Mahavir Vani Lecture 25 Aratri Bhojan Sharir Urja Ka Santulan

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the Jain text "Mahavir Vani Lecture 25 Aratri Bhojan Sharir Urja ka Santulan" by Osho Rajnish, based on the provided text:

This lecture, "Aratri Bhojan: Balancing Body Energy," focuses on the Jain principle of avoiding food after sunset and expands upon the deeper meaning of greed (लोभ) as the root of many human desires and actions.

The Core Jain Principle of Avoiding Night Food:

The lecture begins by referencing a Jain sutra: "Before sunrise and after sunset, the seeker should not even mentally desire any kind of food or drink." The text clarifies that the common Jain understanding – that night food causes violence (e.g., harming insects) – is a secondary interpretation. The primary reason, according to the lecture, is related to the body's energy and the principles of natural rhythms.

• Day vs. Night: Sunrise signifies life's expansion, awakening, and energy for activity. Sunset signifies contraction, rest, and withdrawal.
• Food as Effort: Eating is an effort, engaging the body's digestive system. This effort is suited for the day when the body is meant to be active and needs energy.
• Night Food Disrupts Rest: Eating after sunset forces the body to engage in digestive work during its natural rest period. This disrupts sleep, leading to restless nights, disturbed dreams, and fatigue in the morning. The increased oxygen availability during the day aids digestion, while the reduced oxygen and increased carbon dioxide at night make it more difficult.
• Self-Violence: Osho argues that prohibiting night food is not just about preventing external violence but about preventing self-violence – the mistreatment of one's own body.

The Pervasive Nature of Greed (Lobh):

A significant portion of the lecture delves into the concept of greed, arguing it's the fundamental driving force behind many human behaviors and negative emotions.

• Greed as the Root: Greed is presented as deeper than lust (काम), anger (क्रोध), and attachment (मोह). A baby is born with greed, but not necessarily lust or anger.
• Greed's Manifestations:
  • Anger: Arises when one's greed is obstructed.
  • Lust/Desire (Kaam): Is an expansion of greed, a desire for more. Even the desire for immortality is a form of greed.
  • Attachment (Moh): Is the result of greed finding a conducive partner or object.
• Greed for the Spiritual: Greed can extend to spiritual pursuits. Someone who loses worldly possessions might turn to spiritual desires out of the same underlying greed for "more" or to avoid losing everything. This is why, psychologically, many people turn to religion in old age – they are losing worldly possessions and seeking a "safety net" in the afterlife.
• The Inner Emptiness: Greed stems from an inner feeling of emptiness and the desire to fill it. However, this emptiness is one's true nature, and trying to fill it is futile. This "emptiness" is the soul (आत्मा).
• The Illusion of "Worth-Getting": We perceive things as "worth-getting" only because our greed attaches to them. The desire precedes the perceived value. True worth lies within, in one's own nature, which is already complete and does not need to be "gotten."

The Connection Between Greed, Desire, and Action:

• Kam (Desire/Sex): The energy spent in pursuing what we are greedy for is called "Kaam" or sex. This applies not just to sexual desire but to any passionate pursuit, be it wealth, art, or knowledge. The object of one's intense focus becomes their "sexual object."
• The Jealousy of Love: When one is deeply attached to something (like wealth), it prevents them from loving anything else. This is because love, in this context, is often a manifestation of greed, which is inherently jealous.
• The Illusion of Giving: Donating wealth, while virtuous, is often seen as a form of atonement for accumulated wealth, rather than a pure act. If the intention behind donation is to gain more (e.g., in heaven), it is still rooted in greed.

Understanding the Deeper Science of Abstinence:

• The True Meaning of Upavas (Fasting): True fasting (उपवास) is not about mere hunger strikes but about being close to the soul (आत्मा के पास होना), which is achieved through meditation.
• Meditation as the Key: The lecture emphasizes that the energy that would otherwise be spent on digestion or physical desires can be redirected towards meditation. Night is the most opportune time for meditation as the world is at rest.
• Consciousness Control: The ability to control one's consciousness and direct it away from physical urges (hunger, thirst) towards meditation is crucial. This is likened to learning to drive a bicycle – it requires practice and a shift in focus.
• The Goal: Nirashrav (Freedom from Influx): The ultimate goal is to become nirashrav – to stop the influx of external influences and desires, leading to inner completeness and freedom from "flaws" that are external in origin.

Critique of Misinterpretations:

Osho criticizes how Jain followers have often misinterpreted and "killed the essence" of these teachings. They focus on the literal act of not eating at night, often with misguided practices like overeating before sunset, thus negating the deeper scientific and spiritual purpose.

The Nature of the Self and the Soul:

The lecture concludes by distinguishing between the external self (body, mind influenced by external factors) and the true, inner self (the soul).

• The Body is External: The body is seen as a collection of external elements and nourishment.
• The Mind is also External: The mind is also influenced and shaped by external experiences, thoughts, and emotions (anger, greed, attachment).
• The Soul is the Inner Core: The soul is what remains when all external influences are shed. It is inherently pure and does not come from external sources. Discovering this inner core requires detachment from all external acquisitions and experiences.
• Nirashrav as Inner Purity: Becoming nirashrav means no longer inviting anything from the outside into one's inner being, achieving a state of self-sufficiency and true innocence.

In essence, Osho argues that the prohibition of night food is a gateway to understanding the deeper mechanics of the body's energy and the pervasive influence of greed. True abstinence, leading to spiritual liberation, requires mastering one's inner consciousness, redirecting energy towards meditation, and ultimately realizing one's true, inner self, free from external attachments and desires.