Shraddha Ane Medhano Samanvaya

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Shraddha ane Medhano Samanvaya" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, based on the provided pages:

The book "Shraddha ane Medhano Samanvaya" (The Harmony of Faith and Intellect) by Sukhlal Sanghavi explores the fundamental pillars of human life: Shraddha (Faith/Belief) and Medha (Intellect/Wisdom). The author posits that these two are inseparable and that their harmonious interplay leads to a flourishing human life. The greater the dialogue between them, the more radiant human existence becomes.

The text contrasts the intellectual development in ancient Greece with the emphasis on faith in Semitic cultures.

• Greek Thought: In Greece, there was an excessive emphasis on intellectual development (Medha). This led to the flourishing of philosophical contemplation, free thought, and independent discussions, resulting in dazzling intellectual brilliance. However, this intellectual brilliance lacked the corresponding religious strength or the faith required to translate subtle contemplation into practical life.
• Semitic Thought: Conversely, Semitic peoples (Jews, Arabs, etc.) primarily exhibited strong faith (Shraddha). This fostered a determined effort to integrate specific beliefs into life. While Greek subtle intellect, without the support of a theological framework, primarily resulted in philosophy, the faith-based religious inclination of Semitic peoples, without the illuminating support of philosophical thought, became confined within stagnant, rigid structures. The author acknowledges that exceptions exist in both cases.

India's Unique Position: India's situation has historically been different. From the Vedic period onwards, both intellect and faith have played complementary roles. Whenever faith became too rigid in a particular circle, new philosophical thought emerged from internal or external forces, which would loosen that rigidity and reformulate it according to the principles of philosophical inquiry. Similarly, when intellectual thought became detached from practical conduct, faith-based religious sentiment would arise to reconnect the unrestrained thought with action. Thus, in Indian life, faith-based religion and conduct have been illuminated and guided by intellectual philosophical thought, and conversely, sublime intellectual philosophical thought has been tested for its accuracy with the help of faith-based religion. Consequently, all Indian traditions have given equal importance and respect to both thought and action.

The Uniqueness of Buddha: While many religious leaders, Tirthankaras, and thinkers before and during Buddha's time valued the harmonious integration of thought and action in their respective traditions, Buddha's distinction lies in his "Madhyamapratipada" – the Middle Path. This means achieving a balanced dialogue between thought and action in all spheres of life was the core of Buddha's personal practice and his collective religious movement.

Buddha's Middle Path in Philosophy: Buddha observed two extreme viewpoints in philosophical thought:

1. Materialists/Egoists (Lokayata): Some thinkers believed that life, consciousness, or the soul ceases to exist with the dissolution of the current body. Their conduct and teachings were solely focused on making the present life happy.
2. Eternalists (Shashvatavada): Others believed in the eternal, unchanging existence of the soul and propagated practices aimed at making this eternal life perpetually blissful.

Buddha found extremes in the thought and conduct of both these groups. He recognized the present life as an empirically verifiable truth but rejected the idea that there was no continuity before or after it, as this would mean negating subtle thought and reasoning based solely on gross sensory experience. He also saw that some thinkers, while contemplating the eternity of the soul and the universe, reached a point incomprehensible through thought or logic.

Therefore, regarding philosophical thought, Buddha adopted a Middle Path. He accepted the essence of life or the soul as being beyond the limitations of the immediately perceivable present moment, understandable through thought and reason, and having a temporal limit. Simultaneously, he freed this soul from the incomprehensible rigidity of eternalism, completely free from the influence of time and space. In this way, Buddha placed the soul beyond both annihilationism and absolute permanence, establishing its flowing, dynamic nature understandable to every thinking and reasoning person. He proposed that since our present experience witnesses constant internal change and receives new experiences from past impressions, we should accept that the present life is not an accident but a stream flowing from a past continuum. Similarly, upon the completion of the present life, its internal stream does not end but gives rise to a new future stream. Thus, Buddha considered the soul or consciousness to extend across three times (past, present, future) while accepting its constant dynamism, thereby rationally incorporating concepts like rebirth, karma, effort, and ultimate happiness.

Buddha's Middle Path in Conduct: Following his philosophical middle path, Buddha also advocated for a middle path in conduct. He advised people, who were lost in the confusing paths of conduct or religion, to focus on things that sensible people would not object to and that truly bring happiness. In the Vedic tradition, religion was known through three pillars: sacrifices, study, and charity. Buddha, however, shifted the focus to Shila (Virtue/Ethics), Samadhi (Concentration/Meditation), and Prajna (Wisdom/Insight).

