Drusthant Katha - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Drushtant Katha" by Shrimad Rajchandra and Paras Jain, based on the provided pages:

Overall Purpose:

"Drushtant Katha" is a compilation of illustrative stories designed to explain the twelve Bhavanas (meditations/reflections) central to Jain philosophy, as presented in Shrimad Rajchandra's "Bhavanabodh" and "Mokshamala." The book uses colorful illustrations to make the complex philosophical concepts more accessible and understandable, aiming to inspire detachment from worldly desires and foster a spiritual inclination in the reader.

Key Themes and Structure:

The book is structured around the twelve Bhavanas, with each Bhavana explained through a specific illustrative story (Drishtant). The aim is to help the reader grasp the essence of each Bhavana, thereby promoting dispassion (Vairagya) and leading towards spiritual liberation (Moksha).

Summary of Bhavanas and their Illustrative Stories:

Anitya Bhavana (Impermanence):
- Concept: Everything in the world is transient and perishable, like lightning, a rainbow, or waves on water. Attachment to these fleeting things leads to suffering.
- Story: The Beggar's Lament: A beggar, after receiving a meal, dreams of being a wealthy king. Upon waking up to his harsh reality, he experiences deep regret, realizing the illusory nature of his dream-pleasures. This story illustrates how worldly pleasures are as fleeting and insubstantial as a dream, and attachment to them causes sorrow.
Asharan Bhavana (Lack of Refuge):
- Concept: In the cycle of birth and death, no worldly possession, relationship, or power can truly offer refuge. Only the path of the omniscient (Jineshwara) provides ultimate solace.
- Story: Anathi Muni: King Shrenik encounters Anathi Muni, a sage who renounced worldly pleasures. Anathi Muni explains his renunciation by recounting a severe eye affliction he suffered. Despite his father's wealth, mother's love, brothers' efforts, and wife's devotion, no one could alleviate his pain. He realized his true refuge lay not in external help but in self-effort and detachment. This emphasizes that in times of extreme suffering, one is ultimately alone, and true refuge is found in spiritual practice.
Ekatva Bhavana (Oneness/Solitude):
- Concept: Ultimately, one is alone in experiencing happiness or suffering, birth or death. The idea of "I" and "mine" is an illusion.
- Story: King Nami Rajarshi and Indra: King Nami is tested by Indra, who appears in disguise and presents various worldly temptations and illusions. Nami steadfastly rejects them, emphasizing that his true self is separate from his body, kingdom, and relationships. He finds solace in his inherent solitude and self-reliance, seeing true "oneness" in his own pure soul. The story of Nami's bangles, where he realizes more possessions lead to more noise and distraction, further reinforces this.
Anyatva Bhavana (Otherness/Non-Self):
- Concept: Everything that appears to be "mine" – body, wealth, relationships, possessions – is ultimately not "mine." This realization leads to detachment.
- Story: Emperor Bharat: Emperor Bharat, a mighty ruler, observes a ring slipping off his finger, making the finger appear plain. This sparks a deep contemplation on how his beauty, body, and possessions are external and dependent on adornments. He realizes that his body is a mere shell of blood, flesh, and bones, and all external glories are temporary. This leads to profound dispassion and the attainment of Kevalgyan (omniscience).
Ashuchi Bhavana (Impurity):
- Concept: The physical body is inherently impure, a collection of excretions, susceptible to disease and decay. Attachment to this impure body is foolish.
- Story: Prince Sanat Kumar: Prince Sanat Kumar, a virtuous ruler, is tested by celestial beings who appear as Brahmins. They praise his physical beauty, but then, by subtly showing the illusory nature of his adornments and the potential impurity (like a chewed betel leaf turning poisonous), they awaken his understanding of the body's inherent impurity. This leads him to renounce his kingdom and embrace a life of austerity.
Nivritti Bodh (Renunciation/Detachment):
- Concept: Worldly pleasures are a source of suffering, while detachment and spiritual practice lead to true happiness. This Bhavana emphasizes the contrast between the two paths.
- Story: Mrigaputra: Prince Mrigaputra, while gazing at a Muni, gains recollection of past lives where he experienced immense suffering in hellish realms. He realizes the true pain of worldly existence and the temporary nature of pleasures. Despite his parents' pleas and the immense difficulties of ascetic life, he firmly embraces the path of renunciation, comparing his spiritual journey to that of a deer and his austerities to the "deer's way of life."
Asrava Bhavana (Influx of Karma):
- Concept: This Bhavana describes the various pathways through which karma enters the soul, leading to suffering. These include undisciplined senses, passions, and wrong beliefs.
- Story: Kundarik: Kundarik, the brother of King Pundarik, becomes ill due to excessive indulgence after his brother renounces the world. He abandons his spiritual vows and is reborn in hell, experiencing immense suffering due to his past actions and uncontrolled desires. This story illustrates how attachment to worldly pleasures and the breach of vows lead to severe karmic consequences.
Samvara Bhavana (Stoppage of Karma Influx):
- Concept: This Bhavana describes the methods to stop the influx of karma by controlling the senses, passions, and thoughts, and by adhering to righteous conduct.
- Story: Pundarik and Vajraswami:
  - Pundarik: After Kundarik's fall, Pundarik, who had initially taken to asceticism, overcomes his own temptations and adheres to his vows. This act of self-control leads him to a heavenly existence.
  - Vajraswami: A wealthy merchant's daughter, Rukmini, is smitten with the ascetic Vajraswami. Despite her seductive attempts and her father's generous offers, Vajraswami remains steadfast. Rukmini, realizing the futility of her efforts, eventually embraces asceticism herself, practicing self-control and renunciation.
Nirjara Bhavana (Shedding of Karma):
- Concept: This Bhavana focuses on the process of shedding accumulated karma through austerities and penance.
- Story: Drudhaprahari: Drudhaprahari, an outlaw, commits heinous crimes, including murder. Upon experiencing remorse after a calf's suffering, he undergoes severe penance and self-purification by standing in Kausarg (meditative posture) at the city gates, enduring abuse and hardship. Through this rigorous practice of Nirjara, he purifies himself and attains omniscience.
Lok Swaroop Bhavana (Understanding the Nature of the Universe):
- Concept: This Bhavana encourages understanding the structure and realms of the Jain universe (Loka), recognizing the transient nature of existence within it.
- Brief Mention: The text briefly describes the structure of the universe, mentioning different realms of existence (hells, human realms, heavens, and the Siddha Shila), emphasizing the vastness and cyclical nature of existence.
Bodhdurlabh Bhavana (Rarity of Right Knowledge):
- Concept: It is difficult to obtain true spiritual knowledge and understanding in this world.
- Brief Mention: This section highlights the rarity of acquiring right knowledge and practicing right conduct.
Dharmadurlabh Bhavana (Rarity of Righteousness/Religion):
- Concept: Finding a true spiritual guide and the opportunity to follow the righteous path is also rare.
- Brief Mention: This section emphasizes the difficulty of finding a spiritual teacher and the true teachings of Dharma.

