Jain Darshan Me Man

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jain Darshan me Man" by Bacchraj Duggad, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Jain Darshan me Man (The Mind in Jain Philosophy) Author: Bacchraj Duggad

Core Theme: The book explores the concept of "Man" (mind) within the framework of Jain philosophy, emphasizing its crucial role in the path to liberation (moksha) and the process of knowledge acquisition.

Key Arguments and Concepts:

• Mind as Central to Philosophy and Moksha: Jain philosophy, like other Indian philosophical systems, primarily focuses on understanding reality (tattva) and the means to achieve liberation (moksha). The text highlights that the control and mastery of the mind are presented as essential components of the path to moksha. Overcoming desires and controlling the "vikaras" (disturbances) of the mind, speech, and body are stated as prerequisites for liberation.

• Mind in Epistemology (Jnana Mimamsa): The mind is considered indispensable in the pursuit of knowledge (jnana). It acts as an intermediary, working with the senses to grasp objects of knowledge (gyeya). Therefore, any discussion on knowledge inevitably involves the mind.

• Western vs. Jain Understanding of the Mind: While Western philosophers have extensively contemplated the mind, and modern psychology is a product of Western thought, Jain philosophy offers a distinct perspective. The text notes that foundational questions regarding the nature of the mind, its relationship with material objects and physical organs, and whether it is singular or divisible, have been addressed by thinkers from Plato to Freud in the West.

• Jain Perspective: Mind is Not an Independent Substance: In Jainism, the mind (Man) is not considered an independent substance or quality. Instead, it is understood as a specific quality or mode of the soul (Atma) when it manifests as "Bhava Man" (experiential mind). The activity of the mind is also seen as contingent upon karma and no-karma (external factors).

• The Triad: Atma, Karma, and No-Karma: To understand the state of the mind, it's crucial to understand the interplay of three elements:

  • Atma (Soul): Characterized by consciousness, the soul is the conscious, conscious-form, and conscious-filled substance. However, the development of consciousness varies among souls, and this variation is influenced by karma.
  • Karma: This refers to the subtle material particles attracted by the soul's activities and become one with it. The functioning of karma relies on "no-karma."
  • No-Karma: These are the auxiliary materials for karma's fruition, encompassing external circumstances like matter, place, time, and mental states.

• Defining the Mind (Man): The text offers several definitions of the mind:

  • "Man" is the act of thinking (manan karna).
  • It is that through which thinking occurs.
  • Dhavala defines it as that which knows well through processes like "iha" (investigation), "avaya" (inference), "dharana" (retention), memory, recognition, logic, etc.
  • The commentary on Dravyasangraha describes it as a web of various resolutions and deliberations.
  • A comprehensive definition from Jain Siddhanta Deepika states that the mind operates on objects apprehended by the senses, knows subjects like sound and form, and integrates knowledge of the past, present, and future.

• Functions of the Mind: The primary functions of the mind are identified as memory, contemplation, and imagination. It acts as a catalyst for sensory knowledge. The Nandi Sutra enumerates its functions as: "iha" (investigation), "apoha" (analysis), "margana" (search), "gaveshana" (exploration), "chinta" (thought), and "vimarsha" (reflection). Acharya Siddhasen adds to this list: doubt, intuition, dream knowledge, reasoning, pleasure-pain, forgiveness, and desire.

• Conscious vs. Unconscious Mind (Jain Perspective): According to Jainism, the mind arises from the combination of conscious and unconscious (material) substances. When the soul is completely free from karma, there is no mind. Therefore, from a Jain viewpoint, there are two types of minds:

  • Conscious Mind (Jnanatmak Man / Bhava Man): This is the experiential and cognitive aspect of the soul.
  • Material Mind (Paudgalik Man): This is the physical basis that supports the conscious mind. It is essential for the conscious mind's functioning but lacks inherent knowledge power. Mental activities result from the union of both. The conscious mind's operation is a level of consciousness development, supported by the nervous system, brain, and "manovargana" (mind-matter streams).

• Relativity of Mind and Brain: There is a deep connection between the mind and the brain. Senses grasp objects, the brain processes sensations, and the mind evaluates them (deciding what to accept or reject). The brain is a primary instrument for the mind's activity; if the brain is impaired, the mind is also affected. However, they are not entirely dependent.

• Relativity of Mind and Senses: Senses and the mind are the instruments for "mati-jnana" (sensory knowledge) and "shruta-jnana" (scriptural knowledge). The process involves:

  • Vyanjana: Proper proximity of the knower and the object.
  • Darshana: Comprehension of the general form of the object.
  • Samsaya: Indecisive deliberation about the object's nature.
  • Iha: Examination of the object's properties (present and absent).
  • Avaya: Determination of the object's nature.
  • Dharana: Stabilization of the object's nature. Senses are involved up to "Darshana," while the mind's work begins from "Artha-vagraha" (meaning-comprehension). The mind can engage with only one sense at a time. The "Bhava Man" is focused and becomes one with the object it uses the senses to apprehend. The senses are meaningful only when the mind follows. Without senses, the mind is crippled, able only to contemplate what it has previously experienced. Senses grasp only the current state of material objects, while the mind grasps multiple forms of both material and immaterial things across time, hence its designation as "sarvarthagrahi" (all-comprehending).

