Life Of Lord Mahavir - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "The Life of Lord Mahavir," by Nandlal Lallubhai Vakil:

Overview:

"The Life of Lord Mahavir" is a Jain text published in 1925, aiming to present the life and teachings of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar, from a spiritual and philosophical perspective. The author, Nandlal Lallubhai Vakil, emphasizes the importance of understanding Lord Mahavir's life not just as a historical narrative but as a guide to spiritual liberation and self-welfare. The book draws heavily from various Jain scriptures and traditions.

Key Themes and Content:

Inspiration and Purpose: The preface highlights that while many accounts of Lord Mahavir's life exist, this book aims to present it from a unique perspective, focusing on the "inner flow of love for Dharma." It acknowledges the 20th century's trend towards intellectual freedom but advocates for deeper faith in Jain principles and scriptures for self-realization. The book intends to provide readers with insights into Jain philosophy and the nature of karma alongside the biography.
Theological Foundation: The text begins with prayers and salutations to Lord Mahavir, describing him as the embodiment of virtues, a source of spiritual knowledge, and the dispeller of worldly suffering. It emphasizes his purity, detachment, and his role in illuminating the path to moksha (liberation).
Biographical Narrative (Reincarnations): A significant portion of the book is dedicated to tracing Lord Mahavir's soul's journey through various lifetimes leading up to his final birth. These past lives illustrate the gradual purification of the soul through virtuous conduct, asceticism, and spiritual discipline. Key past lives described include:
- First and Second Lives: Naysar, a village protector, who attained righteousness (Samyakattva) after showing hospitality to monks, leading to his rebirth as a celestial being.
- Third Life (Marichi): A life marked by pride in lineage and incorrect speech, leading to negative karmic consequences.
- Fifth to Fifteenth Lives: These lives depict various stages of spiritual development, including the consequences of vows, actions, and the importance of penance and understanding the cycle of birth and death.
- Eighteenth Life (Triprishtha Vasudev): This life details the complex roles of Vasudev, Baldev, and Prativasudev, the battles fought, and the spiritual lessons learned. It highlights the immense power and influence of these figures.
- Twenty-third Life (Priyamitra Chakravarti): This life emphasizes the transition from worldly power andulence to renunciation and spiritual pursuit.
- Twenty-fifth Life (Nandan Raja and Nandan Muni): This life details the practice of penance, detachment, and the attainment of pure conduct, leading to a favorable celestial rebirth.
- Twenty-sixth Life (Devata): This life describes the celestial enjoyments and the gradual progression of the soul towards its ultimate goal.
- Devananda and Trishala: The text explains the significant event of the transference of the embryo from Devananda's womb to Queen Trishala's womb, a divine intervention to ensure the Tirthankar's birth in a royal lineage. It also touches upon the concept of "karma prabalta" (the strength of karma) and how even divine intervention operates within the framework of karma.
Karma Theory: The book extensively discusses the Jain theory of karma, explaining its eight main types and their numerous sub-types. It details how actions (karma) create bondage and influence the soul's journey through different lifetimes. The concept of karma's inescapable nature and the path to its exhaustion through virtuous deeds, penance, and right faith are central. The text uses analogies like a "laddu" (sweet ball) to explain the nature of karma binding.
The Role of Knowledge (Jnana): Different types of knowledge are discussed, including Mati (sensory knowledge), Shruta (scriptural knowledge), Avadhi (clairvoyance), Manahparyaya (telepathy), and Kevala (omniscient knowledge). The importance of purity of intention and the right application of knowledge for spiritual progress is emphasized. The book also touches upon the concept of "buddhi" (intellect) and its various forms.
Consequences of Actions: The narratives of past lives serve as moral lessons, illustrating the direct correlation between actions and their consequences, both in this life and future ones. The pride of Marichi and the subsequent consequences serve as a cautionary tale. The story of Vishwabhuti and his vow against Vishakhanandi highlights the long-lasting impact of intentions and vows.
Virtues and Path to Liberation: The text consistently emphasizes the importance of virtues like non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), non-stealing (Asteya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and non-possession (Aparigraha) – the Panch Mahavratas. It explains how practicing these virtues, along with penance (Tapa), right conduct (Charitra), and right knowledge (Jnana), leads to the exhaustion of karma and ultimately to liberation.
The Concept of 'Parishaha': The text details the twenty-two types of hardships (Parishaha) that spiritual aspirants must endure with equanimity. These include hunger, thirst, cold, heat, insect bites, nakedness, poverty, grief, etc. The ability to overcome these through inner strength and spiritual discipline is highlighted as crucial for progress.
Lord Mahavir's Divine Attributes: The book describes the miraculous birth and the divine attributes (Atishayas) of Lord Mahavir, emphasizing his purity, detachment, and the divine support he received from celestial beings. It highlights the significance of his birth as a Tirthankar, who guides humanity towards spiritual enlightenment.
The Triad of Right Knowledge, Faith, and Conduct: The foundational principles of Jainism – Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak Jnana (Right Knowledge), and Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct) – are implicitly and explicitly discussed as the path to Moksha.
The Importance of Asceticism and Detachment: The book underscores the necessity of renunciation and asceticism in detachment from worldly pleasures and possessions to achieve spiritual goals. Lord Mahavir's own life serves as the ultimate example of this principle.
The Role of Ethical Conduct: The text emphasizes the importance of ethical conduct in all aspects of life, whether as a householder or an ascetic. It highlights virtues like non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, non-possession, and the practice of vows.
Theological and Philosophical Depth: The book delves into Jain cosmology, metaphysics, and the nature of the soul and karma. It explains the cycle of birth and death (Samsara) and the means to break free from it.

Structure and Style:

The book is structured into chapters, each focusing on a specific period or aspect of Lord Mahavir's past lives or teachings.
The language is devotional and spiritual, aiming to inspire faith and devotion in the reader.
It frequently quotes or refers to Jain scriptures and the sayings of the Tirthankaras and Acharyas.
The author acknowledges the contributions of previous scholars and spiritual leaders in Jain tradition.

Overall Message:

"The Life of Lord Mahavir" is a comprehensive spiritual biography that aims to guide the reader towards understanding the path to spiritual liberation as exemplified by Lord Mahavir. It stresses the importance of virtuous living, understanding the workings of karma, and cultivating detachment from worldly affairs to achieve the ultimate goal of Moksha. The book serves as a devotional and educational resource for Jains, promoting the ideals of the Tirthankar's life for personal spiritual growth.