Samadhi Tantra

This document contains the Hindi translation and introductory material for "Samadhi Tantra" by Acarya Pujyapada. Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided pages:

Book Details:

• Title: Samadhi Tantra
• Author: Acarya Pujyapada
• Hindi Translation: Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj
• Editor: Manish Modi
• Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay, Mumbai
• Series: Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series, Volume 5
• Publication Year: 2008
• ISBN: 978-81-88769-06-3

Introduction and Foreword (Pages 5-7):

The preface (Prakashkiya) highlights that Hindi Granth Karyalay has published several important Jain texts in Hindi translation, including works by Acarya Samantabhadra, Acarya Kundakunda, Acarya Joindu, Acarya Prabhachandra, and Acarya Nemichandra. Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj, the translator, is praised for his literary skills and the success of his previous translations. The foreword (Prastavana) describes "Samadhi Tantra" as a journey within oneself, leading to a state of equanimity, free from attachment and aversion, fear, and illusion. It emphasizes reaching one's true, tranquil self.

The text introduces Acarya Pujyapada, whose original name was Devnandi and later Jinendra Buddhi due to his sharp intellect. He is said to have renounced the world after witnessing a frog caught in a serpent's mouth. His veneration by celestial beings led to the name Pujyapada. Pujyapada lived after Acarya Kundakunda and Samantabhadra, and their influence is seen in his works. He was a polymath, writing on grammar, prosody, and medicine. His works like "Jainendra Vyakarana," "Sarvarthasiddhi," and "Ishtopadesha" are well-known. "Samadhi Tantra," a work of 105 verses, is considered his most popular, famous, and possibly last composition, showcasing his poetic talent and spiritual progress towards liberation. Dr. Jalaj aimed for a faithful and accessible translation, avoiding ostentatious displays of scholarship. The book's popularity is evident from its third edition within two years.

Content of Samadhi Tantra (Selected Verses and Summaries):

The provided text includes the original Sanskrit verses and their Hindi translation, along with explanatory notes for many verses. The core themes revolve around the nature of the self, liberation, and the path to achieve it.

Key Concepts and Teachings:

1. The Threefold Self (Bahi-atma, Antar-atma, Param-atma):

   • Bahi-atma (Outer Self): Mistakenly identifies the body, senses, and external objects as the self. This is the source of delusion and attachment.
   • Antar-atma (Inner Self): Begins to distinguish the soul from the body and external objects, characterized by detachment and right knowledge.
   • Param-atma (Supreme Self): The pure, liberated soul, free from all karmic impurities, characterized by infinite knowledge and bliss. The goal is to transcend the Bahi-atma and Antar-atma to realize the Param-atma.

2. The Illusion of the Body as the Self:

   • The text repeatedly emphasizes that mistaking the body for the self is the root cause of suffering and the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
   • Verses describe how Bahi-atmas identify with human, animal, divine, or hellish forms based on their physical bodies, failing to recognize the true, unchanging nature of the soul.
   • Attachments to children, wife, property, etc., arise from this fundamental delusion.

3. The Nature of the True Self:

   • The true self is described as formless, beyond the senses, self-luminous, and knowable only through self-experience (svasamvedya).
   • It is eternal, unchangeable, and possesses infinite knowledge and power.
   • The soul is beyond gender, number, and dualities like pleasure and pain, friend and foe.

4. Path to Liberation (Samadhi):

   • Renunciation of External Attachments: The verses advocate for withdrawing the senses from external objects and the mind from worldly desires.
   • Cultivating Self-Awareness: Through introspection and constant contemplation, one should recognize the soul as distinct from the body and its modifications.
   • Discrimination (Bhed-vijnana): The ability to discern between the self and non-self is crucial.
   • Mental Equanimity: The mind, free from the disturbances of attachment and aversion, is essential for realizing the self.
   • Non-attachment to Actions: Even when engaging in actions for the welfare of oneself or others, one should do so without attachment.
   • Renunciation of Vows (if they lead to attachment): While vows are generally good, if they foster a sense of pride or attachment, even they must eventually be transcended on the path to complete detachment.
   • Meditation on the Supreme Self: Continuous contemplation of the Param-atma leads to the realization of one's own true nature.

5. Obstacles to Liberation:

   • Ignorance (Avidya): The fundamental ignorance about the true self.
   • Attachment and Aversion (Raga and Dwesha): These are the primary emotional disturbances that cloud the mind.
   • Sensory Indulgences: Engaging with objects of the senses leads away from the self.
   • Attachment to External Marks and Identity: Adhering to caste, rituals, or external appearances (like hair or attire) as the means to liberation is a delusion.

Specific Verses Illustrating Key Themes:

• Verse 4: Introduces the three types of selves: Bahi-atma, Antar-atma, and Param-atma, and the path of discarding the outer and embracing the supreme through the inner.
• Verse 15: States that mistaking the body for the self is the root of worldly suffering and advises withdrawal from senses into the self.
• Verse 20: Describes the self as that which does not grasp the ungraspable, does not release what is grasped (infinite qualities), and knows all things in all ways – knowable only by itself.
• Verse 23: Declares "I am that soul, by which I experience myself within myself. I am neither eunuch, nor woman, nor man, nor one, nor two, nor many." This highlights the soul's formless and genderless nature.
• Verse 31: "That Supreme Self is myself, and I am that Supreme Self. Therefore, I am my own object of worship; there is no other." This emphasizes self-realization.
• Verse 41: "The suffering born from the illusion of self is pacified by self-knowledge. Those who do not strive in this direction do not attain Nirvana even through great austerities."
• Verse 75: "The soul itself causes rebirth and liberation. Therefore, the soul is the true Guru of the soul; there is no other." This points to self-reliance on the spiritual path.
• Verse 83: "By non-vows, sin is bound; by vows, merit is bound. Liberation is the cessation of both. Therefore, the seeker of liberation may abandon vows as well as non-vows." This suggests transcending even virtuous actions if they create attachment.
• Verse 105: Concludes by stating that "Samadhi Tantra" is the path to the Supreme Self. By internalizing its teachings and stabilizing the mind in the Param-atma, one sheds the delusion of the body as self and the soul as other, thus achieving liberation and blissful knowledge.

In essence, "Samadhi Tantra" is a profound guide for Jain spiritual practice, urging individuals to understand their true, eternal soul and to detach from the illusory identification with the physical body and worldly phenomena to achieve liberation and lasting bliss.