Sankshipta Nandisutra - Book Summary

This is a summary of the "Sankshipta Nandisutra" in English, based on the provided Gujarati text.

Book Title: Sankshipta Nandisutra (A Concise Nandisutra) Compiler: Shobhna Kamdar Publisher: Nima Kamdar Publication Date: June 2014

Overview:

The "Sankshipta Nandisutra" is presented as a concise guide based on various chapters of the original Nandisutra. It is identified as an "Angabahy Shrut" (a scripture considered to be outside the main Angas, specifically an Utkalika Sutra). The book aims to explain different types of knowledge, particularly focusing on direct (Sakshat) and indirect (Paroksha) knowledge. It also provides information about the lineage of Jain Acharyas, the fourteen types of listeners and their qualities, and the three types of assemblies.

Key Themes and Chapters:

The book is structured into several chapters, covering the following topics:

Chapter 1: Praise of Pitamah Adhinath Bhagwan & Mahavir Stuti:
- Begins with a prayer and praise of Lord Adinath, the first Tirthankar, recognizing Him as the creator and sustainer of the world and its beings.
- Explains the concept of the "world" as a continuum of states and forms, comprising five or six fundamental substances.
- Highlights Lord Adinath's role in explaining the essence of life and the universe to His disciples.
- Includes praise for Lord Mahavir as the source of all scriptural knowledge, noting His four special attributes (Atishayas): knowledge, victory over passions, adoration by celestial beings, and freedom from karmic impurities.
- Discusses various metaphors used to describe the Sangha (community), such as a city, chariot wheel, lotus, moon, ocean, and Mount Meru.
- Details the praise and veneration of the twenty-four Tirthankars of the current era, emphasizing their role as great propagators of Dharma and their self-realized nature.
- Lists and pays homage to the eleven Ganadharas (chief disciples) of Lord Mahavir, explaining their role in establishing the Sangha and their responsibility for the study and practice of the disciples. It highlights that Ganadharas attained knowledge of the Twelve Angas (Dwadashangi) through the grace of the Tirthankar.
- Commends the glory of Lord Mahavir's teachings, which guide towards right faith, knowledge, and conduct, and the destruction of wrong views.
- Offers salutations to the lineage of Acharyas, starting from Sudharmaswami and continuing through various prominent figures like Jambuswami, Prabhava, Shyambhava, Yashobhadra, Bhadrabahu, Sthulibhadra, Mahagiri, Suhasti, and many others, recognizing their deep knowledge of scriptures and their contributions to the propagation of Jainism.
- It emphasizes that the praise is for knowledgeable exponents of the scriptures (Anuyogdharas) rather than a strict succession list.
- Finally, it identifies Devavachakji as the disciple of Dushygani, who later became Devardhigani Kshama Shraman, and the composer of this scripture, drawing knowledge from Anga Shrut and Kalika Shrut.
Chapter 2: Listener and Assembly:
- Fourteen Types of Listeners: This chapter elaborates on fourteen analogies to describe different types of listeners and their receptiveness to spiritual teachings. These include:
  - A sticky round stone and a cloud (unreceptive).
  - Clay pots (raw and cooked, new and old) representing varying degrees of receptivity.
  - A sieve (knowledge immediately escapes).
  - A funnel (retains impurities, discards essence).
  - A swan (discriminates between milk and water, symbolizing discerning listeners).
  - A goat (drinks pure water, does not contaminate).
  - A buffalo (contaminates water, disrupts others).
  - A mosquito (stings with sweet sounds, causing harm).
  - Leeches and ticks (attach to impure parts, feed on bad blood).
  - A cat (plays with milk/curd before consuming, symbolizing indirect or distorted knowledge).
  - A mouse (eats and cleans, symbolizing retention and assimilation of knowledge).
  - A cow (neglected, eventually dies, symbolizing listeners who do not serve their guru).
  - A magical drum (its sound has healing properties, representing the power of Jinavani).
  - A herdsman couple (loss due to carelessness and arguments, symbolizing loss of knowledge due to disputes).
