Leshya Dwara Vyaktitva Rupantaran

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Leshya Dwara Vyaktitva Rupantaran" by Shanta Jain, focusing on the concept of Leshya and its role in personality transformation:

The book "Leshya Dwara Vyaktitva Rupantaran" by Shanta Jain explores the profound Jain concept of Leshya and its direct impact on transforming an individual's personality. The author begins by acknowledging the inherent complexity of human nature, citing the scriptural observation that "man is of many minds" ("Anegachitte khalu ayam purise"). Humans possess a kaleidoscopic personality, shifting with time, place, and circumstances, exhibiting traits ranging from envy, selfishness, and violence to humility, selflessness, and asceticism. The central question the book addresses is the underlying cause of this diversity in behavior and the reason why some individuals, despite material possessions, remain restless, while others, renouncing them, attain a state of unshakeable bliss.

Jain philosophy, the text explains, offers Leshya as a psychological framework to understand this shifting landscape of the mind and the external and internal manifestations of human behavior.

Key Concepts and Definitions:

• Leshya's Uniqueness in Jainism: The Jain concept of Leshya is distinct from other philosophical schools (like Ajivika, Purana Kashyapa, Buddha, and Vyasa of Mahabharata) that discuss similar ideas related to birth, karma, and social strata. Jain Leshya pertains to the individual, not to groups or castes. It integrates aspects of "varna" (color/disposition) with "antarbhava" (inner states) and has been likened to the six chakras in Hatha Yoga.
• Color and its Significance: The ancient Indian tradition of using visual metaphors, particularly color, to express abstract concepts is highlighted. The visual impact and influence of color have always fascinated Indian thinkers, leading them to associate specific colors with various elements like motion, dharma, karma, and even social strata.
• Evolution of the Term "Leshya": The term "Leshya" itself has undergone a semantic evolution in Jain scriptures, moving from a physical understanding of color and aura to more subtle, spiritual implications.
  • Physical Manifestation (Dravya Leshya): This refers to the external, material aura or subtle physical substance that emanates from an individual, influenced by their internal state. It's described as "Poudgalik" (material).
  • Mental/Emotional State (Bhava Leshya): This is the inner disposition, the mental and emotional tendencies, the result of Kashayas (passions) and Yoga (activities of mind, speech, and body). It's the spiritual or psychological aspect.
• Leshya as a Bridge: Leshya acts as a bridge between the gross (physical) and subtle (astral and karmic) bodies. It's the fundamental element that facilitates personality transformation, purification of tendencies, and subtle chemical changes within the individual.
• Interplay of Mind, Body, and Karma: The book emphasizes that thoughts, emotions, and actions are interconnected and influenced by Leshya. The internal secretions (hormones) from endocrine glands, influenced by karmic imprints, interact with Leshya, which then translates these subtle energies to the physical level, affecting the nervous system, endocrine glands, and brain. This, in turn, governs thoughts, speech, actions, and overall behavior.
• Three Levels of Consciousness: The text identifies three levels:
  1. Adhyavasaya Level: Associated with the subtlest body (karmic).
  2. Leshya Level: Associated with the radiant body (Tejas).
  3. Gross Consciousness Level: Associated with the physical body (Audarik).

The Six Leshyas and Their Characteristics:

The book details the six Leshyas, each associated with specific colors, qualities, effects on mind and body, and spiritual implications. These are often described with both physical and psychological attributes:

1. Krishna Leshya (Black):

   • Color: Black, dark, muddy.
   • Qualities: Cruel, violent, ignorant, undisciplined, prone to anger and delusion.
   • Effects: Leads to suffering, mental turmoil, weakness, and spiritual degradation.
   • Scientific Correlation: Associated with low vibrational frequencies, darkness, and negative energy.

2. Neel Leshya (Blue):

   • Color: Blue, dark blue.
   • Qualities: Envious, selfish, deceitful, quarrelsome, characterized by greed and attachment.
   • Effects: Leads to jealousy, intolerance, mental sickness, and a dulling of intellect.
   • Scientific Correlation: Associated with lower mental states and negative emotions.

