Sanyamno Mahima

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Sanyamno Mahima" by Ramanlal C. Shah, based on the provided pages:

The book "Sanyamno Mahima" (The Greatness of Restraint) by Ramanlal C. Shah, published by Jintattva, explores the profound significance of sanyam (restraint, self-control, discipline) in the context of Indian religious traditions, particularly Jainism.

Core Principles and the Nature of Existence:

• Indian Tradition: The text begins by highlighting that Indian religious festivals are intrinsically linked with vows, restraint, and ascetic practices. Numerous saints and great souls have strived to understand life's purpose, seeking both material and subtle truths. Through their experiences, they have imparted wisdom for human welfare, emphasizing a balanced life system.
• The Human Being: Humans are described as conscious, five-sensed beings, possessing five gross senses and a subtle mind. The mind is so complex and unfathomable that even humans cannot fully grasp its workings. The soul, the driving force behind the mind's activities, possesses immense, immeasurable power. While sensory actions are observable, the mind's activities are felt and understood, not seen. The soul itself is imperceptible but is proven by logic and experienced through intuition. The realization of the soul is a rare achievement, and experiencing the distinction between the body and soul continuously is even rarer.
• Emphasis on Renunciation and Restraint: Indian philosophers have consistently placed greater importance on tyaga (renunciation) and sanyam over indulgence. For harmonious and peaceful coexistence between humans and with other living beings, certain rules are essential. Just as rules are necessary for physical health and societal well-being, they are also crucial for maintaining the health of the mind and soul.

Sanyam vs. Niyam:

• Niyam (Rules/Regulations): These are external controls, often enforced by individuals, society, or the state, for mutual convenience. When these rules become laws, their violation leads to punishment.
• Sanyam (Self-Restraint): This refers to voluntarily accepted controls for one's life. A life characterized by sanyam requires fewer external rules. The text quotes, "The best government is that which governs the least," implying that a society where individuals practice sanyam needs less external governance. Conversely, a life lacking sanyam necessitates more rules and laws from family, community, or the state, which can paradoxically lead to increased hypocrisy, dishonesty, and cunning.

Sanyam as the Core of Indian Culture:

• Renunciation-Oriented Culture: Indian culture is presented not as consumption-oriented but as restraint-oriented. The mantra "Ten tyakten bhunjitha" (Enjoy by renouncing) is cited. While all religions advocate for renunciation and restraint to some degree, Indian culture, from a cultural perspective, places a greater emphasis on their glory compared to Western cultures.
• The Illusion of Sensory Pleasure: Most people are engrossed in material pleasures derived from the gross senses: earning well, eating and drinking well, wearing fine clothes, living in beautifully decorated homes, traveling extensively, enjoying social gatherings, and celebrating occasions with loved ones. However, the text asserts that the happiness derived from sensory objects is fleeting, superficial, and ultimately an illusion. Only those who have deeply experienced the superior happiness found in renunciation and restraint can truly appreciate its value.

Defining and Experiencing Sanyam:

• True Meaning of Sanyam: Sanyam is defined as "samyak yam," meaning self-restraint accepted willingly, with genuine faith, for a higher purpose. It involves the proper practice and adherence to these voluntary controls. Even a small degree of sanyam practiced willingly and joyfully leads to the realization of how superior a restrained life is to an unrestrained one.
• The Path to Sanyam: The greatness of sanyam is achieved by voluntarily giving up the means or objects of indulgence with understanding. Association with saints, good company (satsang), and studying excellent scriptures lead to discernment between the essential and non-essential, fostering mature wisdom about what to accept and what to renounce.
• Challenges and Transformations: While practicing sanyam can be natural and joyful, a lack of vigilance can lead to a loss of faith. Sometimes, voluntarily accepted restraint may later feel compulsory, transforming from sanyam into mere suppression or subjugation of the senses.

The Difficult Path and its Importance:

• A Difficult Journey: The path of sanyam is depicted as extremely difficult, like walking on the edge of a sword. It is described as tasteless like a mouthful of sand, difficult like chewing iron nuts, and arduous like swimming across the ocean with one's arms. The Uttaradhyayan Sutra quotes Lord Mahavir comparing the difficulty of practice and penance to these arduous tasks.
• Practical Necessity: Even from a purely practical standpoint, without religious or philosophical expectations, sanyam is crucial for human happiness and peace. If everyone becomes unrestrained, violence, theft, fighting, rape, and fraud would increase, destroying human happiness and peace. This is why sanyam is respected, and individuals practicing it are praised. Even those who do not adhere to traditional religions or consider themselves atheists praise sanyam, not unrestraint.

Controlling the Senses and the Mind:

• Attachment to the World: Humans are deeply attached to their spouses, children, family, homes, wealth, property, servants, and more. They have a strong inclination towards living beings and visible material objects. The mind also conjures pleasing sensory experiences and dwells on adverse ones, causing distress. Therefore, to bring the soul under control, the first step is to restrain the senses.
• Detachment and Inner Realization: Restraint is achieved by renouncing or withdrawing interest from objects of indulgence. This requires knowledge coupled with faith. Until there is an inner conviction that sensory objects are trivial, harmful, and that they lead one astray in the world, the mind and senses will repeatedly gravitate towards them. Gradually elevating one's inclinations to noble states and repeatedly contemplating renunciation, detachment, equanimity, compassion, and the transient nature of the world helps the mind and senses withdraw from material pleasures.