- Three Types of Assemblies:
  - Janana Parishad (Knowing Assembly): Listeners who absorb the good qualities and discard the bad.
  - Ajan Parishad (Ignorant Assembly): Those who are naturally simple and accept whatever is taught, like unpolished gems.
  - Durvedajna Parishad (Unwise Assembly): Those who are knowledgeable but fearful of asking questions due to ego and pride.
- The chapter concludes by stating that the "Knowing Assembly" is the best for acquiring scriptural knowledge, the second can also gain knowledge with proper training, but the third is unsuitable.
Chapter 3: Types and Subtypes of Knowledge (Jnana Bhed Prabhed):
- Five Types of Knowledge:
  1. Abhinibodhika Jnana (Mati Jnana): Knowledge gained through senses and mind (indirect).
  2. Shruta Jnana: Knowledge obtained from listening to scriptures or words (indirect).
  3. Avadhi Jnana: Direct knowledge of gross material objects within a limited scope.
  4. Manahparyav Jnana: Direct knowledge of the thoughts of others' minds.
  5. Kevala Jnana: Absolute and complete knowledge of all substances and their states.
- Nature of Knowledge: Knowledge is an inherent quality of the soul. Moksha is the complete development of knowledge. Knowledge arises from the decay and partial decay of knowledge-obscuring karma. Kevala Jnana is the result of complete destruction of these karmas and is classified as Kshayika. The other four are Kshayo-pamika.
- Direct vs. Indirect: Mati and Shruta Jnana are indirect. Avadhi, Manahparyav, and Kevala Jnana are direct.
- Purity of Knowledge: The first four types of knowledge can be pure to varying degrees, but only Kevala Jnana is completely pure, representing the true nature of the soul. The Kshayo-pamika knowledge still contains traces of passions like attachment, aversion, anger, greed, and delusion, while Kevala Jnana is entirely free from these.
Chapter 4: Avadhi Jnana (Extra-sensory Perception):
- Two Types:
  1. Bhavapratyayika: Occurs by birth, without special effort (found in gods and hell-beings).
  2. Kshayopashmika (Guna Pratyaya): Acquired through discipline, penance, and practices (found in humans and animals).
- Scope: Avadhi Jnana can only perceive material objects, not non-material ones. The highest form can perceive even atoms.
- Degradation: This knowledge can diminish or vanish if the practitioner's conduct or thoughts become impure due to the rise of certain karmas.
- Growth: Purity of thoughts and conduct leads to the expansion of Avadhi Jnana in all directions.
- Six Classifications:
  - Anugamika: Travels with the knower.
  - Ananugamika: Does not travel with the knower, tied to a specific area.
  - Vardhamana: Increases with increasing purity of thoughts.
  - Hiyamana: Decreases with decreasing purity.
  - Pratipathika: Can be destroyed or lost.
  - Apratipathika: Does not perish for the entire lifespan.
- Spatial Extent: Discusses the minimum, medium, and maximum spatial extent of Avadhi Jnana.
Chapter 5: Manahparyav Jnana (Telepathy):
- Availability: Only occurs in humans born in Karma-bhumi (regions where human activities like agriculture, trade, arts, and governance are practiced).
- Prerequisites: Only attained by ascetics (Shramanas) who have attained the stage of un-vigilant conduct (Apramatta Samyata) and possess special powers (Rddhis) acquired through strict discipline and penance. It is not available to householders.
- Two Types:
  1. Rjumati: Perceives thoughts generally.
  2. Vipulamati: Perceives thoughts in detail.
- Scope: Limited to the regions of the human world (Aḍhaidvīpa).
- Distinction from Avadhi Jnana:
  - Manahparyav Jnana is purer.
  - Its scope is limited to the human realm, whereas Avadhi Jnana can extend to all three worlds.
  - Its possessors are strictly ascetics, while Avadhi Jnana can be attained by beings in all four states of existence.
  - Its subject matter is the mental states of sentient beings, which is a fraction of what Avadhi Jnana perceives.
  - Manahparyav Jnana cannot degenerate into wrong knowledge (Vibhramgjnana), unlike Avadhi Jnana.
  - Manahparyav Jnana is limited to the current life, whereas Avadhi Jnana can extend to future lives.
Chapter 6: Kevala Jnana (Omniscience):
