Punya Aur Pap Ka Shastriya Drushtikon - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Punya aur Pap ka Shastriya Drushtikon" by Darbarilal Kothiya, focusing on the scriptural perspective of merit (Punya) and demerit (Pap):

The article addresses a previous point made by the author, citing Brahmadeva's commentary on Brihad Dravya Sangraha, which stated that even for a Samyagdrishti (one with right faith), both merit (Punya) and demerit (Pap) are to be discarded (heya), not embraced (upadeya). The previous article explained that a Samyagdrishti focuses on their pure soul. However, due to the influence of Chartramohan (delusion related to conduct), if they cannot maintain this pure self-contemplation, they engage in devotion to the Panch Parmeshthis (five supreme beings – Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and Sadhus) through practices like charity and worship to overcome desires and passions. This results in the inflow of specific merit without a desire for worldly enjoyments, akin to a farmer cultivating rice and getting straw as an unintended byproduct. Upon receiving the fruits of merit, such as celestial power, the Samyagdrishti remains unattached. This process leads to the development of soul qualities, culminating in taking initiation and achieving liberation.

The author clarifies that the previous article solely presented Brahmadeva's quote and its translation. However, a response in the 'Jain Gazette' prompted a more detailed scriptural explanation of merit to clarify the author's intent. This article aims to provide that scriptural viewpoint on merit and demerit.

The author then delves into the perspectives of prominent ancient Jain Acharyas, specifically Acharya Kundakunda and Acharya Ghriddhapiccha, whose works are considered irrefutable evidence in the Digambara tradition.

Acharya Kundakunda:

Panchastikaya Sangraha: Kundakunda considers merit and demerit as substances and enumerates them among the nine substances. He defines the good thoughts of the soul as merit (Punya) and inauspicious thoughts as demerit (Pap). These good and bad thoughts, in turn, cause pudgala (matter) to transform into good karma (Dravya Punya) and bad karma (Dravya Pap) respectively. The soul is the doer of Bhava Punya (mental merit) and Bhava Pap (mental demerit), while pudgala is the doer of Dravya Punya and Dravya Pap. Both the soul and pudgala are the material causes of their respective transformations, acting as instrumental causes for each other.
Inflow of Merit (Punya ka Asrava): The Panchastikaya Sangraha further explains that the inflow of merit occurs in beings who have praiseworthy attachment (Prashasta Rag), compassionate thoughts (Anukampa), and lack of agitation in the mind (Chitta mein Kalushya na hona).
- Praiseworthy attachment is described as devotion to Arihants, Siddhas, and Sadhus, engagement in practical conduct (Vyavahar Charitra), and reverence towards elders. This attachment is either due to a gross objective or a conscious effort by the knowledgeable to avoid excessive or inappropriate attachment. True Samyagdrishtis do not experience this attachment.
- Compassion is the feeling of distress when seeing suffering in others and the desire to alleviate it. This is typically seen in the ignorant. The knowledgeable, on the other hand, experience a slight sadness when observing the world drowned in the ocean of births.
- Lack of agitation in the mind refers to a state where the mind is not disturbed by the intense rise of anger, pride, deceit, or greed. A mild rise of these passions that doesn't cause mental agitation is considered a non-agitated state. This can occur in the ignorant due to the partial subsidence of karmic causes or, sometimes, in the knowledgeable when karmic causes are still present but the mind is not entirely pure.
Samaysara: In Samaysara, there is a specific section called 'Punya Papa Adhikar' (Chapter on Merit and Demerit). Here, karma is divided into two types: auspicious karma (Shubh Karma), understood as merit (Punya), and inauspicious karma (Ashubh Karma), understood as demerit (Pap). However, the text questions how auspicious karma, which also leads to worldly existence, can be called "good conduct" (Susheel). It asserts that both are outcomes of pudgala and causes of worldly bondage, thus there is no inherent difference between them. Using the analogy of iron and golden fetters, both bind a person. Similarly, both auspicious and inauspicious karma bind the soul. Therefore, the wise (Samyagdrishtis) recognize the inherent nature of karmas as tainted and avoid their association, remaining absorbed in their own knowing nature. The essence of the teachings of the Jinas is to be detached from both auspicious and inauspicious karma. Only those who are separated from the experience of their true self desire merit, mistakenly believing that only inauspicious karma causes bondage and auspicious karma (like vows and austerities) leads to liberation.

Acharya Griddhapiccha:

Tattvartha Sutra: Acharya Griddhapiccha also refers to both merit and demerit as karma (results of pudgala that cause bondage). He classifies the eight karmas (or their 148 varieties) into merit and demerit.
- Merit (Punya) includes pleasant experiences, long life, auspicious names, and good lineage.
- Demerit (Pap) encompasses everything else.

Other Acharyas:

Acharya Yogindudev (Yogsara): He states that merit leads to heaven and demerit to hell. Only by transcending both and knowing the soul does one attain liberation. Until the soul realizes the ultimate pure state, vows, austerities, self-control, and virtuous conduct are ineffective. While everyone recognizes demerit as bad, only a rare pandit calls merit also a form of demerit. Just as an iron chain binds, so does a golden chain. Truly wise are those who renounce both auspicious and inauspicious states.
Acharya Yogindudev (Paramatm Prakash): He emphasizes that ignorance lies in not understanding that subjective transformations lead to bondage and inherent nature to liberation. Consequently, the ignorant perform both merit and demerit. Those who do not treat merit and demerit equally suffer in the cycle of birth and death for a long time due to delusion.

Conclusion:

The article concludes by stating that from a scriptural perspective, from the viewpoint of Nishchay Nay (ultimate truth), both demerit (Pap) and merit (Punya) are to be discarded because they are both transformations of pudgala. Citing Pandit Daulatramji, it is said, "Do not be elated or depressed by the fruits of merit and demerit, brother; these are mere modifications of pudgala, arising and perishing."

However, from the perspective of Vyavahar Nay (conventional truth), merit (Punya) is to be embraced, as the adoption of vows and similar practices is essential in the initial stages of spiritual progress and leads to the inflow of merit. Demerit (Pap), on the other hand, is always to be shunned.