Punya Ek Tattvik Vivechan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Punya Ek Tattvik Vivechan" by Devendramuni Shastri, based on the provided pages:

Central Theme: The Nature and Purpose of Punhya (Merit/Virtue) in Jainism

The book "Punya Ek Tattvik Vivechan" (A Philosophical Discussion on Merit) by Dr. Devendrakumar Shastri delves into the complex and nuanced concept of punhya within Jain philosophy. It emphasizes that life is a duality, characterized by opposing forces like raag (attachment) and vairag (detachment), punhya and paap (merit and demerit), good and bad, Dharma and Adharma. The text argues that nothing is inherently good or bad; it's our intentions and tendencies (bhavas) that define our actions as such.

Understanding Punhya and Paap:

Relative Nature: The author stresses the importance of understanding nayavada (theory of manifold aspects) and relativity to grasp punhya and paap. Our interpretations and actions are judged based on our inner state.
Cause of Karma: The core reason for the bondage of punhya and paap lies in our bhavas. The karma that arises from these states determines our experiences of happiness and suffering in worldly existence.
From Swami Kartikeya: Quoting Swami Kartikeya, the text states that a soul becomes sinful when it is intensely influenced by strong kashayas (passions like anger, pride, deceit, greed) and virtuous (punya) when it attains a state of upasham (calmness or subdued passions). Specifically, intense kashayas and mithyatva (false belief) lead to sin, while states like aupshamik samyaktva (subsiding right belief), aupshamik charitra (subsiding conduct), and kshayik samyaktva and kshayik charitra (destruction of right belief and conduct) make one virtuous.
Three Types of Bhavas: The text categorizes mental states (bhavas) into three types: ashubh (inauspicious/sinful), shubh (auspicious/virtuous), and shuddh (pure). Ashubh is associated with art-raudra dhyana (anguished and cruel contemplation), shubh with dharma-dhyana (religious contemplation), and shuddh with absorption in one's pure soul-nature.

Punhya as a Stepping Stone, Not the Ultimate Goal:

Samydrishti and Punhya: A samyagdrushti (one with right belief) is described as a doer of good deeds and an ardent follower of auspicious inclinations. With right belief, intense passions are eradicated, making them virtuous. Therefore, punhya is identified as an auspicious state.
Paving the Way for Moksha: Auspicious states (shubh bhavas) are considered a cause for ultimately attaining liberation (moksha). Without them, one cannot reach the pure state. Punhya is a stage where one can incline towards righteous activities and engage in spiritual practices.
Relative Value: While punhya is valuable in the worldly sense, in the ultimate reality (paramartha), it is considered to be discarded (heya).
From Yogindradeva: Quoting Yogindradeva, the text explains that paap leads to lower realms (hell, animal), punhya leads to celestial beings, a mixture leads to human birth, and the destruction of both punhya and paap leads to nirvana (liberation).

Etymology and Definition of Punhya:

"Punati iti Punyam": The word "punya" is derived from the root "puna," meaning "that which purifies." It refers to the state that manifests calmness in the soul and leads to its purification.
Auspicious Results: Acharya Kundakunda defines punhya as the auspicious mental state of the soul.
Not Eternal: Neither punhya nor paap are eternal states of the soul. However, they are the basis for experiencing favorable or unfavorable circumstances in the cycle of birth and death.
Conditions for Punhya: A soul experiences the influx of punhya when its raag is praiseworthy, its inclinations are compassionate, and its mind is free from defilement.

The Distinction Between Householders and Ascetics:

For Ascetics (Munis): For ascetics who are engrossed in meditation and self-realization, both punhya and paap are equally to be relinquished. They do not get entangled in the cycle of auspicious and inauspicious states, striving for pure soul-experience.
For Householders (Gṛhasthas): The situation for ordinary householders is different. Punhya has a degree of utility for them in worldly life. However, the ultimate goal remains shedding it.
From Acharya Jñānsāgar: Acharya Jñānsāgar clarifies that texts often address ascetics. For them, actions like charity and worship, while outwardly good, are not the path to absolute tranquility if pursued with attachment. Tranquility comes from self-reliance. Householders, however, should engage in charitable acts, worship, and other good deeds while staying away from sinful activities like theft and falsehood to maintain their worldly life.