The Nuances of Self-Control:

• Forced Suppression vs. Sanyam: Forced suppression of the body is not ideal, as it can lead to a rebound effect where the mind and senses are drawn to indulgence with double the intensity. However, scripture does not entirely prohibit the subjugation of senses or control of the mind. For some individuals, particularly children, initial subjugation can lead to a natural, enthusiastic, and faithful practice of sanyam. Just as mandatory discipline in school is ultimately beneficial, the subjugation of senses for young individuals can also prove advantageous.
• Victory Over the Senses: Achieving victory over all senses and the mind brings the soul under sanyam. Among the senses, victory over the sense of taste (the tongue) is considered particularly difficult, both in terms of taste and speech. The tongue, along with the sense of touch and the reproductive organs, is acknowledged as particularly challenging to control according to scriptures. The desire for sensual pleasure repeatedly arises, and without strong willpower, the soul is dragged into unrestraint. One who can control their tongue and conquer taste gradually gains control over all senses, including the reproductive organs.
• Interdependence of Mind and Senses: After gaining control over the senses, controlling the mind becomes easier. For some, controlling the mind first makes controlling the senses easier. The text acknowledges that there is no fixed rule regarding whether to control the senses or the mind first, as their activities are interdependent, pervasive, profound, and unfathomable. Each individual must establish their own practice based on their experience and strength.

Overcoming Passions (Kashayas):

• The Nature of Passions: Passions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed (kashayas) can arise in the mind due to external triggers. Sometimes, even with knowledge, one can fall prey to these passions through negligence. When these passions arise, they should be acknowledged as sinful, followed by an immediate confession (Michhami Dukkaḍam) and redirection of the mind towards self-contemplation, meditation on the divine, or contemplation of detachment.
• Purifying the Mind: Scriptures use the analogy of a clear, transparent lake that does not harbor predatory aquatic creatures. Similarly, if one purifies their heart, the predatory "creatures" of anger and other passions cannot reside within.
• Gradual Victory: Not everyone can purify their passions instantly. Repeated contemplation and practice of virtuous thoughts, and focusing the mind on noble meditation, gradually build the habit of sanyam, leading to eventual victory over passions.
• Conquering Passions: Anger can be overcome by the feeling of forgiveness, pride by humility, deceit by straightforwardness, and greed by contentment. Those who allow their passions to grow, rather than weakening them, find them becoming "anantanubandhi" (boundlessly persistent), eventually leading them to misconception (mithyatva).

The Depth and Meaning of Sanyam:

• Interchangeable Terms, Unique Meanings: Words like samiti, gati, vrata (vow), tapa (penance), charitra (conduct), virati (renunciation), vairagya (detachment), nigrah (restraint), and sanyam are often used interchangeably in a broad sense, yet each carries a specific technical meaning. For example, silence can be seen as restraint of speech, but it falls under "vacanagupti" (guarding speech). Abstaining from certain bodily activities can be seen as bodily restraint, but it is included in "irya samiti" (careful movement). Not harming living beings can be called sanyam, but it is essentially part of "charitra."
• Sanyam as the Apex: Taking vows (anuvrata or mahavrata) without practicing the five samitis is termed mere "virati." However, when vows are taken with the five samitis, it is called sanyam. Thus, sanyam is considered a more significant and profound term than some of its synonyms.
• Types of Sanyam: Sanyam can be classified in various ways. Considering mind, speech, and body, it is divided into three main types: manah-sanyam (mental restraint), vacan-sanyam (verbal restraint), and kaya-sanyam (bodily restraint). Some add "upakarana sanyam" (restraint of instruments) to make it four types. The "Sthananga Sutra" lists five types of sanyam (or charitra):
  1. Samayik Sanyam: Restraint during specific periods.
  2. Chhedopasthaniya Sanyam: Restraint involving expiation or purification.
  3. Parihar-vishuddhi Sanyam: Restraint characterized by purity and avoidance.
  4. Sukshma Samparaya Sanyam: Restraint with subtle greed.
  5. Yathakhyata Sanyam: Perfect, untainted restraint. The text also mentions 17 types of sanyam considering the four passions, different states of living beings according to senses, and non-living elements.
• The Essence of Life: Sanyam is the art of living, the supreme mantra of life, the cessation of influx of karmas (ashrava nirodh), and the ultimate means to achieve victory over the senses and mind, leading to absorption in the soul.
• The Path to Liberation: The Acharang Niryukti states: "The essence of the world is Dharma; the essence of Dharma is Knowledge; the essence of Knowledge is Sanyam; and the essence of Sanyam is Nirvana."
• Mahavir's Teaching: Therefore, Lord Mahavir included sanyam alongside non-violence and penance in the highest religious auspiciousness: "Dharmam mangalamukkithu Ahimsa Sanjamo Tavo."

In essence, "Sanyamno Mahima" argues that self-restraint is not merely a religious practice but a fundamental principle for a meaningful, peaceful, and ultimately liberated life. It is a challenging but rewarding path that leads to inner purification, mastery over oneself, and the attainment of the highest spiritual goals.