Trivijay

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

The text "Trivijay" (Three Victories) explores the concept of achieving victory over three fundamental aspects of physical existence – diet (આહાર - Aahar), sleep (નિદ્રા - Nidra), and stability/posture (આસન - Aasan) – as a path towards spiritual progress and realizing the soul's inherent nature.

Page 1: The Nature of the Body and the Soul

• Every living being requires sustenance, whether gross or subtle, to survive. Humans, as the highest beings, need food and rest.
• While the body requires movement and activity when awake, during sleep, its movement is largely limited.
• The soul (આત્મા - Atma) resides within the body, but their characteristics are distinct.
• The soul's natural state is to be without food (અણાહારીપણું - Anaahaaripanu), but due to beginningless habits (અનાદિ સંસ્કાર - Anaadi Sanskaar), the soul is accustomed to food, which is considered an impure state (વિભાવ દશા - Vibhaav Dasha).
• Similarly, the soul's natural state is constant wakefulness (સતત જાગ્રત અવસ્થા - Satat Jaagrut Avastha), but again, due to beginningless habits, the soul is prone to sleep, which is also an impure state.
• The soul's ultimate nature is complete stillness and immobility (સંપૂર્ણ સ્થિરતા-અચલત્વ - Sampurn Sthirta-Achaltva), but beginningless habits lead to restlessness (ચંચલતા - Chanchalta), another impure state.
• As long as the body exists, these characteristics of food, sleep, and restlessness tend to remain. The degree to which one can overcome these three allows for progress towards the soul's natural state.
• It's challenging for humans to remain happy with less or no food, stay energetic with minimal sleep, or sit still for long periods without their bodies becoming stiff and tired.

Page 2: Physical vs. Spiritual Happiness and the Path of Control

• Good food, movement, rest, and enjoyment are physical pleasures for the body and mind, not spiritual happiness.
• By practicing control over food intake, sleep, and posture, one can gradually progress.
• The question arises: why is such control necessary? It is necessary to move towards the soul's original nature.
• If one possesses strong feelings of joy, enthusiasm, and effort, these practices can lead to a special manifestation of consciousness (ચૈતન્ય - Chaitanya). Otherwise, they may feel like mere physical hardship.
• Gaining even a little control over diet, sleep, and posture allows for control over the senses.
• With some practice in yoga, one can experience this. If the mind is voluntarily controlled, certain bodily functions can be halted for a time.
• A person in a public gathering can naturally suppress the urge for hunger or defecation. An anecdote is given about a writer who, despite a medical condition requiring frequent urination, could sit in Padmasana or Ardha Padmasana for three to four hours of meditation or study without needing to move.
• After mastering the initial steps of yoga like Yama, Niyama, Asana, and Pranayama, those who practice meditation and Samadhi find it easier to control their senses through the mind. Bodily needs become less apparent during this time.
• Great yogis, through the Khechari Mudra, can obtain nectar and survive for 8-10 days without food. Some Mahatmas can remain awake and blissful for days without sleep.
• Meditation and Samadhi possess the power for the mind or soul to gain complete mastery over the entire body.

Page 3: Individual Differences and Jain Classifications

• The effort to conquer the body is not the same for everyone, as bodies and mental capacities vary.
• According to Jain belief in the current era (fifth era - Pancham Kaal), humans have limitations within the body they receive.
• Jain scriptures describe classifications of the body concerning its structure (સંઘયણ - Sanghayana) and form (સંસ્થાન - Sansthana).
  • Sanghayana refers to the bonding of the body's bones, with six descending types (Vajra Rishabhanaracha being the best).
  • Sansthana refers to the body's specific shape, also with six descending types (Samachaturastra being the best).
• Jain scriptures also classify food (આહાર - Aahar) into three types: Ojahara, Lokahara, and Kavalhara.
• The extent to which a soul can exercise its spiritual power is influenced by its physical structure and form.
• Tirthankaras and Kevalgnanis (omniscient beings) possess the highest types of Sanghayana and Sansthana.

Page 4: Bhagavan Mahavir's Asceticism and Trivijay

• The penance undertaken by the 24th Tirthankara, Bhagavan Mahavir, for about twelve and a half years before attaining Kevalgnana, is considered unparalleled. Acharya Hemchandracharya rightly called it "Ghor Tapo" (intense penance).
• Despite being a Kshatriya prince with no lack of comforts, Mahavir renounced them for asceticism.
• During his twelve and a half years of practice, he took food on very few days. He undertook continuous fasts of six months on one occasion, and a slightly shorter period on another. He also undertook many fasts of 8-15 days or months.
• Scriptural records indicate that the total number of meals Mahavir took during this period amounted to about one year, meaning he spent over 11 years without food.
• Similarly, during this period, he spent many days and nights in constant wakefulness without sleep. He achieved such control over his body that he could remain stable in any posture for extended periods. His final Kevalgnana was attained in the difficult 'Godohika' posture.
• Bhagavan Mahavir achieved unprecedented victory over diet, sleep, and posture (Aahar, Nidra, and Aasan).
• From this "Trivijay," many of his other powers emerged. It is said he gained the power of Trivijay through meditation.
• Through Trivijay, he destroyed the terrible destructive karmas (ghati karmas) and attained Kevalgnana through meditation.
• This intense penance, characterized by Trivijay, transformed Vardhaman Kumar into Bhagavan Mahavir. His spiritual journey serves as an inspiration for seekers.

In essence, "Trivijay" presents a framework within Jainism for spiritual advancement through the disciplined control of basic physical needs. By mastering diet, sleep, and physical stillness, an individual can purify their consciousness and move closer to the soul's innate pure and liberated state, with Bhagavan Mahavir's life serving as the ultimate example of this profound achievement.