Buddha emphasized that true and stable light in life comes from the depth of wisdom or discrimination. However, such wisdom can only be attained by the mind that cultivates stillness, free from disturbances and restlessness. This stillness or Samadhi cannot be achieved without the practice of Shila. Therefore, Buddha stressed the importance of being virtuous as the primary step in religion. Whether one is a householder or a monk, if they are unvirtuous, not moral, and do not consider their own welfare as integrated with collective welfare, they cannot progress on the path of religion.

Shila, Samadhi, Prajna: When Buddha emphasized Shila, he gave primacy to mental purity. He stated that if mental purity is not achieved and mental afflictions are not weakened, then even severe ascetic practices or other religious conducts are futile. Buddha's opposition to extreme penance or other forms of self-mortification stemmed from his view that if purity is not achieved, such external practices are meaningless. Thus, Buddha adopted a middle path even in the conduct of Shila, Samadhi, and Prajna, which perfectly aligned with his principle of the Middle Path in philosophy.

Living in the Present: Buddha considered the essence of life to span three times but placed greater emphasis on focusing on the present life. This emphasis differed from that given by the materialistic Lokayata philosophy, which suggested enjoying life as much as possible. While Lokayata focused on sensory and bodily pleasures, Buddha also advised enjoying the present life but from a different perspective. He stated that the past is gone and unattainable, and the future is not yet here. Whatever is in hand and controllable is the present life. Therefore, instead of wasting this rare and unrepeatable present life for the sake of gross indulgence, experiencing true, undisturbed, and non-harmful happiness is the core of his Middle Path Dharma. He urged people to enjoy the happiness of restraint through Shila in this very life, to experience the joy of Samadhi in this life, and to relish the bliss of Prajna's light in this life.

The Direct Benefit of Renunciation: When King Ajatashatru asked Buddha about the direct benefit of renunciation, Buddha's perspective was that true religious practice is that which provides experience of a tranquil happiness in the present life. If such happiness is realized in the present life, there is no need to worry about the future; it will naturally unfold. He explained this to Ajatashatru in detail in the Samaggisutta of the Digha Nikaya, focusing on the direct happiness derived from virtue, concentration, and wisdom.

Buddha's Teachings on Brahma and Brahmavihara: Before and during Buddha's time, there were extensive discussions about Brahma, Brahman, and the world. Some considered the world to be finite, while others believed it to be infinite. Similarly, there were beliefs about Brahman being beginningless and endless, or beginningless and finite. Buddha, through his teachings (not necessarily his direct words, but reflecting his viewpoint), pointed out sixty-two such beliefs as traps that could confuse the intellect of seekers. He advised his disciples that these beliefs are like a strong net, and getting caught in them is like being trapped fish.

Instead of these speculative beliefs, Buddha proposed "Brahmavihara" (Divine Abodes) as a constructive path. He stated that while the nature of Brahma or Brahman might be debatable, the world of living beings is an object of everyone's experience. Within this world, there are infinite beings of varying degrees. This is the Brahma in which to "dwell" (Vihara). Dwelling means cultivating such a relationship with the living world that mental afflictions do not increase, existing afflictions diminish, and the mind progressively develops. To cultivate this relationship, he emphasized practicing the four emotions in this life: Metta (Loving-kindness), Karuna (Compassion), Mudita (Sympathetic Joy), and Upekkha (Equanimity).

In essence, Buddha's teachings of Shila, Samadhi, and Prajna, or the experience of happiness in religious practice in the present life, are the Brahmaviharas. Buddha's entire teaching is based on Brahmavihara, which is achievable through human effort in the present life. Even those who talk about the unattainable nature of Brahma-loka ultimately need to accept Brahmavihara.

Self-Attribution (Atmavadi) or Non-Self-Attribution (Anatmayavadi)? Buddha is often called an "Anatmayavadi" (non-self proponent), which is true in a sense because he negated the concept of an unchanging, permanent self that was prevalent before and during his time. However, it is also true to call him an "Atmavadi" because he rejected the materialistic concept of the self (body-soul) and believed in a dynamic, all-pervading consciousness that spans three times.

Buddha's most striking characteristic is that everything he says is understandable or can be explained through thought and logic. He is not bound by rigid scriptures or traditions. His only binding principle is to accept what is understandable through thought and logic and to live accordingly. This synthesis of faith (Shraddha) and intellect (Medha), or conduct and philosophical thought, is Buddha's unique contribution to the history of humankind.