Paryushan Ane Teno Upayog - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Paryushan ane Teno Upayog" by Sukhlal Sanghavi:

The text, "Paryushan ane Teno Upayog" (Paryushan Festival and Its Utility) by Sukhlal Sanghavi, delves into the nature, origins, and appropriate utilization of religious festivals, with a particular focus on the Jain festival of Paryushan.

The Origin and Nature of Festivals:

Sanghavi begins by explaining that festivals arise from various reasons, often starting with one specific cause and later accumulating others. However, all festivals share two fundamental underlying motivations: devotion (bhakti) and joy (anand). Devotion is essential for a festival's continuation, as it relies on the community's engagement. Joy, in the form of eating, drinking, socializing, singing, dancing, dressing up, and grandeur, is also crucial for people to take interest in any festival.

Festivals can be broadly categorized into two types based on their origin and underlying sentiment:

Laukik (Worldly) or Asuri (Demonic): These festivals originate from base emotions like fear, greed, and wonder. They are meant for ordinary people and do not focus on life purification or the greatness of life. Instead, they are driven by lower desires and impure intentions. Examples include festivals related to warding off fear, fulfilling desires, and expressing awe at natural phenomena like the sun or the ocean. Many Hindu festivals like Nagpanchami, Sheetala Satam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga, and Kali Puja are cited as originating from the desire to overcome fear. Festivals like Melak, Mangalgowri, and Lakshmi Puja are linked to greed and desire. Sun, ocean, and moon worship stem from wonder at their power and grandeur.
Laaukik (Spiritual/Divine): These festivals are born from the intention of life purification and are promoted for the same purpose. They are suitable for people of a higher spiritual inclination. The text mentions that traditions like Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism have festivals rooted in life purification. Islam's Ramadan is presented as a prime example, where fasting is coupled with vows of self-restraint, truthfulness, equality, and charitable giving to the less fortunate. Brahmanical festivals, due to the caste system, exhibit a mix of various sentiments. While some Buddhist festivals are born from the spirit of public welfare and renunciation, Jain festivals are distinct.

The Uniqueness of Jain Festivals:

A key assertion is that no Jain festival originates from the sentiments of worldly desire, fear, greed, or wonder, nor are such sentiments supported by scripture if they are later incorporated. The purpose of Jain festivals, regardless of their initiation by a Tirthankara or any other significant event, is solely the purification and strengthening of knowledge (gyan) and conduct (charitra).

Paryushan: The Apex of Jain Festivals:

Among the long festivals, Paryushan is considered the most significant, primarily because it encompasses the Samvatsarik festival. Samvatsarik is the most revered Jain festival because its core essence embodies the fundamental principle of Jainism: the pursuit of life purification. On this day, individuals resolve to shed the impurities accumulated in their lives throughout the year. It is a directive to achieve unity with all, to mend strained relationships, and to purify one's heart. The day dedicated to removing impurities from life is considered the most blessed and worthy of utmost reverence.

The eight days of Paryushan are an extension of Samvatsarik, and the entire week is known as Paryushan. Both sects of Shvetambaras recognize this week as Paryushan and generally observe it concurrently. Digambaras, however, observe a ten-day period called Dashalakshan, with a slightly different timing.

The Spiritual and Social Significance of Paryushan:

Given the Jain emphasis on renunciation and austerity, the role of ascetic monks is paramount, and thus, all Jain festivals are closely linked to the monastic order. Samvatsarik marks the day for ascetics to determine their monsoon retreat and to introspect, shed inner impurities, and commit to maintaining purity. The importance of this day leads to the inclusion of other days, aligned with the suitability of the season, that hold equal significance.

These eight days are a period for Jains to minimize worldly business, increase renunciation and austerity, cultivate virtues like knowledge and generosity, and strive for both worldly and spiritual welfare. The ingrained संस्कार (sanskar - spiritual imprints/tendencies) from birth inspire every Jain, regardless of age or gender, to test their capacity for renunciation and austerity during Paryushan. This leads to a pervasive religious atmosphere, akin to the clouds of Ashad month.

