Sadhan Jivan Me Trigupti Ka Mahattva

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Sadhan Jivan me Trigupti ka Mahattva" by Ratanbai Choradiya, based on the provided PDF pages:

The article, "The Importance of Trigupti (Three Restraints) in a Spiritual Life," by Smt. Ratanbai Choradiya, emphasizes the significance of controlling one's mind, speech, and body for spiritual advancement. While acknowledging the high spiritual practices of monks and nuns, the author highlights that even partial adoption of these principles can transform an ordinary life. The article is primarily aimed at householders, offering guidance for their spiritual journey.

The author begins by extolling the virtues of a spiritual seeker (sadhak), describing them as possessing truthfulness, generosity, tolerance, compassion, and dedication. A true seeker, like a discerning listener (shravak), has a mind as pure as a mirror, a noble heart, and a simple demeanor, earning them universal love. Such individuals refrain from sins, are impartial, respect elders, acknowledge favors, and possess foresight. They are not slaves to their senses but control them. Their thoughts, words, and actions are unique, and they live in the world yet remain detached from its allure. Their inner self is filled with peace, enthusiasm, detachment, and compassion, and their hearts flow with kindness towards all beings.

The article identifies three great powers within human life: mind, speech, and body. The proper use of these powers can elevate a human being to a higher state. The human body is described as a sacred temple housing the soul, which is referred to as a divine being. To awaken this dormant divinity, the control (gupti) of mind, speech, and body is essential.

1. Mind Control (Manogupti): Manogupti involves preventing the mind from descending into negative thoughts and emotions. It means abandoning agitated (arta) and wrathful (raudra) meditations and stabilizing the mind in contemplative (dharma) meditation. It is through Manogupti that one can achieve equanimity and remain absorbed in the true self, free from all imaginations. The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. An educated mind is a friend, while an uneducated mind is the greatest enemy. If the mind is engrossed in sensory pleasures, consumed by anger, pride, deceit, and greed, it acts as an enemy. However, if it adheres to chanting, asceticism, renunciation, and self-control, and remains absorbed in the soul, it can break the bonds of karma accumulated over countless lifetimes and liberate one from all suffering. Manogupti is crucial for the shedding of karma.

The mind is described as faster than a horse, more restless than a monkey, more slippery than a fish, and capable of traversing the heavens and the earth. The mind tends to resist control, becoming more agitated when restrained. The author emphasizes that the mind needs to be disciplined rather than appeased. A controlled mind is beneficial to the soul.

To achieve mental focus and stability, the author suggests:

• Understanding the impermanence of material possessions: Realizing that all worldly objects are temporary and not worth wasting energy on fosters detachment.
• Firm faith in the teachings of the Tirthankaras: Believing that their words are the ultimate truth and contain our welfare. Our happiness, sorrow, bondage, and liberation are dependent on the mind. Seeds of merit and sin are sown in the field of the mind. A pure mind is humanity's greatest asset.
• Overcoming ignorance and attachment: We are slaves to our minds due to addiction to attachment, ignorance, carelessness, and wrong faith. If this intoxication of attachment and ignorance is removed, the soul can become divine.
• Conquering mental afflictions: The primary goal of spiritual practice is to overcome mental impurities and be free from desires, passions, and all resolutions and counter-resolutions.
• Strong belief in the eternal nature of the soul: The soul is eternal, existing before, now, and in the future. It is indestructible. Even amidst suffering, no part of the soul is destroyed.
• Constant remembrance of death: Death is an inevitable reality. Those who forget death indulge in sinful activities. Possessions like palaces, houses, wealth, and land remain behind; only our good and bad deeds accompany us. Death cannot be avoided, but our lives can be improved before it arrives. We must awaken our sleeping souls before death. Our minds should be as pure as a temple, and our lives as fragrant as sandalwood. Purity of mind opens the door to liberation.

2. Speech Control (Vachangupti): Vachangupti leads to a state of being free from mental afflictions and unnecessary gossip. It involves abstaining from harmful speech and engaging in virtuous words. Human speech is a powerful tool, more so than for other creatures. Therefore, we must use language with complete discretion, moderation, and righteousness. Ill-considered speech creates many problems. We should speak thoughtfully and sweetly, avoiding harsh, sarcastic, or revealing remarks. We should not speak truths that cause distress to others. We should not waste our energy on unnecessary words. Even when others speak inappropriately, we must maintain our composure. The true nature of a person is revealed through their speech. Even when faced with misconduct or foul language from others, we must learn to tolerate with patience and discretion.

