Dharm Ka Bij Aur Uska Vikas - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dharm ka Bij aur Uska Vikas" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, based on the provided pages:

Overall Theme: The book explores the fundamental seed of "Dharma" (righteousness, duty, spiritual path) and its development, arguing that it is intrinsically linked to the life-preserving and community-oriented instincts present in all living beings, culminating in human ethical and spiritual evolution.

Page 1: The Elusive Definition of Dharma and the Need for a Universal Approach

The author begins by acknowledging the vast number of definitions for "Dharma" (around seven hundred), yet notes that they often exclude major religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
He attributes this limitation to the inherent bias of interpreters who tend to define Dharma based on their own specific sect, scripture, or founder (e.g., Quran and Muhammad, Bible and Christ, Vedas and Puranas).
This sectarian approach creates divisions: monotheists cannot encompass atheistic religions, and vice versa. Consequently, most definitions are incomplete.
The central question is whether understanding Dharma through words is even possible. The answer is both "yes" and "no." "No" because true understanding requires inner experience, not just words. "Yes" because words can provide a hint or awareness, but this awareness will always be secondary to direct experience.
Therefore, the author commits to defining Dharma not from a sectarian viewpoint that excludes others, but based on observable truths that any sensible person can experience, making it universally applicable. He acknowledges that verbal descriptions cannot match the clarity of direct experience.

Page 2: The Seed of Dharma: Life-Preservation and Social Instincts

The text contrasts the focus of Purva Mimamsa (ritual and duty) with Uttara Mimamsa (Brahma and the ultimate reality). The modern question, however, is about the "seed" of Dharma and its initial form.
The author identifies the fundamental instinct of "Jijivisha" (the will to live) as the core of Dharma. This instinct is not limited to humans but exists even in the smallest organisms like insects and bacteria.
Crucially, Jijivisha inherently contains the desire for happiness (known or unknown) and the drive to avoid suffering or unpleasantness. This trio – the will to live, the desire for happiness, and the aversion to pain – forms the seed of Dharma.
No living being, however small or large, can survive in isolation. They instinctively seek and rely on their "jatiy dal" (community or group of their own kind).
Living within a community provides not only comfort and happiness but also the opportunity to help others within the group. This is observed in ants, bees, termites, birds, and monkeys, who actively protect their communities even at personal risk.
This communal instinct, deeply ingrained even in seemingly simple beings, is not separate from their will to live. The satisfaction of their Jijivisha is dependent on receiving and giving help within their group. Therefore, the seed of Dharma lies in this instinct to seek help from and offer help to one's community. Without this, Dharma would not have arisen.

Page 3: The Evolution of Communal Instinct and Dharma's Foundation

The communal instinct, whether considered genetic or acquired, is an essential part of developed humanity as well, from primitive to civilized states.
While the intensity of this communal instinct varies with the stage of life development, it remains a constant. Even an implicit or vague communal tendency can be considered the basis of the Dharma seed.
In simple terms, the seed of Dharma is the inclination to do what is beneficial for individual and community life and to avoid what is detrimental.

Page 4: Expanding Love and the Potential for Higher Dharma

As humans develop, their sense of belonging and affection ("mamatva" or "atm iyata" – sense of mine-ness or relation) expands beyond parents and family.
Initially, one might consider their village as their "country," then their nation, and for some, this affection extends to all humanity and even all living beings.
This expansive affection is referred to as "moha" (attachment) when limited and "prema" (love) when boundless or unconditional.
Dharma is present in both attachment and love. However, attachment can sometimes distort Dharma into unrighteousness ("adharma"), while love reveals the pure form of Dharma.
Humanity possesses the capacity to progress towards "prema-dharma" (Dharma of love). This developmental force, when distorted, can lead to behavior worse than animals, explaining the dualistic "deva-asura" (divine-demonic) tendencies in humanity.
Despite these struggles, the human soul is the ultimate source of the highest and most complete manifestation of Dharma.
True Dharma operates beyond the limitations of country, time, caste, language, dress, or customs. Its full development is the goal.
The Rishis' saying, "Kurbaneveha karmani jijivishat shatam samah" (Living a hundred years, one should perform actions), emphasizes performing one's duty.
Duty is summarized by "Tena tyaktena bhunjitha" (Enjoy through that which is renounced) and "Ma gridhah kasyachit dhanam" (Do not covet anyone's wealth). This means enjoying with renunciation and without the urge to seize others' possessions or happiness.
The essence is to develop the innate communal instinct with intelligence and discernment for the benefit of all. This is the potential development of the Dharma seed in humanity.

