Pratikraman Avashyak Swarup Aur Chintan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Pratikraman Avashyak Swarup aur Chintan" by Upadhyay Ramesh Muni Shastri, based on the provided document:

The article "Pratikraman Avashyak: Swarup aur Chintan" by Upadhyay Ramesh Muni Shastri delves deeply into the essence and contemplation of Pratikraman, a fundamental practice in Jainism. It emphasizes that traversing the difficult ocean of this impermanent world is achievable through spiritual discipline, which, like the sun and fire purifying impurities, burns away the accumulated impurities of the soul from time immemorial. This leads to the ultimate severance of the soul's attachment to karmas.

The Core of Jain Practice: The "Avashyak"

The author defines the Avashyak (essential duties) as the lifeblood of Jain practice, a vibrant treatise for purifying life and rectifying faults. It serves as a supreme method for the spiritual aspirant to examine and understand their soul. The Avashyak are those activities that both monks (Shramanas) and householders (Shravakas) must perform diligently day and night. Anything that is "necessary" is Avashyak. It's that which turns the soul away from vices and towards virtues, filling it with virtues and uniting it with them. Because Avashyak is the foundation of various virtues like spiritual equanimity, humility, simplicity, and non-greed, it is also called Āpāshray (foundation). The ultimate goal of an aspirant is not external objects but self-purification. The practice that leads to eternal bliss, destruction of karmic impurities, attainment of the unfading and immortal state, and the illumination of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct is Avashyak. It is considered the strong foundation of the beautiful palace of spiritual practice.

The Six Essential Practices (Sad Avashyak)

The article lists the six fundamental Avashyak practices:

Samayik: The practice of equanimity.
Chaturvinshtistav: Praise of the twenty-four Tirthankaras (Jinas).
Vandan: Salutations to the great gurus.
Pratikraman: Self-criticism and confession of faults.
Kayotsarga: Renunciation of attachment to the body.
Pratyakhyan: Renunciation of things like food.

Understanding "Pratikraman" in Detail

Pratikraman is defined as bringing back the soul's impure tendencies to a pure and virtuous state. The article then elaborates on eight synonyms for Pratikraman, each highlighting a specific aspect:

Pratikraman (Return): Returning to one's natural state after transgressing boundaries and moving into a state of perversion. It involves confessing, criticizing, and condemning sins committed through mind, speech, and body, as well as those caused or approved of in others.
Pracharana (Moving towards restraint): Remaining separate from the domain of non-restraint (asamyam) and diligently practicing restraint with utmost awareness and purity. Restraint is the sole cause of liberation. It's not just external renunciation but internal purity.
Pariharana (Abandonment): The aspirant must endure many obstacles on the path of spiritual practice. The attraction of non-restraint can divert them. Pariharana means abandoning unwholesome thoughts, meditations, and actions at every moment.
Varana (Prohibition): A prohibition against getting trapped in the mire of sensory pleasures. One must remain vigilant to escape the wildfire of attachment and aversion.
Nivritti (Cessation): If, due to negligence, the soul falls into unwholesome actions, one must quickly return to a pure state. Cessation from the unwholesome.
Ninda (Self-Criticism): At the time of Pratikraman, the aspirant must introspect and sincerely criticize their sinful actions. Self-criticism is for polishing one's life.
Garha (Public Confession): While Ninda is self-criticism, Garha is confession before elders or gurus. It's difficult and requires strong willpower, involving deep repentance for sins. It's like a healing mantra against the poison of sin.
Shuddhi (Purification): Just as gold is purified by fire, the heart's impurities are removed through Pratikraman.

The Five Types of Pratikraman

The article explains that returning from unwholesome tendencies to wholesome ones is Pratikraman. This involves transcending from temporary states (audayik bhāva) driven by attachment and aversion to the ultimate state of liberation (kshayik bhāva). The movement back to a state of potentiality (kshayopshamik bhāva) after entering unwholesome states is called Pratikraman. It has five types:

Asrava-dwar Pratikraman: Rectification of the channels through which karmas enter the soul (karma-asrava). This involves refraining from and not re-engaging in the five sins: violence, falsehood, stealing, unchastity, and excessive possession.
Mithyatva Pratikraman: Rectification of false beliefs and wrong perspectives that prevent the development of true faith. It's about correcting the delusion that makes one see non-self as self, akin to how intoxication clouds judgment.
Kashaya Pratikraman: Rectification of the four passions (anger, pride, deceit, greed), which are the root of worldly existence and karmic bondage. These passions are categorized as attachment (Maya, Lobha) and aversion (Krodh, Man).
Yoga Pratikraman: Rectification of the movements of the mind, speech, and body. Wholesome yogas lead to influx of merit, and unwholesome yogas lead to influx of sin. It involves separating the soul from unwholesome activities of mind, speech, and body.
Bhava Pratikraman: This is the culmination of the previous four, where one refrains from engaging in asrava-dwar, mithyatva, kashaya, and yoga through the three modes of action (mind, speech, body) and three types of yoga.

