Samyak Charitra - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text "Samyak Charitra" by Gitika Bothra:

Samyak Charitra: The Right Conduct

"Samyak Charitra," authored by Gitika Bothra, defines Samyak Charitra as the genuine practice of virtues such as non-violence (ahimsa) and truthfulness (satya) in accordance with Right Faith (Samyak Darshan) and Right Knowledge (Samyak Jnana). It is categorized into two main types:

Desavirati (Partial Renunciation): This involves the partial abandonment of sinful activities like violence and the limited observance of vows. After attaining Samyak Darshan, an individual experiences a strong aversion to worldly desires, activities (arambha), possessions (parigraha), and sensual thoughts, viewing them as poisonous. They yearn to renounce the worldly life and embrace the path of asceticism to worship through Darshan, Jnana, and Charitra. While immediate complete renunciation might not be feasible, this desire fuels the practice of Desavirati. In this stage, the layperson (shravak) commits to the broader principles of non-violence and other virtues, engaging in religious practices like Samayika.
Sarvavirati (Complete Renunciation): This refers to the complete abandonment of all worldly activities and attachments, typically adopted by ascetics.

Marganusari Jeevan (The Path-Following Life): The Foundation for Right Conduct

The text emphasizes that Marganusari Jeevan is a prerequisite for attaining Desavirati and, subsequently, Samyak Darshan. Just as a magnificent palace requires a strong foundation, spiritual development necessitates this preparatory phase. Marganusari Jeevan is life that leads one towards the path of Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnana, and Samyak Charitra, which collectively constitute the path to Moksha (liberation).

The scripture outlines 35 qualities of a Marganusari life, which are divided into four categories:

1. Eleven Duties (Kartavya): These are essential responsibilities for a householder.

Just Earning (Nyaya-Sampanna Vibhava): Earning wealth through righteous and ethical means to sustain household life.
Spending According to Income (Ayochit-Vyaya): Managing expenses within one's means and avoiding undue expenditure that deviates from dharma.
Appropriate Dress (Uchit-Vesh): Wearing modest clothing that aligns with one's dignity, avoiding overly flamboyant attire that might provoke lust or distress in others.
Suitable Residence (Uchit-Makan): Living in a home that is not excessively large, has a reasonable number of entrances, offers security from thieves and robbers, and has good neighbors.
Proper Marriage (Uchit-Vivah): Marrying someone from a different lineage but with similar character, virtues, and conduct to ensure happiness and peace in married life.
Abstaining from Food When Not Digested (Ajeene Bhojan Tyag): Not eating until the previous meal has been fully digested.
Appropriate Eating (Uchit Bhojan): Eating at fixed times, consuming food conducive to one's health, and discerning between edible and inedible items. Complete abstinence from tamasic, disease-inducing, and stimulating substances is advised.
Worship of Parents (Mata-Pita ki Puja): Serving and respecting parents, eating after them, sleeping after them, and obeying their commands with affection.
Nurturing Dependents (Poshya-Palak): Taking care of dependents, family members, and servants to the best of one's ability.
Honoring Guests (Atithi-Pujak): Reverently serving elders, fellow religious practitioners, the poor, and the distressed.
Serving the Knowledgeable and Virtuous (Gyani-Charitri ki Seva): Serving and respecting those who are knowledgeable, virtuous, disciplined, and righteous.

