Upayog - Book Summary | JainGPT

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Upayog" in English, based on the provided pages:

The book "Upayog" (which translates to "Apprehension" or "Consciousness Activity") is a Jain text that delves into fundamental concepts related to the soul's interaction with the world through the senses and consciousness. Before defining "Upayog" itself, the text lays the groundwork by explaining related concepts.

I. Time Measurement (કાળના માપ)

The text provides a detailed breakdown of various units of time in Jain cosmology, starting from the most subtle:

Subtle to Gross: Time is measured in increasingly larger units:
- Samay (સમય): The subtlest, indivisible unit of time.
- Aavali (આવલિકા): Countless times smaller than the blink of an eye.
- Chullakbhav (ક્ષુલ્લકભાવ): Innumerable Aavalikas.
- Swaas (સ્વાસ): 256 Aavalikas.
- Praan (પ્રાણ): Innumerable Swaas.
- Stak (સ્તક): 7 Praan.
- Lav (લવ): 7 Stak (further defined as 7 Lav = 4.36 minutes).
- Ghadi (ઘડી): 77 Lav = 48 minutes.
- Muhurt (મુહૂર્ત): A period of time, with a specific mention that 65,536 Bhav can occur within one Muhurt for beings in the Nirodha state.
- Antarmuhurt (અંતર્મુહૂર્ત): Less than one Muhurt.
- Ahoratri (અહોરાત્રિ): One day and one night (24 hours).
- Paksha (પક્ષ): 15 Ahoratris (fortnight).
- Mas (માસ): Two Paksha (month).
- Varsh (વર્ષ): 12 Months (year).
- Yug (યુગ): A long period.
- Purvaag (પૂર્વાગ): 8.4 million years.
- Purva (પૂર્વ): 84 lakh Purvaag.
- Koti (કરોડ): 10 million Purva.
- Deshonkoti (દેશોનકોડ): Slightly less than 10 million Purva.
- Kotakoti (કોટાકોટી): Ten million Koti.
Palyopam (પલ્યોપમ): A measure of immense time, described as the time it would take to empty a well 8 miles by 8 miles by 8 miles by removing a strand of a newborn's hair every 100 years.
Sagaropam (સાગરોપમ): 10 Kotakoti Palyopam.
Chovisi (ચોવીસી): 10 Kotakoti Sagaropam.
Ascending and Descending Time Cycles (Avsarpiṇī and Utsarpiṇī): The text outlines the six periods of the cosmic cycles: the descending cycle (Avsarpiṇī) involves decreasing qualities and lifespan, while the ascending cycle (Utsarpiṇī) involves increasing qualities and lifespan. The durations are given in terms of Kotakoti Sagaropam and years.
Comparison of Quantities: It establishes the order: Infinite > Innumerable > Countable.
Example of Shailibhadra and Dhannaji: These revered figures missed liberation by 7 Lav due to insufficient lifespan or not taking up asceticism 7 Lav earlier. They are currently residing in the Sarvarthasiddhi heaven.

II. The Senses (ઇન્દ્રિયો)

The senses are presented as indicators of the soul's existence and the medium through which consciousness is expressed. The soul gains knowledge of the external world and develops through the senses.

Types of Senses:
- Dravyendriya (દ્રવ્યેન્દ્રિય): Material senses.
- Bhavendriya (ભાવેન્દ્રિય) / Labdhi (લબ્ધિ): Latent or potential senses.
Dravyendriya Breakdown:
- Nivritti (નિવૃત્તિ): The physical form or structure of the sense organ, made of subtle matter. This has two aspects:
  - External Form (બાહ્ય આકાર): The visible shape.
  - Internal Form (અત્યંતર આકાર): The subtle internal structure.
- Upakaran (ઉપકરણ): The functional aspect, subtle matter within the structure that enables perception. The external form itself doesn't provide knowledge; the Upakaran does.
Bhavendriya (Labdhi): The inherent power or capacity of the soul to perceive, which manifests through the partial destruction (kshayopasham) of knowledge-obscuring karmas.

III. What is Upayog? (ઉપયોગ કોને કહેવાય?)

Upayog is defined as the soul's specific conscious activity or engagement through which it gains knowledge of an object or entity. It is the soul's essential characteristic, its inherent nature.

Upayog as Conscious Activity: It's the soul's active engagement with the objects of the senses, enabled by the potential of the Bhavendriya. It's when the senses are functionally operative at the right time.
Components of Upayog: Upayog arises from the combination of Bhavendriya (Labdhi) and Dravyendriya (Nivritti and Upakaran).
Types of Upayog:
- Sakara Upayog (સાકાર ઉપયોગ) / Jnana Upayog (જ્ઞાન ઉપયોગ): Apprehension of specific characteristics of an object. This is further divided into 8 types: 5 types of knowledge (Jnana) and 3 types of ignorance (Ajnan).
- Anakara Upayog (અનાકાર ઉપયોગ) / Darshan Upayog (દર્શન ઉપયોગ): Apprehension of the general characteristics of an object. This is divided into 4 types: 4 types of perception (Darshan).
Total Upayog: Sakara and Anakara Upayog combine to make a total of 12 types of Upayog.

IV. Completeness and Incompleteness of Senses

A sense organ is considered complete when it has all four aspects: Labdhi, external form, internal form, and Upakaran, leading to Upayog. Incompleteness arises when any of these components are lacking, hindering the ability to perceive the object of that sense.

