Jain Shraman Parampara Ka Dharm Darshan - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Jain Shraman Parampara ka Dharm Darshan" by Fulchandra Jain Shastri:

Book Title: Jain Shraman Parampara ka Dharm Darshan (The Religious Philosophy of the Jain Shraman Tradition) Author: Fulchandra Jain Shastri Publisher: Z_Deshbhushanji_Maharaj_Abhinandan_Granth_012045.pdf

This text delves into the philosophical underpinnings of the Jain Shraman tradition, presenting it as a profound and ancient path to spiritual liberation.

The Essence of the Shraman: The term "Shraman" (originally "Samana") is explained as embodying three core characteristics:

Control over the Senses: Shramanas have brought their five senses under control.
Victory over Passions: They have conquered their inner passions (Kashayas).
Equanimity: They maintain an even-mindedness towards friends and foes, pleasure and pain, praise and criticism, dirt and gold, and life and death. The path of the Shraman is characterized by continuous devotion to Right Faith (Samyak Darshan), Right Knowledge (Samyak Gyan), and Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra). This tradition, currently known as Jainism or the religion of the Self, represents an unbroken lineage of Shraman culture.

The Philosophical Foundation: Every religion has a discernible philosophy, and Jainism's is built upon the principle of individual freedom. To understand this philosophy, one must grasp its "Tattva-Prarupana" (exposition of fundamental principles). The text identifies two primary categories of Tattva-Prarupana:

Cosmic Structure: The arrangement and nature of the universe.
Path to Liberation: The principles guiding the journey to moksha (liberation). These two categories are intricately linked and cannot be separated, though they are divided for clarity of purpose.

Cosmic Structure and the Six Substances (Dravyas): From a cosmic perspective, there are six fundamental substances (Dravyas), which are eternal, infinite, and uncreated:

Jiva (Soul): Conscious entities.
Pudgala (Matter): Non-conscious, physical substance.
Dharma (Medium of Motion): Enables movement.
Adharma (Medium of Rest): Enables rest.
Kala (Time): The cause of change.
Akasha (Space): The receptacle for all substances.

Except for Kala (Time), which is singular in its essence and does not possess multiple regions, the other five are considered "Astitkaya" (substances with multiple parts or extensions). Pudgala is considered multi-regional in terms of its potential or capacity.

Quantity of Substances:

Jiva: Infinite.
Pudgala: Infinitely more numerous than Jiva.
Dharma, Adharma, Akasha: Each is singular.
Kala: Innumerable.

The Nature of Substance (Dravya): All these substances are distinct in their inherent nature, yet they share a common characteristic that earns them the designation "Dravya." This characteristic is defined as: "That which is characterized by origination, cessation, and permanence is Sat. Sat is the characteristic of Dravya." (Uttpad-vyaya-dhrauvy-yutam sat).

The text elaborates on this:

Sat (Existence) and Dravya are inseparable: Though sometimes viewed as the characterized and the characteristic, they are ultimately one.
Absence is also a characteristic: Even what appears as absence is understood as a transformation of its inherent nature.
Unchanging Essence, Changing Manifestations: No Sat is ever destroyed, and no Asat ever originates. Yet, Sat is not static; it is dynamic. Therefore, Sat is understood as a trinity of origination (utpad), cessation (vyaya), and permanence (dhrauvya).
Permanence and Change Coexist: Due to its inherent nature, a substance is permanent (dhruva). Due to its changing modes or states (paryaya), it undergoes origination and cessation. These three aspects occur simultaneously within a substance, without temporal separation. The origination of a new state is the cessation of the previous one, but they are accepted as distinct due to their different characteristics.
Anant-kanta (Many-sidedness): This inherent dynamic nature of substances is the reason each substance is described as "anant-kanta" (non-one-sided or many-sided) in Jain scriptures.

Agency and Causation: The text addresses the question of whether origination and cessation are self-caused or caused by others.

One-sidedness leads to flaws: Accepting either extreme (self-caused or other-caused) leads to logical inconsistencies.
Balanced Causation: The resolution is that no substance is made by another; it happens to itself. Therefore, each substance is its own doer of origination and cessation. It is the agent, the object, the instrument, the recipient, the source, and the location of its own transformations.
"Para" (Other) as an Enabler: While substances are inherently self-sufficient, their modifications occur in conjunction with "Para" (others) due to an inseparable relationship. "Para" acts as an enabler or a secondary cause, not the primary creator. Attributing the action solely to "Para" would imply an illogical oneness between two distinct substances. This illustrates the practical application of anekanta (non-one-sidedness).
Behavioral Causation: Origination and cessation are intrinsically self-caused because they are inherent to the substance's nature. However, there's a behavioral aspect where "Para" is considered a cause because of the inseparable relationship and its role as an enabler.

The Soul and Karma:

Self-Reliance of the Soul: The soul is inherently self-reliant. It is through attachment to others (belief in oneness with non-self) and its own faults that the soul creates its cycle of transmigration, characterized by attachment (raga), aversion (dwesha), and delusion (moha).
Karma as a Facilitator, Not the Creator: The transformation of karmic matter (Pudgala) is not the ultimate cause of the soul's worldly existence. The soul itself gives rise to ignorant and passionate states. While the soul is the doer of these inner states, the bondage of karmic matter (like knowledge-obscuring karma) occurs through a continuous, causal relationship.
Nimitta-Naimittika (Enabling-Enabled) Relationship: Whenever the soul forms a sense of oneness or attachment/aversion towards external objects, karmic particles with the potential for transformation are drawn to it, forming a spatial union. When the time for fruition arrives, these karmas act as facilitators in providing their respective fruits. This soul-karma bondage has been an ongoing process since time immemorial due to this enabling-enabled relationship.