Punhya as a Means to Moksha, Not the Goal Itself:

From Pandit Banarasidas: The text quotes Pandit Banarasidas, who sometimes describes paap and punhya as a pitfall, and at other times, highlights the significance of punhya as a path leading to the state of omniscience, the awakening of compassion, the eradication of strong passions, and the attainment of liberation.
True Punhya vs. Superficial Punhya: True punhya is a cause of liberation. Once achieved, one does not return to paap. However, the desire for worldly pleasures leads to punhya that binds the soul to the cycle of birth and death. This type of punhya, especially when pursued with ulterior motives (निदानपूर्वक), is considered heya (to be discarded).

Punhya and Moksha (Liberation):

From Pandit Ashadhar: Pandit Ashadhar in "Sāgāradharmāmṛta" states that auspicious inclinations are considered punhya and inauspicious ones paap. The wise should protect themselves from the latter.
From Acharya Kundakunda: Acharya Kundakunda defines punhya in the Jinshasana as acts of worship and adherence to vows, while the pure state of the soul, free from attachment and agitation, is Dharma. The results of punhya include heavenly pleasures, but true liberation comes from transcending these.
From Pandit Jayachandra: Pandit Jayachandra explains that acts of worship, veneration, and service, along with vows like fasting, are considered punhya. These lead to auspicious mental states and bring rewards like heavenly pleasures. However, true Dharma is the state of the soul free from the agitation caused by passions like anger, pride, deceit, greed, and false beliefs.
Punhya as Character: The text equates punhya with character (charitra), which is considered Dharma itself, both in the practical (vyavahar) and ultimate (nishchaya) senses.

The Importance of Knowledge and Detachment:

From Swami Kartikeya: A person driven by passions and desiring worldly pleasures is far from the purity that punhya should bring. The root of punhya is purity.
From a Sadhu's Perspective: The text advises ascetics not to desire punhya for the sake of worldly rewards, as true merit comes from an unattached mind. Those who perform punhya for the sake of sensual pleasures do not attain true merit and may even fall back into lower states.
Merit with a Purpose: Punhya undertaken with the aspiration of liberation is beneficial, as it leads to subdued passions and ultimately, liberation. However, punhya driven by desires for worldly pleasures is considered to be discarded.
Ahimsa and Shubh Bhavas: The text emphasizes that all acts rooted in compassion and non-violence (ahimsa) are important, as they represent auspicious inclinations.

The Ultimate Perspective:

Punhya and Paap are Both Causes of Asrava: The author asserts that from the ultimate perspective, there is no difference between punhya and paap because both are causes of asrava (influx of karma).
True Renunciation: True Dharma lies in renouncing negative qualities like passions, sensory pleasures, and violence, not in renouncing the very concept of renunciation. The essence of Dharma is in one's true nature.
Shubh Bhavas are Also Impure: From a deeper perspective, both auspicious (shubh) and inauspicious (ashubh) mental states are considered impure. While vows involve abandoning impure states, they also involve embracing auspicious ones.
From Acharya Amritchandra: Acharya Amritchandra states that a soul that has attained the state of Dharma, if engaged in pure consciousness (shuddhopayoga), attains liberation. If engaged in auspicious consciousness (shubh upayoga), it attains heavenly pleasures.

The Cycle of Wealth and Its Dangers:

From Shrimad Yogindradeva: Punhya leads to wealth, wealth to pride, pride to delusion, and delusion to sin. Therefore, such punhya is undesirable.
The Trap of Material Possessions: The text argues that punhya does not necessarily lead to the destruction of karma. While having right belief makes the rise of punhya beneficial, even a samyagdrushti considers certain punhya (like acquiring the nature of a Tirthankara) as something to be renounced if pursued with attachment.
From Acharya Akalanka: Acharya Akalanka suggests that even binding ghati (destructive) karmas can arise from auspicious inclinations. Therefore, the wise person views punhya as a form of parigraha (possessions) and considers only the pure soul as worthy of pursuit.

Conclusion:

The book concludes by reiterating that while punhya and auspicious inclinations are not condemned for householders and ascetics according to their respective stages of spiritual progress, the ultimate perspective views them as something to be relinquished. The true path lies in self-reliance and the pursuit of the pure soul, not in the accumulation of merit for worldly or even heavenly pleasures. The emphasis is on transcending all attachments, including the attachment to punhya itself, to achieve true liberation.