• Immateriality of the Mind's Action: The mind does not have a direct physical connection with objects. If it did, contemplating fire would cause burning, and contemplating sandalwood would bring coolness. Therefore, the mind's actions are immaterial.

• Location of the Mind: According to the author of Gommatasara, the mind is located in the heart. However, some Yoga scholars believe it pervades the entire body wherever vital air (prana) exists.

• Is the Mind a Sense? From the Jain perspective, the mind is "anindriya" (non-sense). This means it doesn't apprehend a specific, limited object like other senses. Therefore, it is not considered a sense in the same way. The Dhavalakara states that "Indra" refers to the soul's organ or faculty. The mind is not apprehended by external senses like other senses, hence it is "anindriya," meaning similar to a sense but distinct.

• Who is the Subject of the Mind? All beings capable of "garbhaja pancendriya" (born through conception and possessing five senses) are subjects of the developed mind. In the context of "sanghi-shruta" (those with developed consciousness and scripture-based knowledge), other beings can also be subjects. Beings with "hetuvada-upadesiki sangya" (rational, instructive consciousness) can act towards the desirable and away from the undesirable without extensive deliberation. Those with "dirghakaliki sangya" (long-term consciousness) can achieve critical, temporal knowledge of objects through investigation and search. The true and full development of mental knowledge occurs in beings with "samyagdrishti sangya" (right view).

• Various States of the Mind: Jain yoga texts describe different states of the mind, particularly in relation to the levels of spiritual development:

  • Bahiratma (External Soul): One who finds no inner substance and sees value only in external objects.
  • Antaratma (Internal Soul): One who begins to see value within themselves, experiencing inner bliss, power, and consciousness.
  • Paramatma (Supreme Soul): A state of pure consciousness where the mind ceases to exist.

  The Sthanangasutra categorizes the mind into three types:

  1. Tanman: Mind fixed on the goal.
  2. Tadanyaman: Mind fixed on something other than the goal.
  3. No-Aman: Aimless wandering of the mind. It also outlines three mental states:
  4. Sumanaskata: Mental happiness.
  5. Durmanaskata: Mental distress.
  6. No-Manaskata and No-Durmanaskata: Mental indifference or neutrality.

  Acharya Hemachandra, influenced by Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and Vyasa's commentary, describes mental states in his Yoga Shastra:

  • V Ljubljeni: Distracted mind.
  • Yatyata: Wandering mind.
  • Shlishta: Focused mind.
  • Sulina: Deeply absorbed mind.

  Building on these, Acharya Shri Tulsi in "Manonushasan" outlines:

  • Muddha: Mind engrossed in false views and practices, dominated by delusion, reflecting only the external world and circumstances, lacking stability.
  • V Ljubljeni: Mind that wanders, not remaining fixed on one object. This is a preliminary stage towards stability, with an inclination to introspection.
  • Yatyata: Mind that alternates between introversion and extroversion.
  • Shlishta: Mind fixed on the object of meditation, but without complete unity between the meditator and the object.
  • Sulina: Mind firmly established in the object of meditation, where the meditator forgets their own existence, but the mind's activity (memory of the object) persists.
  • Niruddha: Mind devoid of external support, turned solely towards the self. Here, even the memory of the object ceases, and the activity of senses and mind stops.

• Means of Mind Control (Manonirodha): The text discusses methods for controlling the mind, drawing from texts like Uttaradhyayana and Manonushasan, and noting parallels with Patanjali's Yoga Darshan and Buddhist teachings:

  • Introversion of Consciousness: When the flow of consciousness turns inward, thoughts and memories are naturally restrained.
  • Detachment (Vairagya): Clarity of self-knowledge leads to detachment.
  • Strong Faith (Shraddha): Intense faith aids mental concentration.
  • Relaxation (Shithilikaran): Physical relaxation is a key to mental control. Physical restlessness fuels the mind. Relaxation of intention and breath facilitates mind control.
  • Meditation (Dhyana): Focusing the mind on a single object reduces its restlessness. Uttaradhyayana also states that concentration leads to the cessation of mental fluctuations and thought processes.

Conclusion: The book "Jain Darshan me Man" provides a thorough exposition of the Jain philosophical understanding of the mind, its functions, its relationship with other elements like the soul and karma, and its vital role in spiritual progress and the achievement of liberation. It emphasizes the practical methods for controlling and purifying the mind.