Mahavir Vani Lecture 16 Vaiyavruttya Aur Swadhyay

This lecture, "Vaiyavruttya aur Swadhyay" (Service and Self-Study), from Osho Rajnish's "Mahavir Vani" series, delves into two crucial Jain concepts: Vaiyavruttya (service) and Swadhyay (self-study), offering a profound reinterpretation of traditional understandings.

Vaiyavruttya: Beyond Traditional Service

Osho begins by contrasting the common understanding of service, often associated with Christianity and figures like Vivekananda and Gandhi, with Mahavir's concept of Vaiyavruttya.

• The Christian/Modern Concept of Service: This view, prevalent today, is future-oriented and purposeful. Service is seen as a means to an end – to achieve God, salvation, or good merit. This makes service desire-driven, fueled by the motivation of gain, whether material, reputational, or spiritual. Osho criticizes this as "purposeful service," arguing that the underlying motivation is self-gratification, even if that gratification is spiritual. He likens it to seeking wealth or fame, just with a different currency. This form of service, he notes, can lead to arrogance and a sense of being a doer, a "great servant."

• Mahavir's Vaiyavruttya (Internal Penance): Mahavir's concept is radically different. Vaiyavruttya is not about future gain but about past action. It's about the dissolution and expiation of past karma.

  • Past-Oriented: Service, in Mahavir's view, is a response to past wrongdoings. If you have caused harm in the past, attending to that person now is not a selfless act of charity but an act of balancing the karmic account. It's about undoing what was done.
  • Purposeless: True Vaiyavruttya is without purpose or gain. It doesn't aim to accumulate merit or achieve anything in the future. It's simply about cleaning up past actions.
  • Selfless (in a deeper sense): It eliminates the notion of the "self" as a doer or a giver. The person performing such service doesn't feel like a servant or a giver; they are simply fulfilling a karmic debt. If anyone recognizes this action, the motivation is lost.
  • Medicinal, Not Tonic: Mahavir's service is like medicine – it removes illness (past karma) but doesn't add anything new. The Christian/modern service is like a tonic – it aims to build something up.
  • Absence of "Self": The essence of Vaiyavruttya is that the "self" (the doer) does not arise. If one feels they are doing something special or earning merit, it is not true Vaiyavruttya. This is why Mahavir calls it "Antar-Tap" (internal penance) – it's difficult because it doesn't offer the satisfaction of being a doer.

Osho uses examples like Gandhi serving a leper, suggesting that from Mahavir's perspective, Gandhi might be seen as expiating a past sin against that individual, rather than a heroic act of service. He highlights how the Christian concept of service has overshadowed Mahavir's more profound understanding, making it difficult for people to grasp the idea of service without a reward or a sense of self-importance.

Swadhyay: The Study of the Self

Following the discussion on Vaiyavruttya, Osho moves to Swadhyay, defining it as the study of the "self."

• Beyond Scriptural Study: The common understanding of Swadhyay is the study of scriptures. Osho argues that if this were the case, Mahavir would have simply said "Adhyayan" (study), not "Swadhyay" (self-study). The "Swa" (self) is crucial.

  • The Human Being as the Ultimate Scripture: Osho proposes that the human being is the ultimate scripture. All knowledge, past and future, resides within.
  • Subjective vs. Objective Study: Science focuses on the objective (the known), while religion focuses on the subjective (the knower). Swadhyay is the exploration of the knower, the self.
  • The Illusion of Knowledge: The more one studies external objects, the more the knower can become hidden. Einstein's dying wish to understand the "knower" exemplifies this. Science accumulates information but misses the essence of consciousness.
  • True Swadhyay: It involves turning attention inward and observing one's own internal world – one's anger, desires, thoughts, and reactions. It's about understanding how you react to events, not just what happened externally.

• The Practice of Swadhyay:

  • Focus on the Listener: When listening to someone speak, the focus should not solely be on the speaker but also on the listener (yourself).
  • Self-Remembrance: Osho, quoting Gurdjieff, calls Swadhyay "Self-Remembering" – maintaining consciousness of oneself in every action, thought, and event.
  • Presence: The essence of Swadhyay is to be present in every moment. When you are truly present, wrong actions naturally fall away. If you are present while drinking alcohol, the glass will fall; if you are present while angry, the anger itself will cease to exist.
  • The Unseen Within: The true self is hidden within the layers of physical and mental activity. Swadhyay is the process of uncovering this inner self.
  • From Ignorance to Awareness: Initially, the inner world may reveal "dirt" (negative emotions, past karma). However, by continuously looking inward, this "dirt" is cleansed, leading to increasing purity and the discovery of inner treasures.
  • The Doorway to Meditation: Swadhyay is a crucial precursor to meditation. Without understanding oneself, one cannot truly enter the state of meditation.

Conclusion:

Osho concludes by emphasizing the difficulty and importance of these two concepts. Vaiyavruttya, performed without ego or future expectation, is an internal penance that purifies past karma. Swadhyay, the introspective study of the self, leads to self-awareness and ultimately, liberation. He contrasts these with the superficial understandings prevalent today, urging the audience to delve deeper into Mahavir's teachings for genuine spiritual growth. The lecture highlights that true progress lies not in external actions or accumulating knowledge about the world, but in understanding and transforming the inner landscape.