These five types are also seen as rectifying: Mithyatva, Avirati (non-restraint), Pramada (negligence), Kashaya (passions), and Ashubh Yoga (unwholesome activities). The aspirant constantly reflects on whether they have strayed from the path of right faith, embraced non-restraint, indulged in negligence, succumbed to passions, or engaged in unwholesome activities. The commitment to return to right faith, restraint, diligence, equanimity, and wholesome activities is the essence of this five-fold Pratikraman.

Four Aspects of Pratikraman

The article also outlines four aspects of contemplation within Pratikraman:

Upholding Vows: Ensuring that the great vows (Mahavratas) for monks and small vows (Anuvratas) for householders are not violated. If there's any lapse due to carelessness in practices like non-violence, truthfulness, etc., Pratikraman is performed for purification.
Following Code of Conduct: If there's a lapse in following the prescribed daily disciplines and practices like self-study and meditation, Pratikraman is performed.
Correcting Doubts about the Soul: If doubts arise about the existence of the eternal, formless soul, Pratikraman is done to purify such lack of faith.
Rectifying False Teachings: If, due to carelessness, one propagates prohibited negative actions (like violence, falsehood), Pratikraman is performed to rectify it.

All these aspects aim at sincerely repenting for sinful activities and making amends.

Pratikraman: More Than Just Past Purification

Pratikraman not only purifies past faults but also safeguards against present and future ones. While past faults are confessed, present actions involve samvara (stopping the influx of karma). Furthermore, Pratikraman involves pratyakhyan (vows of abstention), which prevents future faults. It embodies a resolution to cease unwholesome past actions, engage in wholesome present actions, and avoid unwholesome future actions. It's a unique spiritual discipline.

Pratikraman as a "Kalpa" and "Prayashchitta"

Pratikraman is also considered a "Kalpa" (rule or conduct) among the ten types of Kalpas for monks, signifying its importance in rectifying faults. It is a form of Prayashchitta (penance or expiation), which literally means correcting an offense. Prayashchitta is an internal penance that aims not to inflict suffering but to remove the "disease" of sin from the soul.

The Power of "Michhami Dukkadam"

The statement "Michhami Dukkadam" (May all my offenses be fruitless) is presented as a key Pratikraman-based Prayashchitta. However, the article stresses that the mere utterance of these words without sincere internal repentance is ineffective. The power lies in the heartfelt remorse and the firm resolve not to repeat the offense. The words are a vehicle for the inner feeling. Without genuine repentance, even severe penance doesn't purify the soul. The aim is mental correction, not physical punishment.

The Pitfall of Superficial Practice

The article warns against superficial Pratikraman, where one repeatedly commits sins and then merely says "Michhami Dukkadam" without true introspection and change. This "external practice" (dravya-sadhana) leads to further impurity rather than purification. The true Pratikraman is to avoid committing the sin in the first place. Repeating the same sin after saying "Michhami Dukkadam" is considered a lie and hypocrisy, fostering doubt and increasing false beliefs.

The Meaning of "Michhami Dukkadam"

A detailed breakdown of "Michhami Dukkadam" reveals its profound meaning:

Mi: Gentleness (physical) and softness (internal).
Chha: Covering or stopping the faults of non-restraint.
Mi: Adherence to vows and boundaries.
Du: Criticism of past sinful inclinations.
Ka: Acceptance of having committed the sin.
D: The state of upsham (subduedness of passions), where karmic energy, though present, does not manifest as strongly.

Conclusion

Pratikraman is an inward-focused spiritual practice designed to overcome negligence and return the soul to the path of restraint. It's a vital discipline for refining the ascetic life, purifying the soul, freeing it from attachment and aversion, and eradicating sinful actions. By engaging in this practice, the aspirant ignites a divine light of diligence within, dispelling ignorance and delusion. It is the art of fighting past karmas while preventing future ones, the spiritual warfare that can lead to the kingdom of liberation.