- Two Types:
  1. Bhāvastha Kevala Jnana: Omniscience while still in a physical body.
    - Sayogi Bhāvastha: With residual physical activities (vocal, mental, physical).
    - Ayogi Bhāvastha: Without any physical activities.
  2. Siddha Kevala Jnana: Omniscience after liberation from the body.
- Nature: It is eternal, all-pervasive, and unchanging.
- Debates on Kevala Jnana and Kevala Darshana: The chapter delves into philosophical discussions about whether Kevala Jnana and Kevala Darshana (Omniscient Perception) are simultaneous or sequential, and whether they are distinct or one and the same. It presents arguments from different viewpoints and provides scriptural reconciliations.
- Attributes of Kevala Jnana: The scripture attributes five characteristics to Kevala Jnana: knower of all substances and their states, infinite in nature, eternal, indestructible, and uniformly the same.
- Vachan Yoga and Shruta: Discusses how Tirthankaras express their Kevala Jnana through Vachan Yoga (speech) which is influenced by Shruta Jnana, but the essence of their teaching comes from direct omniscience.
Chapter 7: Mati Jnana (Sensory and Mental Knowledge):
- Perception: Mati Jnana is indirect knowledge gained through the five senses and the mind.
- Types of Mati Jnana:
  - Krutanishrita: Knowledge arising from external stimuli.
  - Amrutanishrita: Knowledge arising internally, often referred to as intelligence or wisdom, with four subtypes:
    - Ouatpattiki: Spontaneous intelligence.
    - Vinayiki: Intelligence gained through respect and devotion to elders.
    - Karmaja: Intelligence acquired through practice and skill development.
    - Parinamicī: Wisdom gained through maturity and experience.
- Stages of Mati Jnana:
  - Avagraha: Initial perception of an object.
  - Iha: Investigation and inquiry about the perceived object.
  - Araya: Definitive understanding and conclusion.
  - Dharana: Retention and memory of the understood object.
- Subtypes of Avagraha:
  - Arthavagraha: Perceiving the general meaning of an object.
  - Vyanjanavagraha: Perceiving the subtle, indistinct aspect of an object.
- Sensory Capabilities: Discusses the potential extent of perception for each sense (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch).
- Jatismarana Jnana: The ability to recall past lives, considered a form of Mati Jnana.
Chapter 8: Shruta Jnana (Scriptural Knowledge):
- Types of Shruta Jnana: The chapter lists fourteen types of Shruta Jnana, including:
  - Akshara Shruta: Knowledge related to letters/script.
    - Sanjna Akshara: The form or shape of letters.
    - Vyanjana Akshara: The phonetic pronunciation of letters.
    - Labdhi Akshara: Knowledge arising from the soul's capacity to understand the meaning through sensory or mental perception.
  - Anakshara Shruta: Knowledge conveyed without literal words (e.g., sounds, gestures).
  - Sanjni Shruta vs. Asanjni Shruta: Knowledge possessed by sentient beings versus that of non-sentient or beings with limited consciousness.
  - Samyak Shruta: Right scriptural knowledge, referring to the 12 Angas and other approved texts as taught by the Tirthankaras.
  - Mithya Shruta: Wrong scriptural knowledge, considered to be texts not aligned with Jain principles.
  - Sadi Shruta & Anadi Shruta: Shruta with a beginning and without a beginning.
  - Gamika Shruta & Agamika Shruta: Texts with repetitive phrases or themes versus those without.
  - Angapravishta Shruta: The 12 Angas of the scriptures.
  - Angabahya Shruta: Texts outside the 12 Angas, including various Kalika and Utkalika Sutras.
- Importance of the 12 Angas: The chapter details the 12 Angas of the Jain scriptures (Acharya, Sutrakruta, Sthana, Samvaya, Vyakhya Prajnapti, Jnata Dharma Kathanga, Upasaka Dashanga, Antakruta Dashanga, Anuttaraupapathika Dashanga, Prashna Vyakarana, Vipaka, and Drishtivada).
- Authenticity: It emphasizes that only the teachings of Tirthankaras (Bhagavantas) are considered authentic and form the basis of Samyak Shruta.
- Rejection of Other Texts: Lists various texts considered to be Mithya Shruta, often those that contradict Jain principles or are attributed to beings with wrong faith.

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