Man Shakti Swarup Aur Sadhna Ek Vishleshan

This text, "Man Shakti, Swaroop aur Sadhna: Ek Vishleshan" (Mind Power, Form, and Practice: An Analysis) by Sagarmal Jain, delves into the central role of the mind in Jain philosophy and its significance in the journey towards liberation (moksha). Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points discussed in the provided pages:

The Mind as the Cause of Bondage and Liberation:

• Central tenet: The core argument of the text is that the mind is the ultimate cause of both bondage (bandhan) and liberation (mukti) for the soul (jivatma). This view is presented as a universally accepted principle across Indian philosophical traditions, including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
• The mind's immense power: Jain philosophy attributes immense power to the mind in both causing bondage and facilitating liberation. In terms of bondage, its potential to bind is described as more terrifying than any divine weapon.
• Karma and the mind: The text illustrates the mind's power through the concept of karma binding. While physical actions (kayayog) can lead to karma binding of up to one ocean (sagar), vocal actions (vachanyog) increase this to twenty-five sagars, sensory organs (pranendriya, chakshu, shravanendriya) further increase it to fifty, a hundred, and a thousand sagars respectively. However, the involvement of the mind (man) can extend this bondage to millions and even seventy krodi-krodi (crores of crores) of sagars, particularly concerning the mohaniya (delusion-inducing) karma.
• A gateway to liberation: Conversely, the mind is also recognized as the first gateway to the path of liberation. Only beings with a controlled mind (samanaska) can progress on this path; the mind-less (amanaska) are excluded. True insight (samyakdrishtitva) is possible only for those with a controlled mind, and they alone are eligible for spiritual practice leading to moksha.
• Control leads to knowledge and liberation: Lord Mahavir is quoted stating that controlling the mind leads to concentration, which in turn reveals knowledge (vivek or discrimination). This discrimination leads to right faith (samyaktva) and the eradication of ignorance (mithyatva). Thus, purification of the mind is essential for liberation, which requires the removal of ignorance and the attainment of a true perspective.
• Uncontrolled mind causes ignorance: An uncontrolled mind leads to ignorance and delusion, causing the bondage of beings. A pure and controlled mind is the cause of nirvana.
• Scholarly corroboration: The text cites Acharya Hemachandra, who states that when the mind is restrained, the influx of karma stops because karma is dependent on the mind. For those who do not control their minds, karma (bondage) continues to grow.

Influence of Other Philosophies:

• Buddhism: The text draws parallels with Buddhist thought, where "chitta" (consciousness) and "vijnapti" (awareness) are considered synonyms for the mind. Lord Buddha's teachings emphasize that all actions originate from the mind, and a corrupted mind leads to suffering, just as the wheel of a chariot follows the oxen. A pure mind, however, leads to happiness. The mind is described as either highly detrimental or highly beneficial depending on its orientation. Controlling the mind liberates one from the bondage of Mara. The Lankavatara Sutra is cited, stating that the mind is the cause of both involvement and liberation.
• Vedanta: The Vedanta tradition also posits the mind as the root cause of an individual's bondage and liberation. The Brahmabindu Upanishad states that the mind is the cause of bondage when attached to objects and liberation when detached. The Bhagavad Gita identifies the senses, mind, and intellect as the abode of desire, which obscures knowledge. Only those who have transcended these states achieve supreme bliss. Acharya Shankar, in Vivekachudamani, emphasizes that bondage is a creation of the mind, and so is liberation. The mind binds to material objects through attachment (raag) and then liberates by creating dispassion for them. A mind tainted by Rajas (activity) leads to bondage, while a pure, Sattvic mind (free from Rajas and Tamas) leads to liberation.

Why is the Mind the Sole Cause?

• Duality of matter and consciousness: The text explores why the mind, specifically, is singled out. It links this to Jain philosophy's fundamental dualism of inert matter (jada) and consciousness (chetana). Other concepts like influx (asrava), stoppage (samvara), bondage (bandha), liberation (moksha), and shedding of karma (nirjara) are described as different states of interaction between these two fundamental elements.
• Mind as the mediator: The mind is presented as the crucial link or mediator between the soul (consciousness) and karmic matter (inert). The soul's intrinsic nature is knowledge, but it gets corrupted by mental activities (mano-bhavas) like attachment (rag), aversion (dwesh), and delusion (moh), which are considered mind's activities, even though they are housed within the soul.
• Ignorance and the mind: Ignorance (avidya or mithyatva), the primary cause of bondage, is located in the mind. Even though the soul's inherent nature is knowledge, it is the mind that misinterprets reality due to its inherent tendencies. The mind, being a product of the confluence of inert matter and consciousness, is where ignorance resides and from which it is eradicated when the mind is purified.
• The Analogy of the Spectacles: The text uses an analogy of the soul being an eye with dimmed vision due to karmic obstruction. The world is like a white object. The mind is like spectacles. To gain accurate knowledge of the world, the soul needs the spectacles of the mind. However, if the spectacles are colored (due to attachment and aversion), they provide distorted knowledge, leading to bondage. Pure, uncolored spectacles provide accurate knowledge, leading to liberation.