The tongue is described as being greedy for sweet tastes but often uttering bitter words. The author laments that human speech has become harsh, leading to an endless cycle of sins. It seems humans have forgotten how to speak sweetly. Harsh words are like arrows that are guaranteed to cause conflict. Bitter speech leads to suffering. The sense of taste is dangerous, and if not controlled, it can harm even a strong person. Speech has two functions: tasting and speaking. Speaking is not wrong, but "talking nonsense" is a crime. Speech is like sour food that curdles milk, and like a magnet that attracts others. It is like an X-ray machine that reveals one's inner state. Speech has the power to mend broken situations and also to ruin established ones.

Speech is the medium for expressing inner thoughts and reveals the purity of one's heart. It defines personality and forms the basis of all our interactions. Through speech, sweetness can be poured into relationships, or deep wounds can be inflicted. The bitterness of speech has destroyed not just one home but many. While it can spread thorns of animosity, it can also spread flowers of sweet words. Therefore, we should speak beneficial words and not misuse them. We should consider how many lives we have ruined, how many lives we have set ablaze, and how many have been harmed by our words. Our tongues should not become flames of fire, nor should our mouths spew fire. We should constantly strive to refine and sweeten our words. If we don't know what to say, we should remain silent. Where our language should be refined, we have made it crude. Think about how the wounds inflicted by our words on others' hearts can be healed, as verbal wounds do not heal quickly and cause great pain and suffering.

Sweet-spoken individuals attract love. Love is not gained by asking but by sharing and giving. If we love everyone, serve them wholeheartedly, and maintain a spirit of cooperation and intimacy, then everyone becomes ours. Two sweet words can change the course of a life and turn enemies into friends. While a heart wounded by a weapon can be stitched, a heart wounded by words is extremely difficult to mend. Therefore, we must use our words wisely.

3. Body Control (Kayagupti): Kayagupti involves refraining from unwholesome actions and engaging in wholesome activities with mindfulness. "Ayatana" signifies a lack of attention, carelessness, indiscretion, lack of awareness, and negligence. By performing every action with care, we can avoid the bondage of karma.

The body is the basis for both mind and speech. The entire body is the dwelling place of consciousness, and the soul's subtle particles permeate every pore. Consciousness is perceived through the body. The mind and speech can exist without the body, but the manifestation of mind and speech does not occur without the body. We can use this body to attain liberation or misuse it to descend into hellish realms. Therefore, all actions performed with this body must be done with complete care and discretion. Carefulness prevents the influx of karma (asrava). This body is a living temple. One who understands this will never commit wrong actions. We should see, understand, and have the darshan of the living God residing within our body, who is endowed with infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss, and infinite vigor.

When Kayagupti is practiced, it leads to the stopping of karma influx (samvara) and the renunciation of asrava, allowing us to remain stable in consciousness. Kayagupti means freedom from unwholesome activities. All actions performed with the body should be faultless and cause no harm to any living being.

The scripture states: "Walking with care, standing with care, sitting with care, sleeping with care, eating with care, and speaking with care – one does not bind oneself with sinful karma." Our steps should advance on the path to liberation, the path of knowledge, perception, and conduct. We must constantly question ourselves: How am I walking? Why am I walking? Where am I walking? For what reason? Am I walking aimlessly? Am I running madly after worldly pleasures? We must apply the "why," "how," and "for what purpose" to every action.

We will grow weary running on the path of the world without ever reaching the destination or reducing the distance. However, even a small step on the path to liberation reduces the distance and brings us closer to the goal.

Any action performed with the body with care is samvara. Even carelessly throwing the bag during samayika leads to asrava. By exercising care in daily activities, we can avoid many sins. For example, when drying clothes, sweeping, turning on lights or fans, or cooking, we should think about how to sweep with care, how to shake and dry clothes properly. How do Jain monks dry their clothes? They handle even the smallest things with extreme care.

To be free from the net of karma, our thoughts must remain pure. We should constantly imbue ourselves with virtuous thoughts and reflect on the twelve contemplations. We should ask ourselves: "Everyone has to die on their turn." I, too, will have to die one day. I am definitely going from here, so I should not perform actions that lead me to a lower realm. Since I have to leave everything behind, why should I develop attachment or aversion towards objects, people, or situations? Why should I imprint them with possessiveness? Whatever has come will surely go; I will also go. In this way, we should constantly purify our souls with virtuous thoughts. Since we have been given the power of the mind, let us think and contemplate good. Since we have been given the power of speech, let us speak sweetly. Since we have been given the power of the body, let us perform acts of service and benevolence. We have been given these three powers – mind, speech, and body. We can either use them properly or misuse them. We have been misusing them all along, which is why we have been wandering for an eternity. Now, by using all three correctly, we can achieve right faith (samyagdarshan) and limit the cycle of endless worldly existence.