Kashaymukti Kil Muktirev

This document, titled "Kashaymukti Kil Muktirev" (Liberation from Kashays is indeed Liberation) by Sagarmal Jain, delves deeply into the Jain concept of kashayas and their paramount importance in achieving spiritual liberation. The book asserts that the path of Jain practice is fundamentally a journey of conquering these kashayas.

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided text:

1. The Core Concept: Kashayas and Liberation

• Definition of Kashaya: Kashaya is a technical term in Jainism referring to mental tendencies or impulses that defile the soul, diminish inner virtues, lead to bondage, and perpetuate the cycle of birth and death. While other traditions (Buddhism and Hinduism) use the term, its extensive and central use is characteristic of Jain philosophy.
• The Ultimate Goal: The central thesis of the book is that "Kashaymukti hi muktirev" – freedom from kashayas is true liberation. This is a direct quote attributed to Acharya Haribhadra.

2. The Origin and Nature of Kashayas

• Root Cause: Rag and Dwesh: Jain scriptures like the Dashavaikalik Sutra and Uttaradhyayan Sutra identify rag (attachment, desire, affection) and dwesh (aversion, hatred, dislike) as the seeds of karma and the origin of kashayas.
• Intertwined Nature: The text explains that dwesh arises in the presence of rag. Therefore, at the fundamental level, rag or attachment is considered the primary cause of all kashayas.
• Four Primary Kashayas: The four main kashayas are identified as:
  1. Krodh (Anger): A mental but stimulating impulse leading to aggression.
  2. Maan (Pride/Ego): Arises from excessive self-esteem, leading to arrogance.
  3. Maya (Deceit/Delusion): Involves trickery, dishonesty, and hypocrisy.
  4. Lobh (Greed/Attachment): An insatiable desire for accumulation and possession.
• Nuance in Interpretation: The text acknowledges different philosophical perspectives (from the Vishweshavashyak Bhashya) on the classification of these kashayas as rag-driven or dwesh-driven, depending on the naya (perspective). However, it concludes that these four are ultimately external manifestations of a person's rag-dwesh tendencies.

3. The Relationship Between Kashayas and Mithyatva (Delusion/Ignorance)

• The Debate: A significant philosophical debate exists in Jainism regarding the primacy of mithyatva (delusion or ignorance) and kashayas in causing bondage.
  • One school of thought, often associated with Kanji Swami's followers, argues that mithyatva is the fundamental cause of bondage, and kashayas are secondary because they arise from mithyatva.
  • Another school, associated with Acharya Vidyasagar, contends that kashayas, particularly the anantanubandhi (eternally binding) kashayas, are the primary cause of bondage, as mithyatva cannot exist without them.
• Interdependence: The text emphasizes that mithyatva and kashayas are mutually dependent, like a chicken and an egg. Mithyatva cannot exist without kashayas, and kashayas cannot arise or be sustained without mithyatva. They are intertwined and cannot be definitively separated in terms of their origin or importance.

4. Kashayas and Karmic Bondage

• Five Causes of Bondage: Jain philosophy identifies five main causes for karmic bondage:
  1. Mithyatva (Delusion)
  2. Avirati (Non-restraint/Lack of discipline)
  3. Pramada (Carelessness/Negligence)
  4. Kashaya (Passions)
  5. Yoga (Activities of mind, speech, and body)
• Kashayas as the Primary Cause: The text argues that mithyatva, avirati, and pramada are all ultimately caused by kashayas.
  • Anantanubandhi kashayas are the cause of mithyatva.
  • Apratyakhyani kashayas are the cause of avirati.
  • Pratyakhyani kashayas are the cause of pramada.
• Conclusion: Therefore, kashayas are identified as the primary cause of bondage, with mithyatva, avirati, and pramada being subsidiary or consequential. Yoga is considered the instrumental cause. Without kashayas, yoga alone leads only to temporary, insignificant karmic influx.
• Four Types of Karmic Bondage:
  • Prakriti Bandh (Type of Karma): Determined by yoga.
  • Pradesh Bandh (Quantity of Karma): Determined by yoga.
  • Sthiti Bandh (Duration of Karma): Determined by kashayas.
  • Anubhag Bandh (Intensity of Karma/Taste): Determined by kashayas.
  • This reinforces that kashayas play a crucial role in the "ripening" and experiential quality of karmic results.