V. Dravyendriya and Bhavendriya in Different Beings

The text categorizes beings based on their senses and the presence of Bhavendriya:

Dravyendriya: Present in one-sensed beings up to humans and celestial beings.
Bhavendriya: Present in all souls, including the Siddhas (liberated souls).
Jiva Types and Bhavendriya:
- Ekendriya (one-sensed): Have Bhavendriya (though limited).
- Dvi-indriya, Tri-indriya, Chatur-indriya: Have Bhavendriya.
- Sammurchim Tiriyanch (spontaneously born animals): Have Bhavendriya.
- Garbhaj Tiriyanch (gestated animals): Have Bhavendriya.
- Sammurchim Manushya (spontaneously born humans): Have Bhavendriya.
- Garbhaj Manushya (gestated humans): Have Bhavendriya.
- Deva (celestial beings), Naraka (hellish beings): Have Bhavendriya.
- Kevali Bhagwanto (omniscient beings), Siddha Bhagwanto (liberated beings): Do not have Dravyendriya in the same way, but their consciousness is the ultimate manifestation of Bhavendriya.
Sukha (Happiness): The happiness of embodied souls is dependent on the senses, while the supra-sensory bliss of Siddhas is dependent on the soul itself.

VI. Types of Darshan (Perception)

Darshan is the general apprehension of an object's qualities.

Chakshu Darshan (ચક્ષુ દર્શન): Perception through the eyes, of general qualities.
Achakshu Darshan (અચક્ષુ દર્શન): Perception through senses other than the eyes (ear, nose, tongue, touch) and the mind, of general qualities.
Avadhi Darshan (અવધિ દર્શન): Direct perception by the soul (without senses or mind) of the general qualities of matter (rupa dravyas).
Keval Darshan (કેવલ દર્શન): Direct perception by the soul of the general qualities of all matter and non-matter in the entire universe, across all time, simultaneously.

Note: Manahparyav Jnana (mind-reading knowledge) doesn't require Darshan in its initial moment because it involves specific apprehension from the outset.
Darshan Upayog: The functional manifestation of these four types of Darshan.

VII. Types of Jnana (Knowledge)

Jnana is the specific apprehension of an object's qualities.

Mati Jnana (મતિજ્ઞાન): Knowledge gained through senses and mind, without relation to word and meaning, about specific characteristics.
Shrut Jnana (શ્રુતજ્ઞાન): Knowledge gained through senses and mind, in conjunction with word and meaning, about specific characteristics.
Avadhi Jnana (અવધિજ્ઞાન): Direct knowledge by the soul (without senses or mind) of the specific qualities of matter. (For those with wrong faith, this is called Vibhanga Jnana).
Manahparyav Jnana (મનઃ પર્યવજ્ઞાન): Direct knowledge by the soul of the mind-matter of sentient beings within the 'Adhai Dvipa' region.
Keval Jnana (કેવળજ્ઞાન): Direct knowledge by the soul of the specific qualities of all matter and non-matter in the entire universe, across all time, simultaneously.

Ajnan (Ignorance): Three types: Mati Ajnan, Shrut Ajnan, Vibhanga Ajnan. All knowledge of those with wrong faith is considered Ajnan. Misguided individuals do not possess Manahparyav and Keval Jnana.
Jnana Upayog: The functional manifestation of these five types of knowledge and three types of ignorance, totaling eight Jnana Upayogs.

VIII. Darshan Upayog and Jnana Upayog in Embodied Souls

Alternating Nature: Embodied souls experience Darshan Upayog for one Antarmuhurt and then Jnana Upayog for the next Antarmuhurt, alternating continuously. This means when one is active, the other is not.
Kevali and Siddha: Omniscient and liberated souls experience Keval Jnana Upayog and Keval Darshan Upayog alternately, moment by moment. Although they possess the potential for both simultaneously, the activity of one excludes the other at any given moment.
Laddhis and Jnana Upayog: All types of Laddhis (spiritual powers), including Samyaktva (right faith), Avadhi Jnana, Keval Jnana, and liberation, arise only during Sakar Upayog (Jnana Upayog), not during Anakara Upayog (Darshan Upayog).
Kevaljnana: Souls who have attained Kevaljnana possess only Kevaljnana, which encompasses the essence of the other four knowledges.

IX. Upayog in Different Life Forms and Stages (Guna-sthanas)

This section details which souls possess which types of Upayog and in what quantities.

Table of Upayog:
- One-sensed beings have 1 Achakshu Darshan.
- Two-sensed, Three-sensed, Four-sensed, and spontaneously born animals/humans have 2 (Mati, Shrut) Jnana and 1 Achakshu Darshan (total 3 Upayogs).
- Gestated animals and Celestial/Hellish beings have 3 (Mati, Shrut, Avadhi) Jnana and 3 (Chakshu, Achakshu, Avadhi) Darshan (total 6 Upayogs).
- Gestated humans have 4 Darshans and 5 Jnanas (total 12 Upayogs).
Upayog in Guna-sthanas (Stages of Spiritual Progress): The table outlines the number of Upayogs present in each of the 14 Guna-sthanas, showing a progression from 6 Upayogs in the initial stages to 7 Upayogs in the middle stages, and finally 2 (Keval Jnana and Keval Darshan) in the highest stages.

X. Reference Texts and Discourses

The book acknowledges several source texts and spiritual teachers from whom this knowledge is derived, highlighting a tradition of Jain scholarship and spiritual guidance.