Dharmamrut

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dharmamrut" based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Dharmamrut (ધર્મામૃત) Subtitle: The Nature of True Dharma (સુ-ધર્મનું સ્વરૂપ) Author: Dhirajlal Tokarshi Shah (ધીરજલાલ ટોકરશી શાહ) Publisher: Muktikamal Jain Mohan Granthmala (મુક્તિકમલ જૈન મેહનગ્રન્થમાળા) Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/022945/1

Overall Purpose and Context:

"Dharmamrut" is presented as the sixth installment in the "Dharmabodh Granthmala" (ધર્મબોધ ગ્રંથમાળા) series, a collection of twenty books aimed at imparting spiritual knowledge in an accessible style. This particular book focuses on defining and elaborating upon the nature of "true dharma" (સુધર્મ). The publishers express a commitment to making these valuable texts available at a low cost, even incurring a financial loss, for the propagation of religious understanding.

Key Themes and Content:

The book delves into various aspects of Dharma, emphasizing its importance in human life for welfare and liberation. It critiques misguided or "false" religions (કુધર્મ) and promotes a rational and ethical approach to spiritual understanding.

Here's a breakdown of the key sections and their content:

• The Importance of Dharma (ધર્મનું મહત્વ):

  • The Necessity of Right Thinking (સદ્દવિચાર): The book stresses that without right thinking, one cannot grasp the essence of truth, and without truth, there is no Dharma. Consequently, there can be no ultimate welfare, liberation, or peace.
  • The Consequences of Misguided Thinking (અવિચાર): It illustrates the dangers of unthinking adherence to tradition or misinterpretation of scriptures through the story of four foolish pundits. Their literal and uncritical application of verses leads them to absurd and harmful actions, highlighting the need for critical evaluation and understanding.
  • Obstacles to Thought Power (વિચારશક્તિ પર પડદો): The analogy of the man tasting honey while dangling precariously highlights how worldly attachments (sensual pleasures, family, wealth, status) can blind individuals to imminent dangers and distract them from seeking true refuge (Sada Guru and Sada Dharma).
  • The Difference Between the Wise and the Foolish (ડાહ્યા અને મૂર્ખમાં તફાવત): The wise person thinks before acting, adapts to circumstances, and learns from events. The foolish person acts impulsively, resists advice, and often faces failure or ruin. The story of the monkeys and the weaver bird illustrates this.
  • The Fundamental Flaw in Life (જીવનની મોટી ખોડ): The core issue in life is the absence of "thought" (વિચાર), which prevents the understanding of "truth" (તત્વ) and the accumulation of "Dharma."
  • The Nature of the Worldly Existence (સંસારનું સ્વરૂપ): Worldly pleasures are compared to fleeting waves, temporary moonlight, and ephemeral clouds. True happiness cannot be found in such transient things. The book quotes verses that describe worldly enjoyments as ultimately leading to sorrow and warns against attachment to sensory pleasures, possessions, and relationships, as death inevitably claims everyone.
  • The Praise of Dharma (ધર્મની પ્રશંસા): Numerous verses liken Dharma to an essential element that elevates life. Without Dharma, humans are like an elephant without tusks, a flower without fragrance, or a house without a deity. Dharma is presented as the foundation for a meaningful and respected life, essential for individual and societal well-being.
  • The Utility of Dharma (ધર્મની ઉપાદેયતા): Dharma is presented as the means to achieve wealth, desires, and ultimately, liberation. Proper adherence to Dharma leads to a good birth, physical and mental well-being, good fortune, long life, strength, fame, and knowledge.
  • The Fruit of Dharma (ધર્મનું ફલ): The text states that Dharma leads to birth in noble families, fulfillment of senses, good fortune, long life, strength, clear fame, knowledge, and wealth. It also provides protection during crises and ultimately leads to heavenly and liberated states.
  • The Opinion of Moralists (નીતિકારોને મત): Moralists emphasize that just as light dispels darkness, medicine cures disease, and nectar neutralizes poison, Dharma destroys sins.
  • Dharma as the Basis for World Peace (વિશ્વશાંતિનો આધાર ધર્મ): The book critically examines the failures of political organizations like the League of Nations and the UN in establishing lasting world peace, attributing these failures to a lack of genuine brotherly love and an over-reliance on military might and diplomacy. It argues that true peace can only be achieved through Dharma and the principles of non-violence.
  • Dharma as the Basis for State Prosperity (રાજ્યની આબાદીને આધાર ધર્મ): It critiques the self-serving nature of modern political systems, where promises of prosperity are often unfulfilled, leading to public dissatisfaction and suffering. It contrasts this with the ideal of a Dharma-based state that prioritizes justice, security, and individual freedom.
  • Dharma as the Basis for Social Order (સમાજની સુવ્યવસ્થાને આધાર ધર્મ): The text asserts that social order is founded on principles of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and contentment. It warns that the erosion of these virtues leads to societal breakdown. It also criticizes ideologies that promote class struggle and hatred.
  • Dharma as the Basis for Duty and Morality (કર્તવ્યપરાયણતા અને સદાચારનો આધાર ધર્મ): Dharma is presented as the driving force behind a sense of duty and moral conduct. Without Dharma, individuals are prone to moral corruption and failure.

