Manni Mavjat Ane Dharti Parnu Swarga - Book Summary

This Jain text, titled "Manni Mavjat Ane Dharti Parnu Swarga" (Cultivating the Mind and Heaven on Earth) by Nandiyashashreeji, published by Anilaben A Dalal, is a spiritual guide focused on inner development and achieving peace and happiness through the principles of Jainism.

Here's a comprehensive summary of its key themes and teachings:

Core Message:

The central message of the book is that true happiness and spiritual liberation are attained not through external circumstances or material possessions, but through the cultivation and purification of one's own mind, speech, and actions. It emphasizes that by mastering our inner world, we can transform our experience of life and create a "heaven on earth."

Key Sections and Concepts:

The book is structured around achieving inner transformation through various steps:

The Importance of the Human Birth:
- The text begins by highlighting the rarity and significance of human birth, stating that humans are uniquely capable of practicing dharma (righteousness) unlike gods (who are engrossed in senses), hell-beings (who are immersed in suffering), or animals (who are devoid of knowledge). Therefore, humans should strive to engage in dharma.
The Power of the Mind:
- The mind is described as a powerful source of energy with the potential for both destruction (violence, hatred) and creation (joy, peace).
- The "evil mind" is identified as humanity's greatest enemy. To overcome it, one must cut off its "food supply" (false assumptions, blame) and "weapon supply" (attachment to these assumptions).
- The text encourages understanding the mind's process: a thought arises, solidifies into an idea, and then leads to a firm conviction or aversion. It's crucial to control the mind at the stage of a "wave" or thought before it solidifies.
- A strong resolution to not let the mind be disturbed by any favorable or unfavorable circumstances is the seed for spiritual progress.
Self-Realization (Atma Siddhi):
- The body is impermanent, the mind is changeable, but the soul (Atma) is eternal.
- True wisdom lies not in protecting the transient body and mind at the expense of the eternal soul, but in using the body and guiding the mind to stabilize the soul in its true nature.
- The soul's inherent qualities are knowledge, love, and bliss. These qualities have become distorted, and the path is to remove these distortions to reveal the soul's true, glorious form.
- Ignorance (Agyan) is a primary obstacle, categorized into:
  - Limited knowledge (Alpajnan): This is not as detrimental as the second type.
  - Perverted knowledge (Viparit Gyan): This is highly detrimental. Two key perversions are:
    - "I am the body": The text argues that the sentence "my body aches" proves the body is yours, but you are not the body. The soul is the owner of the body.
    - "Happiness comes from material objects, money, or external people": This is a delusion.
Happiness and Suffering:
- Happiness and suffering are considered mental constructs (Kalpana), while bliss (Anand) is the soul's reality.
- Happiness is experienced due to pleasurable sensations arising from favorable circumstances, and suffering from unfavorable ones. However, the soul itself is blissful, and the distortion of this bliss results in happiness and suffering.
- Sensory pleasures are fleeting and preceded by desire and followed by dissatisfaction or longing, making them a form of "pain prevention" rather than true happiness.
Steps to Self-Realization (Atma Prapti na Sopan):
- Mental Purity (Mann ni Swachhta):
  - Recognize yourself as the soul, with knowledge, perception, and conduct as your family, and mind, speech, and body as servants.
  - Withdraw the power of attorney given to these servants.
  - Four key commands to the mind:
    1. Detach from material attractions: Fashion, addiction, and imitation are considered destructive.
    2. Refrain from negative thinking: Embrace positive self-talk. Understand that what you receive is based on your actions and time. Cultivate virtues like gratitude and helpfulness.
    3. Understand the cause of suffering: Blame neither others nor circumstances, but take responsibility for your own faults. The true cause of suffering lies within our own desires, attachments, and ego.
    4. Act for the welfare of the soul: Do not justify your faults; confess them. Do not blame external factors (nimitta) for your actions.
- Speech Purity (Vachan ni Swachhta):
  - Be the master of unexpressed words and a slave to spoken words.
  - Avoid five types of speech:
    1. Self-praise (Swaprashansa): Unnecessary boasting about oneself.
    2. Criticism of others (Par-ninda): Speaking ill of someone in their absence.
    3. Untruth (Asatya): Speaking anything other than beneficial truth.
    4. Unpleasant speech (Apriya): Even if true, avoid words that hurt others.
    5. Vain speech (Vyarth): Wasting the precious gift of speech.
  - Silence is often the best response to conflict.
- Bodily Purity (Kaya ni Nirmalta):
  - Do not engage the body in sin: Sinful actions offer momentary pleasure but long-term suffering. If unable to stop the action, at least break the attachment to it.
  - Engage the body in virtuous deeds: This is the beginning of dharma.
  - Spiritual practice requires engaging the mind, not just the body.
Dealing with Anger:
- The book provides detailed guidance on managing anger, emphasizing:
  - Letting go of rigid ideas and attachments.
  - Cultivating a witness consciousness (Sakshi Bhav).
  - Not extending anger to other issues or people.
  - Understanding the karmic consequences of anger (rebirth as a snake).
  - The destructive nature of anger on relationships and health.
  - Shifting focus from changing circumstances to improving one's state of mind.
  - Using techniques like counting or mirror gazing to diffuse anger.
  - Analyzing the five contributing causes of any action to understand what was missing when something goes wrong.
The Five Compounding Causes (Panch Samvay Karan):
- Effort (Purusharth)
- Karmas (past and present actions)
- Destiny (Niyati)
- Nature/Innate quality (Swabhav)
- Time (Kaal)
- The text emphasizes that while all five are important, effort is paramount in spiritual pursuits, whereas in worldly matters, destiny or past karma often seems more dominant.
The Distinction Between Heart (Hriday) and Intellect (Buddhi):
- Heart: Accepts situations, focuses on others' happiness, seeks compromise, thinks of duty, expresses gratitude, is sensitive, and forgives.
- Intellect: Confronts situations, focuses on self-happiness, struggles for control, thinks of rights, can be arrogant, is harsh, and criticizes others.
- A wise person integrates their intellect with their heart, using it for discerning truth and right action.
The Seven Addictions (Saat Vyasan):
- Hunting, gambling, theft, adultery, intoxication, and consumption of meat are discussed. The text broadens the definition to include behaviors like hurtful speech (as a form of hunting with words), corruption (as gambling), taking what is not rightfully yours (as theft), lustful glances (as adultery), and attachment to anything without which one feels they cannot live (as intoxication).
- The text offers remedies for these, emphasizing detachment and virtuous living.
Six Steps of Right Faith (Samyaktva na 6 Sthan):
- I am the soul, distinct from the body.
- The soul is eternal.
- The soul constantly binds karmas.
- The soul itself experiences the fruits of its karmas.
- Liberation (Moksha) is attainable.
- There are means to achieve liberation (Right Faith, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct).

Conclusion:

"Manni Mavjat Ane Dharti Parnu Swarga" is a profound guide that calls for introspection and diligent spiritual practice. It asserts that by purifying our mind, speech, and actions, and by understanding the true nature of the soul and reality, we can overcome suffering and experience the "heaven on earth" that lies within us. The ultimate goal is to live a life of detachment, compassion, and self-realization, leading to ultimate liberation.