

• Story: A devout laywoman, Celana, conceals a monk who is experiencing a physical arousal while breaking his fast in her courtyard. She covers him with a cloth to prevent public shame. The monk later attains omniscience and explains that his wife's curse caused the situation, expressing gratitude to Celana for her protection.
• Significance: Here, upagūhana is about protecting a blameless monk from public embarrassment and potential discredit of the religion. The monk's state is not due to his own weakness but an external curse. Celana's action is to prevent public contempt and discredit of the Jain faith.

4. The Nun Jyestā's Pregnancy (from BKK, story #97, also mentioned in relation to Haribhadrasuri and MPC):

• Story: A nun, Jyestā, becomes pregnant due to an encounter with a muni in a cave during a rainstorm. To prevent scandal, her sister Celana and Abhayakumara (a royal counselor) arrange for the pregnancy and the child's concealment. The child is presented as a foundling.
• Significance: This is a clear example of concealing a significant breach of monastic vows (pregnancy of a nun) to protect the reputation of the Jain religion. The confession and penance happen internally, but the householders' duty is to "ward off any blemish in public" by providing shelter and orchestrating the hiding of the child. The term avagūhana is explicitly used here, reinforcing the meaning of concealment.

Overall Conclusion:

The article concludes that upagūhana is fundamentally about protecting the reputation of the Jaina religion. This is achieved by:

1. Hiding the faults of fellow community members through concealing facts or even lying.
2. Counteracting misbehavior publicly through demonstrations of devotion or by taking on perceived sins.
3. Prioritizing the status of the Jain community in society over the individual's embarrassment or personal exposure.

The author also touches upon the idea that for laymen, lying to avoid harm to the religion might be a permissible strategy, unlike for monks and nuns whose vow of truthfulness is absolute. The concept is presented as a practical, albeit sometimes ethically complex, aspect of maintaining the integrity and public perception of Jainism.