Sutrakritangadharit Gunhegari Jagat Aani Kriyasthan

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the Jain text "Sutrakritangadharit Gunhegari Jagat aani Kriyasthan" by Anita Bothra, based on the provided pages:

This text, a commentary on the Sutrakritanga scripture by Dr. Nalini Joshi and transcribed by Dr. Anita Bothra, explores the concept of "Kriyasthan" (modes of action or actions leading to consequences) in the context of crime and human behavior, drawing parallels between Lord Mahavira's time and the present day.

The Problem of Crime and Suffering: The text begins by reflecting on the disturbing nature of contemporary crime programs like "Crime Patrol" and "Saavdhan India," highlighting the prevalence of kidnapping, rape, murder, child abuse, fraud, human trafficking, cybercrime, and extortion. This leads to a sense of despair and a wish that one had been born during Lord Mahavira's era to experience a world of "truth, welfare, and beauty," free from such suffering.

Sutrakritanga and the Timeless Nature of Crime: However, upon studying the thirteen Kriyasthanas described in the Sutrakritanga (Shrutakandha 2, Adhyayan 2), the author realizes that crime and negative tendencies were prevalent even in Lord Mahavira's time. The text notes that similar descriptions of these actions can be found in other Jain scriptures like Uttaradhyayana Sutra and Aavashyak Sutra, but the origin of this analysis lies in the Sutrakritanga. This implies that Lord Mahavira's teachings addressed the complexities of human nature, encompassing both good and bad tendencies, and aimed to provide guidance. He illuminated the world of violence, revealing the dualities within society and the individual mind. The scope of crimes described by Mahavira, through the lens of Kriyasthanas, surpasses what our imagination can conceive, encompassing social, political, familial, economic, religious, and personal offenses.

Motivations and Consequences of Actions: Lord Mahavira's teachings touch upon three key aspects: the inspiration behind violence, the tendency to engage in it, and its results. The analysis reveals that the nature of crimes committed then and now is largely similar. Kriyasthanas explore a wide spectrum of human actions, from individual despair leading to suicide to the exploitation of family and society for personal gain. The underlying motivations often stem from a desire for personal happiness, power over others, gratification of desires, and accumulation of wealth, leading to various forms of violent actions.

Types of Kriyasthanas and Their Manifestations: The text then details various types of Kriyasthanas, categorizing them based on their motivations and the resultant karma:

• Arthadanda (Punishment for Material Gain/Purpose): This involves violence (killing of various creatures) for the well-being of family, friends, prosperity, or in the name of deities. The result is the accumulation of sinful karma.
• Anarthadanda (Purposeless Violence): This refers to harming or destroying plants, setting fires, skinning animals, plucking eyes, causing nuisance, and inflicting suffering on living beings without any genuine purpose or necessity (not for sustenance, protection, or feeding dependents). This leads to the bondage of enmity and negative karma.
• Himsa-danda (Violence out of Fear): This involves punishing or killing dangerous animals (snakes, tigers, scorpions) or cruel humans, even if they are not at fault, simply out of fear for oneself or one's relatives. This results in sinful karma.
• Aksamat-danda (Unintentional Violence): This occurs when, while pursuing one objective (like hunting), one unintentionally harms other creatures encountered along the way. Similarly, in agriculture, other plants might be accidentally harmed. The modern manifestation includes killing a witness to a crime or harming anyone who comes in the way of a criminal act. This also leads to the accumulation of sinful karma.
• Drishti-vipaarya-danda (Violence due to Misconception): This involves harming one's own family members, or falsely accusing and punishing innocent individuals in a village or city during looting or theft. It also extends to unjustly stigmatizing entire communities as criminals (like the Paradhi tribe being labeled as thieves). This results in the bondage of sinful karma.
• Mridhyapratyayika (Falsehood) and Adattadanapratyayika (Theft): The text connects modern forms of crime like encroaching on others' property, embezzling government funds, diverting public money, illegal mining, accepting large donations for educational institutions, and stealing water for mineral water production to these concepts. Even in democratic systems, corruption continues in areas like loan waivers and savings groups. These actions lead to sinful karma.
• Adhyatmikapratyika (Related to the Soul/Self): This refers to the internal mental states that lead to negative emotions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed. These internal conflicts can cause mental distress, depression, negative thoughts, and ultimately lead to suicide. The result is an increase in negative emotions and despair.
• Manapratyika (Related to Pride/Ego): This involves looking down upon, criticizing, or disrespecting others due to arrogance and ego. This can stem from pride in wealth, politics, power, lineage, beauty, or strength, leading to gangsterism and discrimination. Even in intellectual fields, there is competition and pulling down others to achieve recognition. This desire to be superior leads to the cycle of birth and death, and specifically, to lower realms of existence (naraka).
• Mitra-doshapratyaya (Error of Judgment/Misguided Affection): This refers to exerting dominance and control over others, even within a family, demanding obedience, and creating fear. This includes domestic violence, where a wife is beaten by her husband, or where women are insulted and ill-treated by their in-laws. It also encompasses issues like dowry deaths and female feticide, where women themselves participate in the mistreatment of other women. The result is familial discord and ill will.
• Mayapratyikdanda (Deception for Gain): This involves exploiting the faith of devotees through fraudulent practices in the name of spirituality, such as sorcery, amulets, hypnotism, and sleight of hand. This is done to earn money through deceit, cheating, exploitation, and sexual abuse. Such individuals lack remorse and convince others of their wrongdoings, leading them to further deceit and suffering.
• Lobha-pratyika (Related to Greed): This encompasses actions driven by intense greed, such as using occult practices, rituals for offspring, animal sacrifices, and black magic under the guise of religion. The desire for a son, wealth, or the destruction of enemies drives individuals to commit violence and engage in morally reprehensible acts. This leads to blindness, muteness, and deafness.

The Path of Righteousness (Iryapathika): The text concludes by shifting focus to the positive aspect. Lord Mahavira's perspective is likened to a "searchlight" that can illuminate any aspect of life. He reminds us that the world is not solely filled with criminals; there are also good people, those striving for self-welfare, and those living according to self-knowledge. These individuals act with vigilance, diligence, and innocence, avoiding excess in all actions – eating, drinking, speaking, sleeping, and moving. Their every action, even the subtle blinking of their eyes, is performed with full awareness. This is termed Iryapathika action, which does not lead to the bondage of sinful karma.

Universal Applicability and the Nature of Reality: The Kriyasthanas described by Lord Mahavira are relevant across all times and contexts. They offer a twelve-dimensional perspective on increasing criminality, with each focus highlighting different negative tendencies. These can be seen as thirteen episodes of "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth Alone Triumphs). The text emphasizes that Lord Mahavira did not hold a naive idealism of a world free from crime; he understood that complete idealism is not possible in the world. He was not under the illusion that his teachings would magically create a peaceful environment everywhere. If that were the case, there would only be two destinies (devotion and human existence), and the lower realms of hell and animals would not exist. Just as Moksha (liberation) is eternal, the twelve dimensions of crime, both past, present, and future, are also a reality. Just as good thoughts are true, so are bad thoughts.

The text criticizes viewing the world solely through the lens of suffering (like Buddha) or living solely for pleasure (like Charvaka). It also dismisses the idea of divine intervention to eradicate evil as a solution. According to Jain tradition, the world is a mixture of happiness and sorrow, and good and bad tendencies have always existed and will continue to do so. The Tirthankaras, with their omniscience, reveal the true nature of the world as it is. While they offer guidance, some beings, known as "Abhavi Jiva" (those destined not to achieve liberation in this existence), cannot be restrained.

Conclusion: The Sutrakritanga's study of Kriyasthanas presents the escalating forms of crime and also provides guidance for righteous conduct. The choice of which path to follow is ultimately left to individual discretion, a testament to the Tirthankaras' foresight and wisdom.