2. Eight Defects to Abandon (Dosh): These are negative tendencies to be relinquished.

Abandoning Slander (Ninda Tyag): Refraining from criticizing or speaking ill of others, as it breeds animosity and leads to negative karma.
Abandoning Sinful Conduct (Nindya Pravrutti ka Tyag): Ceasing any mental, verbal, or physical activity that contradicts dharma, as such actions invite criticism and negative consequences.
Control of the Senses (Indriya-Nigraha): Mastering one's senses, preventing them from being enslaved by sensual desires.
Victory Over Inner Enemies (Antar-Shatru par Vijay): Conquering internal adversaries such as lust (kama), anger (krodha), pride (mada), greed (lobha), attachment (mana), and delusion (unmad).
Abandoning Stubbornness (Abhinivesh Tyag): Letting go of rigid adherence to one's own opinions and avoiding false beliefs that lead to dishonor and the loss of truth.
Abandoning Obstacles to the Three Purusharthas (Trivarga mein Badha ka Tyag): Not creating hindrances to the pursuit of righteousness (dharma), wealth (artha), and pleasure (kama) in a balanced manner.
Abandoning Troubled Places (Upadrav-yukt Sthan ka Tyag): Evacuating locations prone to rebellion, epidemics, or other disturbances.
Abandoning Improper Conduct in Time and Place (Ayogya-Desh-Kaal Charya Tyag): Abstaining from actions that are contrary to the prevailing customs, social norms, and ethical standards of the time and place, even if one is not inherently sinful. This includes avoiding association with immoral individuals or locations that could tarnish one's reputation.

3. Eight Virtues (Gun): These are positive qualities to cultivate.

Fear of Sin (Paap Bhay): Maintaining a constant awareness and apprehension of committing sin, as this fear is the first step towards spiritual upliftment.
Modesty (Lajja): Feeling ashamed of performing wrong actions, which helps in preventing future transgressions.
Gentleness (Saumyata): Possessing a calm demeanor, pleasant speech, and a pure heart, which earns affection and goodwill from others.
Popularity (Lokpriyata): Gaining the love and respect of people through one's character and conduct, enabling one to inspire others towards dharma.
Farsightedness (Dirghadarshi): Carefully considering the consequences of any action before undertaking it to avoid future regret.
Consideration of Capability (Balabal ki Vicharana): Assessing one's strength and ability to complete a task before starting it, to avoid partial completion or public ridicule.
Expertise (Visheshagyata): Developing the ability to discern between the essential and non-essential, the right and wrong actions, the spoken and unspoken words, and gain and loss. This also includes acquiring self-beneficial knowledge.
Partiality to Virtues (Gunpakshpat): Supporting and appreciating virtues, whether they are present in oneself or in others.

4. Eight Practices (Sadhana): These are spiritual disciplines to engage in.

Gratitude (Krutagnata): Never forgetting even the smallest favor received and endeavoring to reciprocate it.
Altruism (Paropakar): Helping others as much as possible.
Compassion (Daya): Maintaining a compassionate heart and extending kindness through thoughts, words, and deeds.
Good Company (Satsang): Associating with virtuous individuals and saints, as their company removes worldly suffering and guides one towards the right path.
Listening to Dharma (Dharmashravan): Regularly listening to religious discourses to gain inspiration and guidance for life improvement.
Eight Qualities of Intellect (Buddhi ke Aath Gun): Cultivating intellectual abilities like eagerness to listen (shushrusha), attentive listening (shravan), comprehension (grahan), retention (dharanam), reasoning (uh), critical analysis (apoh), understanding the meaning (arthavigyan), and ultimate realization (tattvagyan).
Observing Local Customs (Prasiddh-Deshachar ka Palan): Adhering to the established customs of one's region, provided they do not contradict dharma.
Good Conduct (Shishtachar): Practicing the virtues of the wise, which include avoiding actions that lead to public criticism, helping the needy, fulfilling rightful requests, abstaining from slander, praising virtues, maintaining patience in adversity, showing humility in prosperity, acting appropriately, speaking truthfully and concisely, upholding promises, spending wisely, pursuing good deeds, abandoning bad deeds, and refraining from excessive sleep, sensual desires, and idle talk.

Conclusion:

The text concludes by reiterating the vital importance of embodying these 35 qualities for a life that upholds the principles of a lay follower (shravak dharma) and ultimately progresses towards the path of asceticism. Without these qualities, one may falter and fall back even if they take initial steps towards spiritual progress. These attributes not only beautify one's religious life but also lay the essential groundwork for attaining Samyak Darshan. The story of the two frogs illustrates the power of perseverance and the importance of understanding the nature of one's circumstances, emphasizing that continuous effort towards a goal often leads to success.