Stories from Mokshamala included for further illustration:

Bahubali: Illustrates the dangers of pride and anger, even in great individuals. Bahubali, after a conflict with his brother Bharat over the kingdom, realizes his pride and renounces it, ultimately attaining Kevalgyan.
Kamdev Shravak: Demonstrates unwavering devotion and control over senses, even when faced with temptations by celestial beings.
Vasu Raja: Highlights the importance of truthfulness, even for kings, showing how a single untruth leads to loss of divine power and suffering.
Subhum Chakravarti: Illustrates the perils of excessive attachment and greed (parigraha), leading to the downfall of even a powerful emperor.
Sarva Jiv Raksha (Protection of All Souls) - Part 1 & 2: Emphasizes the Jain principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion towards all living beings.
- Abhay Kumar's Strategy: Abhay Kumar uses a clever stratagem to teach his king's ministers the hypocrisy of meat consumption by creating a scenario where they are asked to provide human flesh, thus demonstrating the inherent preciousness of life.
Vinay se Tattva ki Siddhi (Attainment of Truth through Humility): King Shrenik learns the importance of humility and respect when he has to humble himself before a low-caste man to acquire a special skill.
Sudarshan Sheth: A story about fidelity and the consequences of false accusations and the power of truth.
Anupam Kshama (Unparalleled Forgiveness): The story of Gajsukumar, who endures immense physical pain inflicted by a Brahmin without any hatred, leading to his spiritual liberation.
Kapil Muni (Parts 1, 2, 3): Illustrates the downfall caused by attachment to worldly desires and greed, even after gaining access to knowledge. Kapil's journey from student to indulging in worldly life and then ultimately realizing the futility of greed and attaining Kevalgyan.
Moksh Sukh (Bliss of Liberation): Explained through the analogy of a simple tribal man (Bhil) who, after experiencing royal luxuries, cannot describe their bliss to his family because he lacks adequate comparison, symbolizing the ineffable nature of Moksha.

Key Takeaways and Educational Value:

The book emphasizes:

The impermanence of worldly life and pleasures.
The necessity of self-reliance and the lack of ultimate refuge in worldly means.
The importance of detachment from possessions and relationships.
The inherent impurity of the physical body.
The suffering inherent in the cycle of birth and death (Samsara).
The need for renunciation and spiritual discipline.
The process of karma accumulation (Asrava) and its cessation (Samvara).
The shedding of karma through austerities (Nirjara).
The importance of truth, humility, forgiveness, and non-violence.
The pervasive nature of greed and its destructive consequences.
The ultimate ineffability and supreme bliss of liberation (Moksha).

The book serves as a practical guide for spiritual aspirants, using relatable stories to impart profound Jain teachings and encourage virtuous living.