Terapanth Darshan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Terapanth Darshan," by Muni Shri Uditkumar:

The text introduces Terapanth Darshan as a significant and integral part of Jain philosophy, stating that the explanation of Jainism is the explanation of Terapanth Darshan.

The foundation of Terapanth was laid by Acharya Bhikshu due to the perceived laxity and decline in the standards of ascetic institutions of his time. Acharya Bhikshu was initiated into the Sthanakavasi sect in 1708 (Vikram Samvat) under Acharya Raghunathji. After extensive scriptural study, he found that the current ascetic community was not adhering to the teachings of Lord Mahavir.

Acharya Bhikshu identified 306 points of divergence between the scriptural injunctions and the current practices of the ascetic society. In 1717 (VS), he renounced his existing affiliation at Bagdi to uphold pure asceticism. His attempts to persuade Acharya Raghunathji to adopt stricter practices were unsuccessful. Acharya Raghunathji advised him to adapt to the times, stating that such severe asceticism was not feasible and urged him to rejoin the main sangha. However, Acharya Bhikshu firmly asserted that compromising on discipline by citing "time" was unacceptable. He believed that rigorous ascetic practices could be followed just as they were in the past and that this was the path to pure conduct in accordance with Jinagya (the teachings of the Jinas). He declared that if Acharya Raghunathji would follow the stricter path, he would remain his disciple; otherwise, their paths would diverge. Acharya Bhikshu's conviction was characterized by great strength and self-reliance.

The text then delves into the foundational principles of Acharya Bhikshu's intellectual revolution:

Goal (Sadhya) and Means (Sadhan): Acharya Bhikshu emphasized that both the goal and the means must be pure. The ultimate goal (Sadhya) is liberation (Moksha), achieved through Samvara (cessation of influx of karma) and Nirjara (shedding of karma). If the means are impure, such as violence or attachment, the goal cannot be attained. Sin can never be a means to liberation. Therefore, only knowledge, perception, conduct, and penance (Jnana, Darshan, Charitra, and Tap) are the means to Moksha; all else are causes of bondage.
Karma Yoga (Karan Yoga): Acharya Bhikshu stated that engaging in, causing, or approving of an action that is not conducive to the ultimate goal is also not conducive to the goal itself. Doing, causing, and approving are considered identical in this regard. If an action is virtuous, causing and approving it are also virtuous. If an action is not virtuous, causing and approving it are also not virtuous. For example, practicing non-violence is virtuous; causing non-violence is virtuous, and approving its practice is also virtuous. He clarified that true religion is related to restraint and detachment, not to life or death. Protecting a violent being is not inherently religious; it is the adherence to restraint and detachment that is religious. Guiding a violent person to renounce violence is virtuous. However, forcing or bribing someone to abstain from violence is not self-religion. He used an analogy of avoiding stepping on an ant to save oneself and the ant. The virtue lies in one's own restraint. The ant's survival is an incidental outcome.
Standard of Lord's Command: Acharya Bhikshu measured all actions against the standard of the Lord's command. Religion is found only in actions commanded by the Lord, as these can be performed, caused, or approved by ascetics. The Lord's commands are always for the increase of knowledge, perception, conduct, and penance, never for bodily protection or accumulation of possessions. He argued that what cannot be approved cannot be done or caused. Ascetics cannot approve of non-restraint and its means, hence non-restraint is not religion. Ascetics can approve of restraint and its means, hence restraint is religion.

Regarding compassion (Daya), Acharya Bhikshu offered a deeper interpretation:
- "A living being lives by its lifespan; this is not compassion. A living being dies due to the depletion of its own lifespan; this is not violence. The tendency to kill is violence, and the tendency not to kill is the quality of compassion, non-violence."
- He used the example of abstaining from eating carrots. If the saved carrot is considered virtue, then if someone else eats it, is the compassion gone? Compassion is related to the soul, not the carrot. Actions primarily aimed at keeping a being alive may involve attachment and violence. Actions undertaken for one's own liberation lead to restraint.
Other Principles of Intellectual Revolution:
- Religion is in the Lord's command, not outside it.
- Religion lies in renunciation, not in enjoyment.
- Religion is in the change of heart, not in coercion or temptation.
- Protecting life by killing other lives is not religion.
- Desiring the survival of a non-restrained person is attachment.
- Desiring their death is aversion.
- Desiring their liberation is religion.

The text then discusses Acharya Bhikshu's behavioral revolution (Achar-Kranti), which complemented his intellectual revolution. He prioritized actions that were currently aligned with ascetic practice, even if they involved adapting ancient traditions based on the times, as long as they were in line with Lord Mahavir's teachings.

Succession of Disciples: Acharya Bhikshu placed great importance on the process of selecting disciples, refraining from initiating just anyone. He strongly discouraged unqualified initiations, which were becoming rampant due to the competition among gurus to increase their follower base, often neglecting proper vetting. Acharya Bhikshu addressed this by establishing two rules in his 1832 (VS) "Maryada Patra" (decree):
- His successor would be Acharya Bharmalji, and there would be only one Acharya.
- Disciples would be initiated in the name of Acharya Bharmalji. These measures were successful in curbing the influx of unqualified disciples.
Sangha Management: In the time of Lord Mahavir, there were nine Ganadharas and eleven Ganas, with a unified administration. Ancient times saw seven positions in the ascetic order: Acharya, Upadhyaya, Gani, Ganavachchhedak, Sthavir, Pravartak, and Pratini. Acharya Bhikshu, however, dispensed with this system in the present era, believing it could lead to disunity. He wrote that the current Acharya should choose his successor from among his spiritual brothers or disciples, and all ascetics should willingly accept and follow that one Acharya. This principle has been faithfully followed by the dedicated ascetics of Terapanth. The text mentions Acharya Shri Tulsi as the ninth Acharya, chosen by the previous Acharya Shri Kalugani at the age of 22, and highlights the respect shown to him by the sangha, despite the presence of older and more learned ascetics.

Finally, the text concludes by reiterating that Acharya Bhikshu's behavioral revolution, along with his intellectual revolution, has firmly established Terapanth on the principles of one conduct, one thought, and one Acharya. Acharya Bhikshu was driven by his mission and committed to character, giving paramount importance to purity of conduct. His organization was not for power but for ethical purity. He believed that an organization without a foundation of ethical conduct held no religious value. The concluding Sanskrit verse by Shri Chandanmuni reinforces the idea that external bonds are secondary, and true bondage and liberation depend on internal states (bhava).