Parmatma Hone Ka Vigyana - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Parmatma hone ka Vigyana" by Babulal Jain, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Parmatma hone ka Vigyana (The Science of Becoming the Supreme Soul) Author: Babulal Jain Publisher: Dariyaganj Shastra Sabha

Core Message: The book "Parmatma hone ka Vigyana" aims to provide a simple, modern explanation of the fundamental principles of Jainism, focusing on the path to achieving the state of the Supreme Soul (Parmatma). It emphasizes that becoming the Supreme Soul is the birthright of every living being, inherent in their very nature, and achievable through self-effort and the eradication of internal impurities.

Key Themes and Concepts:

The Nature of Reality and the Soul:
- Dualism: The universe is composed of two fundamental types of substances: sentient (chetana) and insentient (achetana). Sentient beings have the power to know and experience, while insentient objects do not.
- Individuality of Souls: Every soul is distinct and independent, with its own unique experiences of happiness, sorrow, life, and death.
- Potential for Divinity: Every living being, from the smallest microorganism to humans, possesses the inherent potential to become the Supreme Soul. This potential is like a seed containing the fully grown tree. This journey can lead towards spiritual perfection (Parmatma) or degradation towards an almost inert state.
- The Soul as Pure Consciousness: The soul's true nature is pure consciousness (chetan-tatva), knowledge-bound (gyana-swabhavi), and unchanging.
The Cause of Suffering (Dukha):
- Attachment and Aversion (Rag-Dvesh): The primary cause of all suffering is the presence of attachment (rag) and aversion (dvesh), also referred to as passions or kashayas (anger, pride, delusion, greed).
- Misidentification: Suffering arises from the mistaken belief that "I am the body" (main sharir hoon). This misidentification leads to attachment and aversion towards things related to the body and its experiences.
- The Illusion of "Mine": When the soul identifies with the body and its associated worldly possessions, relationships, and experiences, it creates a sense of "mine" (apnapan, mamta), leading to attachment to agreeable experiences and aversion to disagreeable ones.
The Path to Happiness (Sukh) and Liberation:
- Eradication of Rag-Dvesh: True happiness and the state of the Supreme Soul are achieved by progressively reducing and ultimately eliminating attachment and aversion.
- Self-Knowledge (Atmavidya): The crucial step is to gain self-knowledge – to realize "Who am I?" and understand one's true nature as pure consciousness, distinct from the body, thoughts, and emotions.
- Disidentification: The practice of disidentifying from the body, thoughts, and feelings is essential. This involves recognizing them as temporary, external, and not part of the soul's true essence.
- Mindfulness and Witnessing (Sakshi-Bhav): Observing one's bodily actions, mental states (thoughts, emotions), and sensory experiences without becoming attached to or identifying with them is a key practice. This is the state of being a witness (sakshi).
The Nature of Dharma (Religion/Righteousness):
- Dharma vs. Sampraday: The book distinguishes between "Dharma" (the eternal, universal truth and path to self-realization) and "Sampraday" (a sect or dogma, often focused on rituals and external practices). True Dharma is about inner transformation and self-welfare.
- Dharma as Rag-Dvesh Elimination: Dharma is defined as the path to the absence of attachment and aversion. Its absence is irreligiousness (adharm), which manifests as sin (pap) and merit (punya).
- Key Definitions of Dharma: The book presents four core definitions of Dharma, all pointing to the absence of rag-dvesh:
  1. Unity of Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct (Sammyagdarshan-Gyana-Charitra).
  2. The inherent nature of the soul (Vastu-swabhav).
  3. The ten virtues like forgiveness, humility, etc. (Dashalakshan Dharma).
  4. Non-violence as the supreme Dharma (Ahimsa param Dharma).
- The Means to Dharma: The science of self-knowledge (atmavidya) is the means to achieve Dharma.
The Role of Karma and Rebirth:
- Karma as a Medium: Karmas are the "medium" through which the soul experiences the consequences of its actions (thoughts, speech, and deeds).
- Consequences of Actions: The quality of one's internal states (parinam) determines the type of body and experiences one receives in future lives. Simple, non-deceitful states lead to higher births, while deceitful states lead to lower births.
- The Cycle of Birth and Death: The soul's attachment to the body and its experiences perpetuates the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
Understanding "General" and "Particular" (Samanya-Vishesh):
- General (Samanya): The unchanging, eternal essence of a thing (e.g., the essence of gold).
- Particular (Vishesh): The changing states or modifications of a thing (e.g., gold shaped into a crown, then a necklace).
- Application to the Soul: The soul's general nature is pure consciousness. Its particular states are emotions, thoughts, and the experiences of karma. To realize the soul, one must identify with the general (the unchanging consciousness) and disidentify from the particulars (changing states).
The "This" and "That" (Yah and Vah):
- "This" (Yah): Refers to the perishable, knowable, material world, the body, intellect, senses, and worldly designations.
- "That" (Vah): Refers to the imperishable, unknowable (by ordinary means), true self – pure consciousness, the soul.
- The Path: The path to liberation is to transcend the "this" and realize the "that." Religion deals with "that," while science deals with "this."
The Stages of Spiritual Progress (Gunsthanas):
- The book outlines the fourteen stages (gunasthanas) of spiritual development, primarily as a measure of the reduction of passions (kashaya).
- First Stage (Bahir-Atma): Identification with the body and external factors, dependence on others.
- Fourth Stage (Avirat Samyagdrushti): Initial realization of the self as distinct from the body and emotions, though passions are not yet eradicated.
- Fifth Stage (Desh-Samyami): Beginning of vows (anuvratas) and partial control over senses and passions.
- Sixth and Seventh Stages: Further progress towards complete self-control and the practice of Mahavratas (great vows) by monks.
- Higher Stages (Eighth onwards): Stages of pure meditation (Shukla Dhyana), leading to the destruction of karmas and the attainment of omniscience (Keval Gyana).
- Thirteenth Stage (Ksheen-Moh): Destruction of all deluding karmas, leading to the Arhat state.
- Fourteenth Stage (Yogi-Jin): Complete cessation of bodily activities and the attainment of the Siddha state (Parmatma), the state of liberation.
The Importance of Practice and Self-Experience:
- Knowledge vs. Experience: Merely acquiring scriptural knowledge (agam-gyan) is insufficient. True transformation comes from direct experience and self-realization (atm-anubhav).
- Living the Principles: The book encourages the reader to actively apply these principles in their daily life, practicing mindfulness, disidentification, and the reduction of passions.
The Practice of the Twelve Vows:
- The book details the twelve vows (five vows of abstinence, three vows of circumspection, and four vows of training) that are undertaken by lay followers (Shravaks and Shravikas) and further refined by monks. These vows are practical guidelines for living a life free from violence, untruth, theft, misconduct, and excessive accumulation.

In essence, "Parmatma hone ka Vigyana" presents a path of self-discovery and self-transformation, rooted in understanding the true nature of the soul, identifying the root causes of suffering, and diligently applying practices to eradicate inner impurities and realize one's innate divine potential. It emphasizes that the journey is internal and achievable through one's own earnest efforts, guided by right knowledge and conduct.