Siddhashila

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Siddhashila" by M.A. Dhaky, based on the provided pages:

The book "Siddhashila" by M.A. Dhaky, published by ZZ_Anusandhan, explores a distinct concept within Jainism regarding the ultimate destination of the soul after liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara). This concept, the "Siddhashila," differentiates Jainism from other ancient Indian religions.

Core Jain Cosmology:

• Jain cosmology posits a perpetually stable universe called the "Loka" or "Vishwa," existing within infinite space.
• This Loka is divided into three realms:
  • Adholoka (Lower Realm): Home to hellish beings (naraka).
  • Tiryakloka (Middle Realm): Inhabited by beings like humans and animals.
  • Urdhvaloka (Upper Realm): The abode of celestial beings (devakalpa).
• Souls, driven by karma, continuously cycle through birth and death in various forms (84 lakh yonis or life forms) within these three realms.

The Siddhashila and Liberation:

• The liberated soul, having escaped the cycle of samsara, ascends to the highest part of the Loka.
• This ultimate destination is the Siddhashila, described as a "Purushakriti" (human-shaped) symbol located at the apex of the Urdhvaloka.
• On the Siddhashila, the soul exists as a niranjan-nirakar (unblemished, formless), sarvajna-sarvadarshi (omniscient, omnivisioned) being.
• They reside there eternally in aparimita, abadhyaha sukham (immeasurable, undisturbed happiness), never to return to the cycle of rebirth.

Contrast with Other Indian Religions:

• Brahmanical Philosophies (e.g., Vedanta): Liberated souls merge into Brahman, becoming all-pervasive and absorbing the entire universe, akin to a drop of water merging into the vast ocean.
• Puranic Traditions: Liberated souls reside in specific abodes, such as Kailasa (in Shaivism) or Vishnuloka/Vaikuntha (in Bhagavat-Vaishnavism).
• Buddhist Philosophy (Anatmavada): Liberation (Nirvana) is the complete dissolution of the five aggregates (skandhas: consciousness, feeling, perception, mental formations, form) when karmic processes cease, leading to a state of nothingness.

Evolution of the Siddhashila Concept in Jainism:

The author traces the historical development of the Jain concept of the abode of the liberated soul, drawing inferences from ancient Jain texts:

• Early Period (Arhat Parshva's Tradition):

  • Texts like Rishibhashitani (part of the lost Chuda Purva) mention the term "Loka" in a question-answer format attributed to Arhat Parshva.
  • The "Loka" is described as anadininidhana (beginningless and endless) and parināmitā (transforming). However, its specific form and the ultimate abode are not explicitly detailed.

• Later Texts (Arhat Mahavir's Tradition):

  • Texts like Suryaprajñapti and Chandraprajñapti discuss cosmology, showing parallels with Brahmanical texts like Vedanga Jyotisha.
  • They mention Jambudvipa, two suns, two moons, and 88 planets but lack explicit references to the Urdhvaloka and Adholoka, making it difficult to ascertain the complete cosmological vision of Arhat Parshva's school.
  • Acharanga Sutra, attributed to Arhat Mahavir, affirms the existence of the "Loka" and "Naraka" but doesn't elaborate on the nature of the Loka itself.
  • Sutrakritanga, Dashavaikalika, and Kalpa Sutra also lack clarity on this specific point.

• Uttaradhyayana Sutra:

  • A significant dialogue between Keshikumara Shravana (disciple of Arhat Parshva) and Gautama (chief disciple of Arhat Mahavir) is presented.
  • Keshikumara inquires about the state of the liberated soul, which reaches a "difficult-to-ascend" dhruvasthana (eternal place) at the "lokagra" (top of the Loka).
  • Gautama replies that the muni, having destroyed the cycle of existence, resides eternally in an undisturbed state of shiva-sthiti (auspicious state) at the lokagra.
  • While this indicates a location at the apex of the Loka, the specific name and nature of this place are not explicitly stated. However, the dialogue suggests that both traditions (Parshva's and Mahavir's) refer to the same ultimate abode.

• Later Agamic and Post-Agamic Literature:

  • Texts from the 2nd to 4th centuries CE, such as Jambudvipa-prajñapti, Dvipasāgaraprajñapti (within Jivājīvābhigama Sutra), Prajñāpana Sutra (by Aryasyāma), and Sthānānga-Samāvāyānga (around 363 CE), provide more detailed descriptions of the Loka's structure.
  • The author suggests that the original Lokānuyoga text by Aryasyāma (c. 50 BCE - 25 CE) was likely the source for these later cosmological details, including the three divisions of the Loka and geographical/astronomical concepts.
  • Kshetra Samāsa (by Umaswati, c. 350 CE) and Brihat Sangrahaṇi (by Jinabhadragani Kshamasramana, c. 575 CE) are cited as works that further developed these ideas.
  • According to these later texts, the Siddhashila is identified with the Ishatprāgbhārapr̥thvi (Earth of slight inclination), situated 12 yojanas above the highest structure of the Sarvārthasiddhi plane, the uppermost among the five Anuttara Vimanas in the Devakalpa.
  • The Siddhashila is described as vast, with dimensions of 4,500,000 yojanas (180,00,00,00,00 miles according to Digambara tradition), thin as a fly's wing, and luminous like conch shell, cow's milk, the Ankratna gem, and silver sheets.
  • The liberated souls (Siddhas) reside in the last sixth part of this Siddhashila for eternity.

In essence, "Siddhashila" meticulously outlines the Jain understanding of the cosmos and the ultimate, blissful, and eternal state of liberated souls, tracing the conceptual evolution of this core doctrine through its scriptural history.