3. Kapota Leshya (Pigeon Grey/Brown):

   • Color: Pigeon grey, brown.
   • Qualities: Deceitful, cunning, hypocritical, restless, filled with vanity and falsehood.
   • Effects: Leads to crookedness, mental disturbance, and a lack of conviction.
   • Scientific Correlation: Associated with moderate but still negative mental states.

4. Tejas Leshya (Yellow/Golden):

   • Color: Yellow, golden, resembling a young sun.
   • Qualities: Humility, spiritual aspiration, renunciation, enthusiasm, peacefulness, and mastery over senses. It's associated with a desire for liberation.
   • Effects: Promotes mental stability, energy, vitality, and a disciplined mind.
   • Spiritual Significance: Considered an intermediate Leshya, moving towards auspiciousness. In meditative practices, it's linked to the pituitary gland and vital energy.

5. Padma Leshya (Red/Lotus Pink):

   • Color: Red, lotus pink, crimson.
   • Qualities: Benevolence, compassion, righteous conduct, joy, purity of thought, and the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
   • Effects: Promotes mental clarity, joy, and intellectual growth.
   • Spiritual Significance: Associated with intellectual pursuits and inner peace. In meditation, it's linked to the brain's knowledge centers.

6. Shukla Leshya (White):

   • Color: White, pure white, like the full moon.
   • Qualities: Purity, peace, equanimity, wisdom, detachment, and complete control over senses. It represents ultimate spiritual development and liberation.
   • Effects: Leads to ultimate peace, spiritual enlightenment, and freedom from worldly desires.
   • Spiritual Significance: The highest and most auspicious Leshya, representing the state of spiritual perfection. In meditation, it's linked to the pineal gland and supreme consciousness.

Leshya and its Religious Significance:

• Karma Bandhan (Bondage of Karma): Leshya is fundamentally linked to the process of karma bonding. The soul, though inherently pure, becomes attached to karmas through Leshya. This attachment leads to the accumulation of merits (punya) and demerits (papa).
• Asrava and Samvara: Leshya is directly related to Asrava (influx of karmas) and Samvara (cessation of karma influx). As long as one holds onto wrong views, lacks control over mind, speech, and body, and is bound by passions (rag-dwesha), they continue to accumulate karmic impressions.
• Purification of Leshya: The text stresses the importance of purifying Leshya through Samvara (control and restraint). By stopping the influx of negative karmic substances and minimizing passions, the intensity of karma bonding diminishes, leading to the purification of one's inner state, thoughts, and actions.

Modern Interpretations and Applications:

• Color Therapy: The book connects Jain Leshya principles with modern color psychology and chromotherapy. It explains how colors influence our physiology, psychology, and well-being. Colors are seen as having specific vibrational frequencies that impact our internal states and bodily functions.
• Meditation and Leshya Transformation: The text emphasizes Leshya Dhyana (Leshya Meditation) as a powerful tool for personality transformation. This involves focusing on specific colors associated with different Leshyas at designated energy centers (chakras) within the body.
  • Tejas Leshya Dhyana: Focus on red at the "Darshan Kendra" (pituitary gland) to awaken energy and discipline desires.
  • Padma Leshya Dhyana: Focus on yellow at the "Gyan Kendra" (brain's knowledge center) for intellectual clarity and mental focus.
  • Shukla Leshya Dhyana: Focus on white at the "Jyoti Kendra" (pineal gland) for purity, peace, and spiritual enlightenment.
• Holistic Transformation: The process of Leshya transformation is presented as a holistic one, affecting the individual's thoughts, emotions, physical health, and overall life trajectory. By consciously engaging with and transforming Leshyas, individuals can move from negative states to positive ones, ultimately striving for liberation (Moksha), which is described as being "Leshya-ateet" (beyond Leshya).

In essence, "Leshya Dwara Vyaktitva Rupantaran" provides a comprehensive Jain perspective on the intricate relationship between our inner states, our outward behavior, and the transformative power of understanding and consciously working with the subtle energies of Leshya, often visualized through colors, to achieve personal growth and spiritual evolution.