Jain Darshan Aur Yoga Sadhna

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Jain Darshan aur Yoga Sadhna" by Kamla Mataji, focusing on the concepts discussed in the given pages:

The text, "Jain Darshan aur Yoga Sadhna" by Kamla Mataji, highlights the profound and inseparable connection between Jain philosophy (Darshan) and Yogic practice (Yoga Sadhna). The author asserts that the union of Jainism and Yoga is as essential as milk and water, emphasizing that without the control of the three types of "Yogas" (activities of mind, speech, and body), the soul (Atma) cannot attain its pure, unadulterated state.

The text observes the modern trend of organizing camps and retreats for practices like Vipassana and other meditations, all aimed at achieving peace. While physical (Kaya) and verbal (Vachan) yogas can be relatively stabilized through such practices, the control of the mental (Mano) yoga is presented as a significant challenge due to its inherent swiftness and difficulty in being naturally subdued.

To illustrate this point, the author references the Uttaradhyayan Sutra, specifically the 23rd chapter. In a dialogue, Keshiswami poses a question to Bhagavan Gautama about how one can avoid being carried away by the mind, likened to a galloping horse. Bhagavan Gautama's response emphasizes the importance of maintaining a constant hold on the reins of the mind through continuous contemplation.

This contemplation is rooted in the core Jain understanding of the self: "Ego me sasao appa, naan-dasan sanjuto. Sesā me bāhirā bhāvā, savve sanjogalakkhaṇā." This translates to: "Only one eternal soul am I, endowed with knowledge and perception. All other states and substances are external to me; they are connected with me only through association, and in reality, I have no relation to them." The essence of this realization is to internalize these words and understand that external possessions and relationships, which we often mistakenly consider our own due to an eternal habit, are merely transient associations. This lack of true understanding leads to a mistaken perception of permanence in the impermanent, causing us to chase happiness externally.

The text then draws a parallel with participants in meditation camps. They often travel with minimal possessions and detach themselves from their familial lives during the course of the sadhana. While they may form strong bonds with fellow participants, they recognize that these relationships are temporary. This detachment, even if partial, leads to a sense of peace during the practice. However, upon returning home, the old patterns of attachment, aversion, and negative emotions resurface.

The core message is that peace is attained in proportion to the effort made to detach oneself from both animate and inanimate worldly possessions and attachments (sachitta-achitta). This is precisely why Jainism prescribes Mahavratas (great vows) and Anuvratas (minor vows). These external disciplines are crucial for liberation from external attachments. However, freedom from internal attachments (prābhyantar upādhi) requires continuous practice and constant vigilance.

The author cites Bhagavan Mahavir's twelve and a half years of deep contemplation leading to omniscience as an example of overcoming internal afflictions. Scriptures often describe the daily spiritual regimen as involving study (Svadhyaya) in the first part of the day and meditation in the second. This signifies the use of scriptural knowledge (Jnana-roopi sutra) as a guiding principle to control impure thoughts through meditation, progressing from negative to positive states, and ultimately towards purity.

The path followed by enlightened beings is presented as the path for all auspicious beings. While negative mental activities contribute to karmic bondage, positive mental activities, when progressively purified, can lead to perfection in a very short time. Speech and body yogas are seen as being guided by the mind. Even after attaining Kevalgyan (omniscience) and Kevaldarshan (omniscience), beings are referred to as "Sanyogi-kevali" (embodied omniscients), still bound by four non-destructive karmas. This illustrates the pervasive influence of yogas.

Ultimately, the text concludes that when the "yogas" are completely controlled and subdued, the soul attains liberation (Siddhatva) in a fleeting moment. Therefore, it is imperative to remain constantly vigilant and strive to observe and manage both auspicious and inauspicious yogas. By freeing oneself from the "water-like" yogas and attaining the "milk-like" pure selfhood, one can successfully overcome afflictions, diseases, and worldly burdens. Hence, Yoga Sadhana holds a paramount position within Jain Darshan. The concluding lines poetically express the idea of the mind becoming stable and at peace when it is rooted in the self.