5. Classification of Kashayas

• Kashayas and Nokashayas: The primary kashayas are divided into four types (Krodh, Maan, Maya, Lobh), and each of these is further subdivided based on intensity:
  • Tivratam (Most Intense): Leads to delusion.
  • Tivratar (More Intense): Disrupts self-control.
  • Tivra (Intense): Hinders the highest development of self-control.
  • Manda (Mild): Prevents complete detachment.
  • This results in 16 classifications of kashayas.
• Nokashayas (Sub-Kashayas/Aggravating Factors): These are nine additional mental states that act as co-factors or precursors to the main kashayas. They are considered less intense but still influential. These include:
  • Hasya (Laughter)
  • Shok (Sorrow)
  • Rati (Attachment/Interest)
  • Arati (Dislike/Aversion)
  • Ghrina (Disgust)
  • Bhay (Fear)
  • Stri Ved (Female passion)
  • Purush Ved (Male passion)
  • Naphunsak Ved (Hermaphroditic passion)
• Total Kashayas: The document states a total of 25 kashayas (16 from the primary ones and 9 nokashayas).

6. Detailed Analysis of Each Kashaya

The text provides a detailed description of each of the four primary kashayas, including their nature, manifestations, and their own four-fold classification based on intensity (Anantanubandhi, Apratyakhyani, Pratyakhyani, Sanjvalan), with illustrative analogies for their duration and persistence.

• Krodh (Anger): Discussed as an excitatory impulse leading to aggression. It's divided into dravyakrodh (physical manifestation) and bhavkrodh (mental state). Ten synonyms for anger are listed.
• Maan (Pride): Explained as ego arising from various attributes (birth, wealth, knowledge, etc.). Eight types of pride are mentioned (e.g., pride of lineage, strength, knowledge). Twelve forms of manifestation are also described.
• Maya (Deceit): Defined as deceitfulness and hypocrisy. Fifteen names for Maya are listed, detailing various cunning behaviors. Four types are classified based on intensity.
• Lobh (Greed): Characterized as a craving or desire arising from the Mohaniya karma. Sixteen stages or manifestations of greed are listed, from simple desire to the fear of death. Four types are classified based on intensity.

7. The Impact of Kashayas and the Path to Victory

• Destructive Nature: The text highlights how each kashaya destroys specific virtues (e.g., anger destroys affection, pride destroys humility, deceit destroys friendship, greed destroys all virtues). Lobh is considered the worst as it is rag-driven and the source of all negative tendencies.
• Social and Personal Consequences: The document discusses how kashaya tendencies (collection/greed, anger/aggression, pride/arrogance, deceit/concealment) lead to negative social outcomes like exploitation, violence, hatred, and distrust. Conversely, their opposites (renunciation, peace, equanimity, straightforwardness) lead to positive social relations.
• Methods of Overcoming Kashayas: The text suggests that overcoming kashayas is not about suppression but about counteracting them with their opposite virtues:
  • Anger with non-anger (peace).
  • Pride with humility (gentleness).
  • Deceit with simplicity (straightforwardness).
  • Greed with contentment (renunciation).
• Cross-Cultural Parallels: The text draws parallels with Buddhist teachings (Dhamma-pada) and the Bhagavad Gita, noting that these traditions also recognize the detrimental effects of anger, pride, deceit, and greed on moral and spiritual development and advocate for their abandonment.

8. Kashayas and Personality

• Influence on Personality: The intensity of kashaya impulses directly impacts personality stability. Greater intensity leads to greater instability. Overcoming kashayas leads to stability and maturity.
• Moral Standing: The prevalence of lustful impulses (kashayas) determines one's moral standing. The more intense the impulses, the lower the moral character.
• Interconnectedness: The text concludes that impulsivity, morality, and personality are interconnected. It's important to consider not just the intensity but also the purity or impurity of one's impulses.

In essence, "Kashaymukti Kil Muktirev" presents a compelling argument that the eradication of the four primary kashayas (anger, pride, deceit, greed) and their associated impulses is the very definition of spiritual liberation in Jainism. It meticulously outlines the nature of these inner adversaries, their roots, their impact on karma and personality, and provides guidance on how to conquer them through virtuous counteractions, drawing upon scriptural authority and philosophical reasoning.