Dasaveyaliya Suttam - Book Summary

The Dasaveyaliya Suttam (Daśavaikālika Sūtra) is a fundamental text within the Jain Āgamas, specifically categorized as one of the four Mūla Sūtras (Principal Texts). This comprehensive summary is based on the critically edited text with introduction, notes, and translation by K. V. Abhyankar, published in 1938.

Overview:

The Dasaveyaliya Suttam primarily focuses on the conduct and discipline of Jain monks (ascetics) after their initiation. It serves as a digest of rules and regulations, offering a concise exposition of Jina Dharma (the Religion of the Jinas), which is built upon Knowledge and Practice. The text emphasizes the paramount importance of non-violence (Ahimsa) in all its manifestations, permeating every aspect of a monk's life.

Key Themes and Structure:

The Suttam is divided into ten chapters (adhyayana), each exploring different facets of ascetic life and Jain philosophy. A notable aspect of this text is its emphasis on practical adherence to Jain principles rather than abstract philosophical discourse.

Here's a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of its core teachings:

Chapter 1: Dharma (Religion)
- Defines religion as consisting of three pillars: non-violence, self-restraint, and penance.
- Explains that the goal of religion is to clarify the soul from the influx of karmic particles by stopping further inflow and removing existing impurities.
- Right knowledge and right conduct are presented as equally important constituents of Jainism.
Chapter 2: Samanna (Monkhood)
- Addresses the challenges of maintaining spiritual discipline amidst worldly difficulties.
- Emphasizes that full control over desires and complete abstinence from pleasures are crucial for mental equanimity and steadfastness in religion.
- Lists general prohibited articles and practices, stressing that self-restraint requires abandonment of all householder occupations and adopting a rigid ascetic life.
Chapter 3: Khuddia (Minor transgressions/Behavior)
- Details numerous prohibitions for monks, covering a wide range of actions, objects, and behaviors considered improper or detrimental to spiritual progress. This includes rules regarding food, clothing, movement, and interactions.
- The underlying principle throughout is the avoidance of the remotest possibility of injury or violence to any living organism.
Chapter 4: Chajjivanijja (Six Groups of Life)
- Focuses intensely on non-violence (Ahimsa) by thoroughly investigating the presence of life in various things in the world.
- Declares that life exists wherever growth and movement are noticed, extending this principle to earth, water, fire, air, plants, and moving beings.
- Monks are instructed to take extreme care not to harm any living organism, however small. They are to eat only life-free things and move in ways that cause no harm.
- The chapter enunciates the Five Great Vows along with the sixth vow of abandoning night meals, all of which are rooted in the principle of non-violence.
- It highlights the importance of understanding the wide-spread existence of life principles in nature to cultivate compassion.
- Philosophically, it outlines the successive steps of spiritual progress based on the knowledge of life and non-life, leading ultimately to liberation.
Chapter 5: Pindesana (Seeking Alms)
- Lays down detailed rules and regulations for monks when they go out for alms.
- Specifies conditions under which alms become acceptable or otherwise, and provides an exhaustive list of forbidden articles.
- The core principle guiding movement, begging, acceptance, and consumption of alms is the avoidance of any injury or violence to living organisms.
- The chapter offers practical guidance on how and when a monk should dine, emphasizing the importance of purity and non-violence in every step.
Chapter 6: Mahilla (Conduct)
- Acts as a summary of the preceding chapters, describing the "terrible and difficult course of actions of the monks."
- Monks are asked to take strict care of eighteen points, including the six vows, the six groups of living organisms (to be protected from harm), and six actions highly improper for a monk.
- It reiterates the principle of non-violence towards all forms of life and the adherence to strict ascetic practices.
Chapter 7: Suvakka (Speech)
- Focuses on the monk's mental state and speech.
- Emphasizes absolute harmlessness in talk, which requires an extremely pure state of mind.
- Monks are instructed not to utter falsehoods or partially true statements. They should speak only what is definitely true, or what is neither true nor false if it is definite and causes no harm.
- The chapter analyzes and classifies human utterances based on the principle of harmlessness.
Chapter 8: Ayara-panidhi (Behavior)
- Re-emphasizes non-violence by referring to eight subtle things where life is difficult to notice.
- Monks are explicitly instructed never to behave like householders, not to have any thought of property, and not to harbor adverse feelings against anyone.
- Key virtues stressed include patience in suffering, tolerance, conquering anger, pride, deceit, and avarice through calmness, humility, straightforwardness, and contentment.
- Obedience to preceptors, attentiveness, respect, and avoiding thoughts of women are also highlighted. The chapter conveys that full mental purification and control over emotions naturally lead to non-violence and tolerance.
Chapter 9: Vinaya-Samadhi (Modesty and Concentration)
- Describes the salutary progress of the mind through respectful and obedient behavior towards the preceptor, deemed essential for spiritual growth.
- Disrespect towards a preceptor is considered more harmful than fire, poison, or a lance.
- The favor of a preceptor brings immense advantage, while dishonor leads to perdition.
- It emphasizes modesty, self-control, and equanimity as keys to self-knowledge and liberation.
Chapter 10: Sabhikkshu (The True Monk)
- Defines a true monk by summarizing the main teachings of all preceding chapters.
- The main features of a perfect monk are listed in a graded order: non-violence, equanimity, viewing external life as self, absence of negative emotions, absolute obedience, absence of property, penance, tolerance, and eventually complete motionlessness of the body.

Appendices (Chūlikās):

The two Chūlikās (Appendices) serve as a concluding crown to the Suttam's teachings. They are designed to eradicate any lingering thought of returning to householder life.

They highlight the horrors and miseries of worldly life, the transience of life, the short-lived nature of suffering, and the philosophical concept that returning to worldly life is like consuming vomited food.
They reiterate that the monk's path is against the current and full of hardships, but the ultimate goal is eternal bliss.

Philosophical and Stylistic Aspects:

Philosophical Tenets: The Suttam implicitly and explicitly presents several Jain philosophical tenets, including the concept of separate life principles in separate bodies, the non-all-pervading nature of the soul, the doctrine of patient suffering as penance, and the profound emphasis on non-violence as the foundational principle.
Historical Context: The text is traditionally attributed to Sejjambhava, a disciple of Prabhava, and is believed to be an epitome of the Āgama teachings, composed about 75-80 years after Mahāvīra's time. The presence of archaic forms, quotations from other texts, and commentaries by figures like Bhadrabāhu (flourished around Chandragupta Maurya's time) support this dating.
Language and Meter: The Suttam is written in a dignified and forceful style, characteristic of sutra literature. It utilizes archaic forms and a variety of meters, primarily Anustub and variations of the Vaitālīya meter, emphasizing poetic expression even at the cost of strict grammatical rules.

In essence, the Dasaveyaliya Suttam is a practical guide for Jain monks, meticulously detailing the path of renunciation, self-control, and unwavering commitment to non-violence as the means to achieve spiritual purification and liberation.