Vikas Ka Mukhya Sadhan

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vikas ka Mukhya Sadhan" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, based on the provided PDF excerpt:

The book "Vikas ka Mukhya Sadhan" (The Main Means of Development) by Sukhlal Sanghavi, published by Jain Education International, explores the fundamental principles of human development, primarily identifying responsibility (jawabdehī) as its core driving force.

The author begins by differentiating between physical and mental development. While physical development is observed even in animals and birds, achieved through comfort and lack of worry, human physical development is incomplete without the involvement of the mind and intellect (buddhi-yoga). Similarly, mental development, though inherent in humans, is entirely dependent on the appropriate functioning and direction of the mind and intellect, regardless of physical well-being. Therefore, comprehensive human development, both physical and mental, hinges on organized and awakened intellect (vyavasthit aur jāgarit buddhi yoga).

An interesting observation is made: individuals who are financially secure and have inherited wealth or status often exhibit slower mental development. Despite access to resources and education, their mental faculties tend to stagnate. Conversely, those who lack such external advantages frequently produce individuals with exceptional mental development. This paradox leads to the central question: what is the true root of development?

The answer, the author asserts, is simple and observable in everyday life: responsibility (jawabdehī). Responsibility is presented as the primary seed of development because it awakens and fully activates the innate potential (satva-ansh) of the mind. When the mind is dominated by Rajas (activity) and Tamas (inertia) qualities, the Sattvic (purity) aspect, which governs clear thinking, becomes suppressed. This dominance of Rajas and Tamas is termed "pramād" (carelessness or negligence). When responsibility is absent or neglected, the mind's progress is hindered, and carelessness takes root, leading to a state described in Yoga Shastra as "kshipta" (agitated) and "mūḍha" (deluded). Just as an overloaded body loses its vigor, a mind burdened by Rajas and Tamas becomes inactive, hindering its natural Sattvic thinking power. Thus, the primary cause of mental inactivity is the dominance of Rajas and Tamas. Shirking or failing to fulfill responsibilities allows Tamas and Rajas to overpower the Sattvic aspect, leading to stunted mental development that is not directed towards truth. Consequently, irresponsibility is identified as the most dangerous threat to humanity, diverting individuals from their true human potential. This underscores the exceptional and primary importance of responsibility in development.

The text then elaborates on the diverse forms of responsibility. It can arise from:

• Attachment (moh): Towards a loved one, leading to a sense of duty.
• Affection (sneha) or Love (prem): A mother's duty towards her child.
• Fear (bhay): Taking precautions against danger.
• Desire (lobh), Greed (parigrahākāṅkṣā), Anger (krodh), Revenge, Envy (mānamatsar), and other Rajasic-Tamasic tendencies also generate forms of responsibility that drive social and economic cycles.

However, the author emphasizes that the responsibility crucial for specific and complete development is distinct from and transcends these limited, conditional, and fleeting responsibilities. This higher form of responsibility is not dependent on momentary feelings. It is universal, constant, and applies everywhere, towards oneself, family, society, and humanity at large. It stems from a pure, unadulterated, and unwavering experience of one's life force. Responsibility born from this profound experience is ceaseless, flowing like a continuous river, preventing mental inertia or crookedness. This "life-giving power" of responsibility is so potent that it can transform even the most humble individual into a saint, sage, or even an avatar.

The core argument is reiterated: responsibility is the sole foundation of human development. It is not driven by a single emotion. While some responsibilities arise from fleeting emotions like attachment, affection, fear, and greed, the ultimate form of responsibility originates from the true experience of life force (jīvan-śakti ka yathārth anubhav).

The book then delves into the distinction between these two types of motivating emotions and the superiority of the latter. Emotions like attachment (moh) provide transient pleasure and emotional satisfaction but are inherently unstable, filled with doubt, sorrow, and worry, causing mental fluctuation. For instance, attachment based on beauty or lust is fragile and can easily shift to a more attractive prospect, altering the sense of duty. Similarly, a mother's attachment to her biological child, while fulfilling, is limited and unstable compared to a broader, purer affection. Fear-based responsibility is also incomplete; the power to protect driven by fear ceases when the fear subsides. All emotions belonging to the category of attachment are described as incomplete, unstable, and impure.

In contrast, the true experience of life force is constant, expansive, and pure. To understand this, the author explores the nature of life force. It is not merely breath or prana, as life can persist even without conscious breathing in deep meditation. The fundamental force is identified as Consciousness (Chetana) – a stable, luminous power that illuminates all actions, physical, mental, and sensory. We are intimately aware of our actions through this consciousness. Accompanying consciousness is Willpower ( Sankalp Shakti), which translates thoughts and understanding into action. Consciousness becomes fully functional when guided by resolve. This resolved willpower creates stored energy, akin to compressed steam, which, when activated by consciousness, drives towards achieving its goal. This dynamism is termed Vigor or Strength (Virya or Bal).

Thus, life force is a tripartite entity: Consciousness, Willpower, and Vigor/Strength. This tri-unit force is experienced in all creative endeavors. The author argues that all living beings engage in some form of creation, demonstrating the presence of this tripartite life force. Experiencing this force directly within oneself and observing it in others is the true experience of life force.

This realization transforms one's perspective towards oneself and others, leading to the understanding that the tripartite life force (Sachchidananda) is either indivisible or uniform everywhere. Whether this leads to a sense of non-duality or equality, the outcome is the same: an individual with such an experience feels the same responsibility towards others as they do towards themselves. Their sense of duty is not differentiated by the concepts of "mine" and "yours."

In conclusion, responsibilities arising from attachment-based emotions are inconsistent and imperfect. In contrast, responsibilities stemming from the true experience of life force are consistently unblemished and unwavering because they are innate and pure, not influenced by Rajas or Tamas. Humanity's greatest gift is the inherent capacity to cultivate this pure, natural state of being, which is the primary means of exceptional development. The text cites historical figures like Buddha, Mahavir, Socrates, Jesus, and Gandhi as examples of individuals who, despite immense challenges, never shirked their responsibility for human upliftment. Their unwavering, expansive, and pure sense of duty stemmed from their profound experience of life force, an experience that is currently lacking in most people. The author concludes that this true experience of life force, described in various philosophies as self-realization, Brahma realization, or God-vision, is the ultimate goal. The book highlights the superiority of emotions rooted in the true experience of life force over those driven by attachment, emphasizing that such a profound feeling arises from within and is the cornerstone of complete human development. Spiritual scriptures, yogic paths, and life's endeavors are all aimed at achieving this ultimate benefit.