The Journey to Liberation (Moksha Marga): Out of the six substances, four are always engaged in their inherent nature. Jiva and Pudgala are the two that undergo modifications. Pudgala, while retaining its core nature, can bind with other Pudgala under certain conditions, forming aggregates (skandhas).

The soul, however, does not inherently bind itself to karma and become subject to suffering. Its suffering stems from an eternal forgetfulness of its true nature. This forgetfulness leads to its suffering and rebirths. The primary purpose of the second category of Tattva-Prarupana in Jain scriptures is to guide the soul to realize its true self, understand the root causes of its suffering (ignorance, attachment, aversion), and find a way to overcome them.

The path to liberation is realized through three stages of the soul:

Self-Realization (Atmānu-bhūti): Experiencing one's true self.
Self-Knowledge (Ātma-jñāna): Understanding the nature of the self.
Self-Conduct (Ātma-charyā): Living in accordance with one's true nature.

Right Faith (Samyak Darshan) is the foundation of this path. The nine substances or seven tattvas are explained to facilitate this understanding, with the soul being the central focus. The aim is to recognize oneself as pure consciousness, an eternal, unbroken light, distinct from all external circumstances and identifications (like states of existence such as hellish, human, divine, etc.). This realization empowers the soul to move towards liberation and self-realization.

Stages of the Spiritual Path: The text outlines a progression for spiritual aspirants:

First Stage (Layman/Householder - Shravaka): Characterized by knowledge and detachment, the aspirant undertakes the following:
- Abandonment of Five Udumbar Fruits and other forbidden items: Complete renunciation of items like milk, honey, and certain fruits that involve hidden violence.
- Eight Gunas (Qualities/Vows): These are the eight core vows for householders.
- Worship of Vitraga Devas (Passionless Teachers), Nirgrantha Gurus (Unattached Ascetics), and Jināgama (Scriptures): Adherence to the teachings of the enlightened.
- Ethical Livelihood: Engaging in professions that do not involve intentional violence.
Second Stage (Ascetic Aspirant - Shramanopāsaka): This stage involves adherence to twelve vows:
- Five Anuvratas (Minor Vows): Partial restrictions on violence, untruth, stealing, unchastity, and possessions.
- Three Gunavratas (Consolidating Vows): Vows that strengthen the minor vows.
- Four Shikshāvrata (Training Vows): Vows to practice and expand the practice of the first two categories.
- Fault Rectification: If vows are broken, the aspirant confesses and rectifies the faults under the guidance of a guru, striving for continuous improvement.
Third Stage (Ascetic - Shramana): This is the stage of Mahavratas (Great Vows). The ascetic, guided by a guru, observes 28 qualities (Gunas):
- Five Mahavratas: Complete non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy/chastity, and non-possession.
- Five Samitis (Careful Conduct): Vigilance in movement, speech, eating, handling objects, and excretion.
- Five Indriyajaya (Control of Senses): Conquering the five senses.
- Six Āvaśyaka (Essential Duties): Daily practices like equanimity, praise, meditation, penance, and auspicious rites.
- Seven Remaining Gunas: Including practices like eating only once a day, using hands as a bowl for alms, hair-plucking (kesh-lunchan), remaining naked, and sleeping lightly on the ground.

The text clarifies that these practices are not meant to inflict suffering on the body, which is considered inert. The true purpose is to detach the soul from the body and to act without being driven by attachment or aversion. These seemingly difficult practices are seen as essential duties by the ascetic.

Rejection of Misconceptions and the Enduring Nature of Jainism: The text concludes by addressing potential misconceptions about Jainism:

Not a Reformist Movement: Jainism was not created as a reformist religion. Its core philosophical texts, such as Shatkhandagama, Kashayaprāmr̥ta, the works of Kundakunda, Mulachara, Ratnakaranda Shravakāchāra, and Bhagavatisūtra, reveal its ancient and original nature. Those who label it as a modern or reformist religion likely have not studied these foundational scriptures thoroughly.
Contribution to Indian Culture: The current form of Indian culture is a blend of Vedic and Shramanic traditions. The text emphasizes that Shramanic culture has significantly enriched Indian culture.
Key Tenets Highlighted:
- Intrinsic Capability of Substances: Every substance is capable of performing its functions intrinsically. This inherently negates the absolute efficacy of external factors (Para-tatva).
- Cultivation of Passionlessness (Vitragata): The central aim of this philosophy is for the individual to achieve passionlessness. Non-violence (Ahimsa) is a direct manifestation of passionlessness. While Ahimsa is emphasized as a practical means, the core purpose is the inner state of Vitragata.
- Ahimsa as a Natural Consequence: The prohibition of violence in rituals like sacrifices (Yajña) is not the primary objective. Rather, the adoption of Ahimsa in life naturally leads to the rejection of such violence.

The text asserts that Jainism is eternal (Sanatana) and has left an indelible mark on Indian life, which is a natural outcome of cultural exchange between neighboring traditions.