Manushya Janmani Durlabta

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Manushya Janmani Durlabta" (The Rarity of Human Birth) by Ramanlal C. Shah, based on the provided pages:

The book, "Manushya Janmani Durlabta," by Ramanlal C. Shah, delves into the profound rarity of obtaining a human birth from a Jain perspective. It aims to awaken the reader to the immense value of this precious life.

Challenging the Superficial View of Abundance:

The author begins by addressing a common misconception: that human birth is abundant because the human population is visibly increasing worldwide. He acknowledges the growth from 2 billion 50 years ago to 6 billion now, with projections of over 10 billion by the end of the century. However, he argues that this surface-level observation is misleading.

The True Rarity: A Cosmic Perspective:

The book emphasizes that understanding the rarity of human birth requires looking beyond immediate numbers and considering the entirety of the world's living beings and the principle of rebirth.

Jain Cosmology and the Four Gatis:

Jainism classifies beings into four primary forms of existence (Gatis):

1. Manushya Gati (Human Birth)
2. Tiryan Gati (Animal/Sub-human Birth)
3. Dev Gati (Celestial/Deity Birth)
4. Narak Gati (Hellish/Infernal Birth)

Quantifying the Gatis:

Jainism uses mathematical designations to illustrate the proportion of beings in each Gati:

• Manushya (Human): "Sankhyata" (Countable)
• Deva and Narak (Celestial and Hellish): "Asankhyata" (Uncountable)
• Tiryan (Animal): "Ananta" (Infinite)

Understanding the Terms:

• Sankhyata: Refers to numbers up to twenty-nine digits (1 to 10^29). Even with the current human population of around 10 digits, or even a hypothetical increase to 29 digits, it remains "Sankhyata."
• Asankhyata: Numbers beyond the countable range but not truly infinite.
• Ananta: Truly infinite, beyond any possibility of counting.

The Cycle of Rebirth and Restrictions:

Jain scriptures describe the continuous transmigration of souls between these Gatis until liberation (Moksha). There are specific rules governing these transitions:

• Devas (Deities): Upon exhausting their lifespan, they cannot be reborn as Devas again. They also cannot directly descend into Narak Gati. They typically reincarnate as humans or animals.
• Narakis (Hellish Beings): Similarly, they cannot immediately return to Narak Gati and cannot directly ascend to Dev Gati. They are reborn as humans or animals.
• Tiryans (Animals): Can be reborn as Tiryans repeatedly. Intelligent, five-sensed Tiryans can ascend to Dev or Narak Gati. However, they cannot attain Moksha directly.
• Manushyas (Humans): Can be reborn as humans again, or as Tiryans, Devas, or Narakis.

The Uniqueness of Human Birth for Moksha:

The central argument is that only human birth offers the potential for Moksha (liberation). While Dev Gati may offer superior worldly pleasures, knowledge (Avadhijnana), and longevity, it does not provide the direct path to Moksha.

Superiority of Human Birth:

The Uttaradhyayana Sutra is quoted to highlight the importance of human birth: "Obtaining a human birth is like protecting original wealth. Attaining divinity is like a profit, but being born in Narak or Tiryan Gati is like losing the original wealth."

The Improbability of Human Birth:

• While Tiryans can be born as Tiryans endlessly, humans can attain human birth consecutively only about seven or eight times.
• Considering the infinite number of souls in the Tiryan Gati (including Nigoda beings) and the uncountable souls in Dev and Narak Gatis, the chance of a soul being born as a human is incredibly slim.
• The number of beings desiring human birth is infinitely greater than the available human births. This disparity underscores its rarity.

Comparative Rarity:

• The human population, however large, is still "Sankhyata."
• A single drop of water can contain "Asankhyata" souls.
• When compared to the vast numbers of souls residing in water, air, fire, and plants, the human population appears minuscule.

The Rarity of Essential Components for Moksha:

The text further elaborates that even after attaining human birth, several other elements crucial for spiritual progress are also rare:

1. Human Birth itself
2. Hearing the Dharma (True Teachings)
3. Faith in the Dharma
4. Effort/Strength in observing restraint (Sanyam)

This is further exemplified by the Sthananga Sutra, which lists six rare things for all beings:

1. Human birth
2. Living in an Arya Kshetra (region where Dharma is prevalent)
3. Birth in a noble family (Sukula)
4. Hearing the Dharma expounded by Kevalis (omniscient beings)
5. Faith in the heard Dharma
6. Acting according to the Dharma that has been believed, realized, and favored.

Qualities for Rebirth as Human:

According to scriptures like the Sthananga Sutra and Uttaradhyayana Sutra, souls bind to human lifespan due to four qualities:

• Simple nature (Prakriti Bhadra)
• Humble nature (Prakriti Viniyta)
• Compassionate nature (Saanukrosyata)
• Absence of envy (Amatsarya)

Other texts mention qualities like being agreeable, humble, compassionate, charitable, self-controlled, diligent, gentle, serving the virtuous, and inspiring others as conducive to rebirth as a human.

Ten Illustrative Examples of Rarity:

To vividly illustrate the extreme rarity of human birth, the text presents ten parables or examples, each depicting something virtually impossible or highly improbable, yet still more attainable than a human birth:

1. Chulha (Oven): The chance of getting to eat from the King's oven a second time after the entire kingdom's ovens have been exhausted.
2. Pasa (Dice): Winning at dice without cheating or skill, even once, after a specific sequence of events.
3. Dhanya (Grain): Separating a few mustard seeds from a mountain of rice.
4. Dhut (Gambling): Winning a game of dice consistently without any deception or special ability.
5. Ratna (Jewel): Recovering all scattered precious jewels.
6. Swapna (Dream): A specific dream occurring repeatedly with precise timing.
7. Chamma (Hide/Skin): A tortoise seeing the full moon through a hole in a raft of moss on a vast lake at a specific moment.
8. Chakra (Wheel): A skilled archer hitting a target through rotating wheels reflected in oil, as described in the Radhavedha story.
9. Yuga (Cartwheel Hub): A cartwheel hub moving across a vast ocean to fit perfectly into its axle on the opposite shore.
10. Parmanu (Atom): Reassembling all the particles of a shattered pillar blown from a mountain.

The author notes that while these events are nearly impossible, they are still more probable than attaining human birth.

The Misuse of Human Birth:

Despite its rarity, many humans waste this precious birth. They are compared to someone using a golden plate for washing their feet, an elephant to carry firewood, or a wish-fulfilling jewel to chase away crows. The book laments that even with a human birth, many live lives filled with misery, comparable to animals or suffering beings in lower Gatis, due to disabilities, mental illness, or unrighteous actions.

The Greater Rarity: Making Human Birth Meaningful:

The text concludes by highlighting that even rarer than attaining human birth is making that human birth meaningful by embracing Dharma and striving for Moksha. The ability to reflect on past lives, repent for wrongdoings, take vows, practice austerities, and achieve the cessation of karma (Samvara and Nirjara) is uniquely possible in human birth.

Finally, the author emphasizes that understanding the rarity of human birth, developing faith in the Dharma, and recognizing the rarity of Moksha itself are also exceedingly rare achievements, often requiring the grace of enlightened beings and immense spiritual effort over countless lifetimes. The ultimate rarity, as stated by Lord Mahavir, is Shraddha (true faith).