Mahavir Vani Lecture 14 Prayaschitta Pahla Antar Tap

This lecture, "Mahavir Vani Lecture 14: Prayaschitta Pahla Antar Tap," delivered by Osho Rajnish, explores the concept of Prayaschitta (penance or atonement) as the first of the Antar Tapa (internal austerities) in Jainism. Osho distinguishes Prayaschitta from mere Paschattap (repentance or regret).

Key Distinctions and Concepts:

• Repentance (Paschattap) vs. Prayaschitta:

  • Repentance is described as regretting a specific action ("I stole, I regret the stealing"). It's about regretting the deed, not the person who committed it. Repentance is seen as a mechanism to protect one's ego and self-image. It allows one to return to their previous state, from which the mistake originated, without fundamental change. The speaker uses the analogy of wiping ink stains from a picture; the picture itself remains the same.
  • Prayaschitta, on the other hand, is about understanding that the mistake stems from the self ("I am wrong"). It's not about regretting an action but about transforming one's being. It's about becoming a different person, someone from whom such actions cannot arise. This is a transformation of the level of being. The analogy here is tearing up the old picture and creating a new one.

• The Cycle of Action and Repentance:

  • Osho uses the story of Ivan Osokin to illustrate how mere repentance, even with a second chance (like reducing his age), doesn't change the fundamental pattern of behavior if the being remains the same. We repeat mistakes across lifetimes, often rationalizing them by blaming circumstances rather than ourselves.
  • Jainism, through practices like recalling past lives, aims to help individuals see this repetitive pattern and take responsibility for their own inherent flaws, not just their actions.

• The Problem of Choice and Dualities:

  • The mind operates through choice and duality. We tend to focus on the positive aspects of someone or something and ignore the negative, creating a selective perception. This leads to cycles of attraction and aversion, love and hate, as we eventually tire of the chosen aspect and the neglected aspects become apparent.
  • True transformation, and thus Prayaschitta, lies in moving beyond these dualities and choices, seeing the whole picture without selective preference.

• The Self as the Source of Action:

  • Osho emphasizes that "wrong actions" arise from a "wrong person." The problem isn't with the actions themselves (like acacia thorns being wrong), but with the being from which they emerge.
  • We often rationalize our actions by blaming circumstances or claiming to act out of compassion or a desire to change others. However, this is often a rationalization for our own inner state.

• The Nature of Being:

  • Osho highlights the "bilingual" nature of human consciousness – the spoken word versus the inner being, the outward appearance versus the inner reality. This duality fuels the cycle of actions and repentance.
  • The core of Prayaschitta is the recognition of one's own inherent wrongness or "sleep" (unconsciousness/unawareness). This self-awareness is the starting point for true inner change.

• The Illusion of "Other Wrong":

  • The tendency to see others as wrong prevents introspection. Even when wronged, reacting with the same emotion or seeking to bring the other person down is a sign of being asleep.
  • Mahavir's equanimity in the face of abuse or harm is presented as an example of being awake and not being reactive. Those who abuse or harm are seen as "asleep" or "unconscious," not inherently "wrong" in a way that requires punishment or retaliation from the awakened.

• The Nature of Madness and Unconsciousness:

  • Osho uses parables and anecdotes (Mulla Nasruddin, Ivan Osokin, asylum visits) to illustrate how many people, including those who seem rational, are essentially "asleep" or "unconscious."
  • This unconsciousness leads to actions that appear problematic to others but are, from the perspective of the asleep individual, natural extensions of their inner state. The key is that they are unaware of what they are doing.

• The Essence of Prayaschitta:

  • Prayaschitta is a conscious decision to wake up. It's the resolution to change one's being, not just one's actions.
  • It involves a deep acceptance of oneself, including all perceived flaws and negative traits, without judgment or the desire to hide them. This complete acceptance, this naked confrontation with oneself, is where transformation begins.
  • The act of confessing one's sins or wrongdoings to another (like in a diary or to God) is often seen as a form of repentance and can be tainted by the desire for external validation or even a subtle enjoyment of the confession itself. True Prayaschitta is an internal affair, a self-acceptance that leads to an inevitable inner shift.

• The Inner Landscape:

  • Mahavir's teachings are presented as a pathway to self-realization, where one recognizes that concepts like heaven and hell are not external places but internal states of consciousness.
  • The understanding of one's "inner hell" or current state of unconsciousness, when seen with absolute clarity, is the catalyst for the "leap" into transformation.

In summary, Osho's lecture defines Prayaschitta as a profound internal discipline that goes beyond mere regret. It is the conscious decision to awaken from the sleep of unconsciousness and to embrace one's true, albeit flawed, self, leading to an inevitable transformation of being, which is the ultimate goal of spiritual practice.