Navtattva Prakarana With Meaning - Book Summary

Certainly, here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Navtattva Prakarana with Meaning" by Chandulal Nanchand Shah, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Navtattva Prakarana with Meaning Author(s): Chandulal Nanchand Shah Publisher: Jain Shreyaskar Mandal Mahesana

Overview:

"Navtattva Prakarana with Meaning" is a Jain text that aims to explain the fundamental principles of Jain philosophy, particularly the "Nine Truths" (Navtattva), in an accessible manner for a broad audience, including children. The book elaborates on these truths with detailed explanations and comparative analyses with other Indian philosophical systems.

Core Philosophy of Navtattva:

The central theme of the book, as highlighted from the very first page, is that "Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct are the path to liberation (Moksha)." The Navtattva, therefore, serves as a roadmap to understanding the nature of reality and the path to spiritual liberation.

Structure and Content:

The book begins with a preface that explains the purpose of the text: to unravel the mysteries of the universe and life through the nine tattvas. It then embarks on a comparative study of various Indian philosophical schools before delving into the specifics of Jainism.

1. Comparative Philosophy (Pages 3-8):

The initial chapters offer a concise overview of other prominent Indian philosophical schools, primarily to contrast them with the Jain perspective. These include:

Charvaka Darshan: Materialistic philosophy emphasizing only the five elements and denying the soul, karma, and afterlife.
Vedanta Darshan: Believes in the ultimate reality of Brahman, with the world being an illusion or manifestation of Brahman. Liberation is attained by realizing the oneness with Brahman.
Vaisheshika Darshan: Analyzes the universe into six (or seven) categories (Dravya, Guna, Karma, Samanya, Vishesha, Samavaya, and Abhava), attributing a creator God to the universe.
Nyaya Darshan: Focuses on logic and epistemology, outlining sixteen categories (Padarthas) that lead to liberation through right understanding. It also accepts a creator God.
Mimamsa Darshan (Purva & Uttara): Emphasizes Vedic rituals and philosophical interpretations, respectively. Purva Mimamsa focuses on ritualistic duties, while Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta) explores the nature of Brahman.
Samkhya Darshan: Posits a dualistic system of Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter), with their interplay creating the universe. Liberation is achieved by realizing the distinction between Purusha and Prakriti.
Yoga Darshan: Builds upon Samkhya, emphasizing yogic practices to achieve liberation (Kevalya). It accepts God as a creator and yogic principles.
Bauddha Darshan: Characterized by the Four Noble Truths and the concept of impermanence (Kshana-vinashi). It views liberation as "Shunya" (void) and denies the existence of a soul, God, etc.

The text then critically distinguishes these schools, noting that Charvaka, Buddhism, and Jainism are considered "avaidik" (non-Vedic) and independent, while the other six are Vedic in origin.

2. Jain Philosophy (Pages 9-177):

The core of the book focuses on explaining the Jain perspective, particularly through the framework of the Navtattva.

Jain Darshan's Multifaceted Approach (Page 9): Jainism is praised for its comprehensive approach to understanding the universe from various viewpoints: scientific, religious, developmental, natural, material, relational, integrative, analytical, logical, linguistic, practical, and existential. It claims to encompass the insights of other schools while offering a more complete and independent synthesis.
The Nine Tattvas (Pages 10-13): The book systematically introduces and explains the Navtattva, defining each in simple terms:
- Jiva (Soul): The sentient principle that possesses life, consciousness, knowledge, and perception. It is the primary element.
- Ajiva (Non-soul): Inert matter, including space, time, dharma, adharma, and pudgala (matter).
- Punya (Merit): Actions that lead to happiness and favorable circumstances, often associated with good deeds.
- Papa (Demerit): Actions that lead to suffering and unfavorable circumstances, associated with unrighteous deeds.
- Asrava (Influx): The inflow of karma into the soul due to the soul's engagement with passions and activities.
- Samvara (Stoppage): The blocking of the influx of karma through self-control, vows, and careful conduct.
- Nirjara (Shedding of Karma): The process of shedding accumulated karma through austerities and spiritual practices.
- Bandha (Bondage): The causal relationship between the soul and karma, leading to entrapment in the cycle of birth and death.
- Moksha (Liberation): The ultimate goal, achieved by the complete cessation of karma and the soul's attainment of its pure, liberated state.
Detailed Exposition of Each Tattva (Pages 16-177): The subsequent pages provide in-depth explanations of each of the nine tattvas, often supported by canonical verses (Gathas) and their Gujarati explanations. The book meticulously details:
- Jiva Tattva: Classifications of souls based on senses (Ekendriya to Panchendriya), consciousness, respiration, life-span, etc., including the fourteen states of the soul (Guna-sthana). The nature of subtle and gross beings is explained.
- Ajiva Tattva: The nature and classifications of the five non-soul substances (Dharma, Adharma, Akasha, Kala, and Pudgala). The physical attributes of Pudgala (color, smell, taste, touch) are discussed.
- Punya and Papa Tattvas: Elaborated with detailed classifications of various types of merit and demerit, often linking them to specific actions and their karmic consequences. The concept of "punyanubandhi punya" and "papanubandhi papa" is also explored.
- Asrava Tattva: The inflow of karma is explained through the senses, passions (Kashaya), vows (Avrat), and activities (Yoga), with a breakdown of 25 specific actions contributing to karma.
- Samvara Tattva: The obstruction of karma is explained through the five Samitis (careful conduct), three Guptis (restraint), twenty-two Parishahas (endurance of hardships), ten Yati Dharmas (qualities of ascetics), twelve Bhavanas (meditations), and five Charitras (conduct).
- Nirjara Tattva: The shedding of karma is detailed through six external austerities (Bahya Tap) and six internal austerities (Abhyantara Tap), totaling twelve types of Tapas.
- Bandha Tattva: The bondage of karma is explained through four aspects: Prakriti (type of karma), Sthiti (duration), Anubhaga (intensity of experience), and Pradesha (quantity of karma particles).
- Moksha Tattva: The ultimate goal of liberation is described, including concepts like the fourteen Mool Margana (ways of classification), the states leading to Moksha (like Samvara and Nirjara), the nature of the liberated soul, and the classifications of Siddhas.

Key Themes and Emphasis:

Clarity and Accessibility: The author, Chandulal Nanchand Shah, strives to make complex philosophical concepts understandable to a wide audience.
Systematic Approach: The book systematically presents the nine tattvas, building understanding from basic definitions to intricate details.
Importance of Gnosis and Conduct: The book consistently reinforces the Jain path to liberation through the triad of Samyagdarshan (Right Faith), Samyagjnana (Right Knowledge), and Samyakcharitra (Right Conduct).
Karmic Law: The intricate workings of karma, its influx (Asrava), stoppage (Samvara), shedding (Nirjara), and bondage (Bandha), are central to the explanation of the soul's journey.
Comparative Study: By referencing other philosophical schools, the book implicitly highlights the unique contributions and strengths of the Jain perspective.
Practical Application: While deeply philosophical, the text aims to guide the reader towards practical spiritual progress and understanding of one's duties (Kartavyakartavya).

Conclusion:

"Navtattva Prakarana with Meaning" serves as a valuable resource for understanding the foundational principles of Jainism. It offers a detailed yet comprehensible explanation of the Navtattva, emphasizing their interconnectedness and their crucial role in the soul's path to liberation. The book's systematic approach, comparative analysis, and focus on practical understanding make it an essential read for anyone seeking to explore Jain philosophy.