Page 5: Beyond Physical Life: The Evolution of the Desire for Immortality

From the perspective of the history of philosophical thought, the desire for immortality found in all living beings, from the smallest to the largest, is initially limited to physical existence.
Non-human creatures desire to live forever but their vision doesn't extend beyond their current physical life. They cannot contemplate past or future lives.
However, with the dawn of humanity, this perspective changed. Thousands of years ago, humans began to look beyond their present physical life.
Unsatisfied with mere physical existence, humans developed the concept of post-mortem immortality and devised various means to achieve it. This led to the development of paths like sacrifice, rituals, vows, austerities, meditation, devotion, pilgrimage, and charity.
The author emphasizes that all these methods of seeking continued existence rely on communal practices and sentiments. Even seemingly solitary paths like meditation ultimately require support or the transmission of acquired virtues to others for complete fulfillment.
Just as physical communal life is necessary, so too is mental or spiritual communal life beyond the physical.

Page 6: Towards Bodiless Immortality and the Concept of Universal Life

When the human vision extended beyond heavenly or prolonged afterlife existence to the idea of disembodied immortality, new methods were sought.
The ultimate goal remained bodiless immortality. While humans primarily thought of individual immortality, their vision was not entirely free from communal instinct.
Even those who sought or achieved liberation often strived for the liberation of others in their category. This desire to form a community of liberated beings is also a communal aspect.
This led to the understanding that individual liberation is incomplete as long as even one being suffers or is bound by desires.
Regardless of how far the aspiration for immortality progressed beyond physical existence, the relationship between individual and communal life was never severed.
In the history of philosophical thought, alongside the recognition of individual life differences, the concept of undivided life or the "Akhanda Brahma" (undivided Universal Being) emerged.
It began to be believed that while individual lives may appear distinct, truly, from insects to humans, and even in inanimate creation, a single life force, expressed in various forms (known or unknown), exists, which is called Brahma.
From this perspective, no individual is truly separate from others. Thus, individual immortality merges into communal immortality.
In conclusion, whether viewed from the perspective of individual life differences or the undivided Brahma life, the same realization emerges: communal instinct is an inherent part of individual life, its development is possible to the greatest extent in humanity, and the Dharma paths evolve accordingly.
The Rishi's earlier statement about performing actions and living with renunciation encapsulates these pathways, signifying the purification of communal life and the complete development of Dharma, achievable by humanity through discernment and effort.

Page 7: Summary of Dharma Seed Development and the Author's Perspective

The book outlines two ways the Dharma seed develops in humanity:
1. Developed Human Life/Consciousness: The evolution of human life and consciousness serves as the foundation for Dharma's growth.
2. Liberation Beyond Rebirth: The desire to transcend the concept of self as body and achieve freedom from the cycle of rebirth.
The ultimate essence of this development is captured in the Rishi's saying (mentioned earlier), which guides both individual and social welfare.
The author states that the "Dharma of Dharma and Society" collection reflects his understanding of Dharma as revealed by this Rishi's saying.
He acknowledges that some articles might appear to target specific groups. This is because they were written with a particular audience in mind, addressing their immediate concerns and contexts.
This explains why some articles have a strong Jain tradition connection and others use philosophical terminology.
However, if these articles are read in the light of the author's overarching Dharma perspective, readers will understand his views on the mutual relationship between Dharma and society.
The author concludes by noting that the same truth can be expressed in various ways depending on time and place.

In essence, "Dharm ka Bij aur Uska Vikas" presents a compelling argument that the foundational element of Dharma is the instinct for life and well-being, deeply intertwined with social interdependence. This instinct, present in all life forms, finds its most profound expression and development in humanity, leading to ethical, spiritual, and communal evolution towards universal love and the betterment of all beings.