• False Dharma and True Dharma (કુધર્મ અને સુધર્મ):

  • The State of the Common People (સામાન્ય જનસમૂહની દશા): The book observes that many people follow religious practices without critical examination, simply because they have been passed down through generations.
  • The Analogy of the Jewel Mine (રત્નખાણુનું દૃષ્ટાંત): This analogy illustrates that true spiritual progress requires moving beyond superficial religious practices (like iron, copper, or silver) and striving for the ultimate spiritual treasure (gems). One should not be satisfied with lesser achievements.
  • Renouncing Undesirable Dharma (કુત્સિત ધર્મને ત્યાગ કરે): It is argued that blindly following ancestral traditions without critical evaluation is wrong. If a practice is found to be detrimental, it should be abandoned, just as one would abandon a bad path or a wicked ruler.
  • Own Dharma and Other's Dharma (સ્વધર્મ અને પરધર્મ): "Own Dharma" is defined as the soul's inherent Dharma, not merely inherited traditions. "Other's Dharma" refers to the superficial practices of others. The emphasis is on following the path that leads to the soul's welfare.
  • Definition of Dharma (ધર્મની વ્યાખ્યા): The book critically examines various definitions of Dharma (nature, duty, morality, devotion, charity, good thoughts, service, knowledge, custom, ritual) and finds them all to be incomplete or flawed. It proposes that Dharma is essentially that which prevents one from falling into lower states of existence (dugati).
  • Testing True Dharma (કુધર્મ અને સુધર્મની પરીક્ષા): Drawing an analogy to testing gold, the book outlines four ways to test Dharma:
    1. Through Scriptures (શ્રુતેન): Examining if the scriptures are authoritative, consistent, and free from fabrication.
    2. Through Conduct (શીહેન): Observing if the Dharma promotes virtuous conduct or encourages moral transgression.
    3. Through Austerity (તપવડે): Assessing if the Dharma values self-discipline and penance.
    4. Through Compassion (દયાગુણવડે): Verifying if the Dharma upholds the principle of non-violence and compassion towards all beings.
  • The Foundational Principles of True Dharma (સુધર્મની તાત્વિક ભૂમિકા): This section outlines the six core principles of Jainism:
    1. The Soul Exists (આત્મા છે): There is an eternal soul within.
    2. The Soul is Eternal (આત્મા શાશ્વત છે): The soul is immortal and unchanging.
    3. The Soul is the Creator of Karma (આત્મા કર્મને કર્તા છે): The soul is responsible for its actions.
    4. The Soul is the Experiencer of Karma (આત્મા કર્મને ભોક્તા છે): The soul experiences the fruits of its karma.
    5. Liberation is Certain (મેાક્ષ અવશ્ય છે): Liberation from karmic bondage is achievable.
    6. True Dharma is the Path to Liberation (મેાક્ષપ્રાપ્તિને ઉપાય સુધર્મ છે): The path to liberation is through true Dharma.
  • The Tenacity of Atheists and Materialists (નાસ્તિકોની નફટાઈ, જડવાદીઓના જુલમ): The book refutes atheistic and materialistic viewpoints that deny the soul and its actions, highlighting how such beliefs can lead to immoral behavior and societal harm.
  • Proof of the Soul (આત્મા છે): The existence of the soul is argued through its unique properties of consciousness and its role as the director of bodily functions, even when the body is inert.
  • The Story of King Pradeshi (પ્રદેશી રાજાનું કથાનક): This significant narrative illustrates the transformation of a staunch materialist and skeptic, King Pradeshi, through the teachings of Ganadhar Keshi. The king's arguments against the soul, karma, and liberation are systematically dismantled by Keshi, leading the king to accept the Jain principles and attain liberation.
  • The Soul is Eternal (આત્મા શાશ્વત છે): This section refutes the theory of momentary existence (kshanikvada) by arguing that if the soul were constantly changing, it would be impossible to explain the continuity of experience, memory, and the cause-and-effect of karma.
  • The Soul is the Author of Karma (આત્મા કર્મને કર્તા છે): It explains that the soul's consciousness is the driving force behind actions. While the soul is inherently detached, its involvement with karmic matter creates bondage.
  • The Soul is the Experiencer of Karma (આત્મા કર્મને ભોક્તા છે): The principle of "as you sow, so shall you reap" is upheld. The soul experiences the results of its actions, whether positive or negative, without external intervention.
  • Liberation is Certain (મેાક્ષ અવશ્ય છે): The text asserts that liberation from the cycle of birth and death is achievable by purifying the soul and shedding all karmic attachments, similar to how gold is purified from impurities.
  • The Path to Liberation is True Dharma (મેાક્ષપ્રાપ્તિને ઉપાય સુધર્મ છે): It clarifies that the path to liberation is not through various conflicting doctrines or superficial practices but through the Jain principles of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct (Samyak Darshan, Samyak Gyan, Samyak Charitra). The example of Rajarshi Prasannachandra demonstrates how sincere spiritual practice can lead to liberation even within a single lifetime.

Overall Message:

"Dharmamrut" emphasizes the profound importance of Dharma for individual well-being, societal harmony, and ultimate spiritual liberation. It encourages readers to critically examine their beliefs and practices, to discern between true Dharma and false paths, and to diligently pursue the righteous path that leads to the soul's ultimate welfare. The book advocates for a life guided by reason, compassion, self-discipline, and adherence to the timeless Jain principles.