During Paryushan, the following are commonly observed:

Reduced hustle and bustle, seeking more leisure.
Control over food, drink, and other indulgences.
Inclination towards listening to scriptures and self-reflection.
Appropriate reverence and devotion towards ascetics, renunciates, and fellow practitioners.
Efforts to grant freedom from fear (abhaydaan).
A spirit of genuine friendship, forgetting past grievances.

Challenges in Utilizing Paryushan:

Sanghavi highlights a conflict between these inherited noble tendencies and ingrained habits of worldly pursuits. This clash prevents full utilization of Paryushan's beneficial days. Instead, secular quarrels, partisanship, disputes, and arguments often overshadow religious matters. The result is a failure to achieve spiritual advancement, with many returning to their previous state, or even a decline from it. Thus, Paryushan, and similar religious days, are not optimally used for spiritual growth, nor are they effectively utilized for social and national betterment.

The author argues that our ordinary life is practical and outward-focused, making it difficult to truly connect with spiritual life. While we desire the development of social and national life, we often dismiss it as trivial, claiming that only spiritual life is real. This unqualified understanding hinders both spiritual and social/national progress. Therefore, Jain religious heritage should be utilized in a way that improves social and national life, and consequently, has a positive impact on spiritual life, provided inner qualification exists.

Recommendations for Effective Paryushan Utilization:

To achieve this, two key things are necessary:

Gaining knowledge: Understanding the unique elements of Jainism and how they can be applied for social and national welfare.
Purposeful utilization of leisure: Using Paryushan's downtime to benefit not only oneself but also neighbors and countrymen, thus enhancing the reputation of Jain social life and the religion itself, enabling Jains to lead and take pride in their faith.

Reforming the Practice of Kalpa Sutra Reading:

Sanghavi proposes a change in the traditional practice of reading the Kalpa Sutra during Paryushan. Instead, he advocates for discussions on specific topics that are central to Jainism (or any religion). The aim is to discuss these elements in a way that allows individuals of all inclinations to benefit, to facilitate social and national welfare while maintaining spirituality.

The author debunks the misconception that the current method of reading the Kalpa Sutra has been the same since Lord Mahavir's time. He explains that the public reading of the Kalpa Sutra is a relatively recent development, originating approximately 1500 years ago. Initially, it was read only within monastic assemblies and specifically to certain classes of monks, often at night. The public reading, including for the four-fold Jain community, began during King Dhruvasena's reign in Anandpur, partly to alleviate his grief. However, the broader reason was the growing popular interest in hearing the biographies of great men and understanding the conduct of ascetics, influenced by the reading of scriptures like the Mahabharata and Ramayana in Brahmanical traditions and Jataka tales in Buddhist traditions.

Intelligent Jain acharyas seized this opportunity, added biographies where they were lacking, and emphasized the life of Lord Mahavir, while diminishing the importance of the monastic conduct portion previously read only to monks. The text was adapted to suit the audience's taste and language. As the public's interest and reverence for the Kalpa Sutra grew, and its public reading became regular during Paryushan, commentaries were composed. Even these commentaries, written in Prakrit and Sanskrit, became subjects of study. By the 17th century, works in Gujarati and Hindi also emerged. This evolution is seen as positive because it adapted to popular sentiment.

Drawbacks of the Current Kalpa Sutra Reading:

Sanghavi identifies several reasons why the current method of Kalpa Sutra reading is not engaging for everyone:

Excessive time commitment: The extensive reading and listening consume so much time that people become tired, and even with faith, their capacity for reflection diminishes.
Lack of scope for discussion: The fixed style of pronunciation and interpretation, along with the need to complete prescribed sections within a set time, leaves no room for discussion or alternative perspectives for the reader or listener.
Absence of contemporary relevance: The reading often lacks focus on the current social and national conditions, failing to extract practical lessons from the Kalpa Sutra that could be beneficial to society and the nation.
Overemphasis on tradition: There is immense pressure to adhere to devotion and current customs, leading to ignorance, misunderstanding of the situation, or willful disregard. The sole focus is on reviving the "dead facts" of the past.

These factors contribute to the dullness of the Kalpa Sutra reading during Paryushan, necessitating reform. The author concludes by stating that his intention is to introduce changes based on his understanding to revitalize the festival and its practices, recognizing that change is inevitable and that the current tradition itself is a product of past adaptations.