The Nature of the Mind (Dravya-man and Bhava-man):

• Physical vs. Psychical: Jain thought distinguishes between two aspects of the mind: "dravya-man" (material mind) and "bhava-man" (psychical or sentient mind).
• Dravya-man: This refers to the physical, structural aspect of the mind, composed of particles from manovargana (mind-class karma). It is the physical manifestation.
• Bhava-man: This is the psychical, functional, and sentient aspect, representing the stream of consciousness flowing through the physical structure and interacting with the soul. It is the thought process and mental experience.
• Location of the Mind: The text discusses differing views on the physical location of dravya-man. The Digambara tradition places it in the heart, while Shvetambara texts are less specific, with some suggesting the entire body as its location. The bhava-man, being a function of the soul, is considered to be pervading the entire body.

The Role of the Senses:

• Instruments of the mind: The senses (indriyas) are the instruments through which the mind interacts with the external world. They are essential for the mind's engagement with sensory objects.
• Five senses: Jainism identifies five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. The mind is considered a "quasi-sense organ" (noindriya).
• Sensory experiences and desire: Contact with sensory objects through the senses generates desire (kama or vasana). This desire is the primary driver of all actions and the basis of moral evaluation.
• Desire as the root of bondage: The text emphasizes that it is not the sensory contact itself but the underlying vasana (desire/craving) that leads to bondage. Actions performed with desire are binding, while those performed without desire are not.
• The cycle of desire, attachment, and aversion: The satisfaction of desires leads to attachment (raag), and the frustration of desires leads to aversion (dwesh). These, in turn, fuel further desires and actions, perpetuating the cycle of birth and death. The text highlights how this leads to anger, pride, deceit, greed, hatred, etc., ultimately binding the soul.

Indriya Nirodh (Control of the Senses):

• The Impossibility of Complete Suppression: The text argues that complete suppression of sensory activities is impossible as long as one is embodied. The senses are naturally inclined towards their objects.
• The true meaning of control: The real goal is not to suppress sensory activities but to control the underlying raag and dwesh (attachment and aversion) associated with them. Sensory objects themselves are not binding; it is the attachment to them that causes bondage.
• The Bhagavad Gita's perspective: The Gita also emphasizes controlling desires and attachments rather than the senses themselves. It advocates for detachment and practice (abhyasa and vairagya) to achieve mental control.

The True Path: Vasana-Kshaya (Cessation of Desires) and Manonigraha (Mind Control):

• Beyond Suppression (Daman): The text critiques the concept of mere suppression (daman) of desires, arguing it leads to psychological distress and is not the true path to liberation. It draws parallels with modern psychology, which views suppression as detrimental to mental health.
• The Path of Subsidence (Upshamik vs. Kshayaik): Jain philosophy distinguishes between the "upshamik" path (subsidence through suppression) and the "kshayaik" path (cessation through eradication). The true path to liberation is the "kshayaik" path, which involves the complete cessation of desires and mental activities, not their suppression.
• The Analogy of the Horse: The mind is compared to a wild, untamed horse. True control involves taming it through wisdom and righteous teachings (shruta-rupa rasmiyon se), not brute force. This means cultivating mindfulness, detachment, and equanimity.
• The Four States of Mind: The text outlines four states of mind according to Acharya Hemachandra:
  1. Vikshipta (Distracted): The mind is engaged in worldly desires and is restless.
  2. Yatayat (Wandering): The mind fluctuates between external objects and internal observation, exhibiting a mix of distraction and incipient mindfulness.
  3. Shlishta (Attached/Stable): The mind is stable and focused on virtuous thoughts, though not completely free from objects.
  4. Sulimna (Merged/Sublimated): The mind's activities are completely dissolved, transcending all desires and dualities, leading to a state of pure consciousness and liberation.
• Parallel in Buddhism and Hinduism: Similar states of mind are discussed in Buddhist and Hindu philosophical traditions, emphasizing the progression from distraction to concentration and ultimately to liberation.
• The Goal of Sadhana: The ultimate aim of all spiritual practices is to attain a state of mental clarity, freedom from desires, and equanimity, which is referred to as "samadhi" or liberation. This involves a journey from desire to discrimination, from distraction to mindfulness, and from mental turmoil to mental peace.

In essence, the book "Man Shakti, Swaroop aur Sadhna: Ek Vishleshan" argues that the mind, with its dual nature of physical structure and psychical functioning, is the central battleground for spiritual progress. While it is the source of bondage through uncontrolled desires and attachments, it is also the instrument for liberation when cultivated through wisdom, detachment, and right practice, leading to the eventual cessation of all mental modifications and the realization of the soul's true, pure nature.