Vipak Sutra Ek Parichay - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text about the Vipak Sutra:

This document, "Vipak Sutra: Ek Parichay" (An Introduction to the Vipak Sutra) by Shri Jambukumar Jain, serves as an introductory guide to this important Jain scripture. The book highlights that the "Vipak Sutra" explains the consequences or results (vipak) of actions, stating that good deeds lead to happiness and bad deeds lead to suffering. Through ten chapters each of "Sukha Vipak" (consequences of good deeds) and "Dukha Vipak" (consequences of bad deeds), the sutra clarifies the fruits of karma with examples, aiming to inspire the abandonment of sinful actions and the adoption of virtuous ones.

The text identifies the Vipak Sutra as the eleventh Anga (limb) among the Angasutras. It is divided into two sections: Sukha Vipak and Dukha Vipak. The core theme is understanding how specific actions lead to specific results, emphasizing the principle that one reaps what one sows, much like planting a babul tree cannot yield mangoes.

The summary quotes various Acharyas regarding the definition of "Vipak":

Acharya Virsen defines Vipak as the "uday" (manifestation) and "udirana" (release) of karmas.
Acharya Pujyapad describes Vipak as specific or manifold "pak" (cooking/ripening).
Acharya Abhaydev defines it as a sutra that expounds the fruits of karmas, which are in the form of merit (punya) and demerit (pap).

The text also mentions that the Samavayanga Sutra refers to the Vipak Sutra as an Agama that explains the fruits of good and bad deeds, while the Sthananga Sutra uses the term "Karma Vipak Dashak" for it.

A fundamental concept explained is "karma" itself. It is described as the unconscious, non-sentient matter (pudgal paramanu) that attaches to the soul due to the soul's actions driven by passions like attachment (raag) and aversion (dwesh). These karmic particles bind to the soul when influenced by ignorance (mithyatva), non-restraint (avirati), negligence (pramad), passions (kashay), and the influx of actions through the senses and mind (yog). As long as karmas are attached, the soul transmigrates through numerous births in the cycle of existence (samsara). Liberation (moksha) occurs when all karmas are destroyed.

Each chapter of the Vipak Sutra discusses rebirth. The sutra aims to explain why some individuals experience profound suffering while others live in oceans of happiness. It details the severe suffering and tortures faced by those who engage in injustice, violence, meat-eating, prostitution, and the oppression of the poor. This is the domain of "Dukha Vipak." Conversely, "Sukha Vipak" describes the happiness derived from acts like charity to deserving individuals. The sutra elucidates the intricate nature of sin and virtue through simple examples, portraying those who committed sins in past lives enduring terrible pain in the present, and those who performed good deeds reaping happiness.

Regarding its compositional period, there is no explicit record. However, the Samavayanga Sutra mentions Lord Mahavir bestowing fifty-five chapters each on the fruits of good and bad deeds as part of his final teachings. Some scholars believe this refers to the Vipak Sutra, with a significant portion now lost. However, the text finds this theory not entirely logical. The Nandi Sutra mentions twenty chapters of the Vipak Sutra, but a large part is considered lost, leaving a considerably smaller text available today. The currently available Vipak Sutra consists of twenty short, yet engaging, inspiring, and touching chapters. These chapters are said to be 1216 shlokas (verses) in total.

The subject matter is divided into the two sections: Dukha Vipak and Sukha Vipak, each containing ten chapters. The text lists the chapter titles for both sections, which include names like Subahukumar, Bhadranandi, Mrigaputra, Ujjhitaka, Abhagnasen, Shakat, Brihaspattidan, Nandivardhan, Umbardatta, Saurikdatta, Devdatta, Anju, and Vardattakumar.

The Dukha Vipak section has ten chapters, with the first one being extensive and the rest concise.

Chapter 1 (Mrigaputra): Describes Mrigaputra, who was born blind, deaf, lame, and deformed. He suffered from a disease that instantly converted any food into blood and pus. Lord Mahavir explained that in a past life, this individual was Ikkayi, a ruler who was irreligious, caused suffering to his subjects, was corrupt, and indulged in sinful acts. Consequently, he suffered sixteen incurable diseases, died, and was born in the first hell. After enduring torment there, he was reborn as Mrigaputra. He is destined to suffer for many more lives before attaining liberation as a human.
Chapter 2 (Ujjhitaka): Details Ujjhitaka's past life of inflicting suffering on animals, consuming meat and alcohol, and his present life's consequences of gambling, drinking, theft, and visiting prostitutes, leading to his execution.
Chapter 3 (Abhagnasen): Describes Abhagnasen's past life of trading in eggs and eating them, resulting in his present life's predicament of being forced to eat his own flesh, drink his own blood, and being publicly hanged.
Chapter 4 (Shakat): Discusses Shakat Kumar, who sold animal meat in a past life and in the present life suffers similar torments due to engaging in prostitution and adultery.
Chapter 5 (Brihaspattidatta): Explains how Brihaspattidatta faced severe suffering and execution for sacrificing Brahmins in a past life and engaging in adultery in the present.
Chapter 6 (Nandivardhan): Describes Nandivardhan's past life as a jailer who tortured prisoners and his present life's suffering due to ambition for power, leading to his untimely death.
Chapter 7 (Umbaradatta): Details Umbaradatta's affliction with numerous physical ailments in the present life due to meat and alcohol consumption in past lives.
Chapter 8 (Saurikdatta): Describes Saurikdatta's suffering from a fishbone stuck in his throat due to cooking and consuming animal meat in past lives and trading and consuming fish in the present.
Chapter 9 (Devdatta): Narrates Devdatta's torment for burning women alive in a past life and murdering his mother-in-law in the present.
Chapter 10 (Anju): Focuses on Anju, the daughter of a merchant. In a past life, she was a prostitute, and due to her attachment to sensual pleasures, she was reborn in the sixth hell. After her lifespan there ended, she was born as Anju in the present life. Due to past karmas and strong attachment to worldly enjoyments, she suffered from a severe vaginal pain.

All chapters in Dukha Vipak illustrate how past and present sinful actions lead to extreme suffering. The text draws several inferences and lessons from Dukha Vipak:

Do not misuse power or authority.
Mṛgārāṇī's devoted service to her repulsive son is an exemplary act of duty and devotion to her husband.
Karmic imprints from past lives continue, just as religious imprints also span across many lifetimes.
Attachment to meat-eating leads to suffering across many lives.
Trading in and consuming eggs, violence against five-sensed beings, and consuming alcohol often lead to rebirth in hell.
Theft is not good; thieves are always fearful and distressed.
Addictions cause immense suffering; therefore, one should live a life free from addictions.
Hidden sins, like fire wrapped in cotton, will eventually be revealed manifold. Thus, confessing sins leads to purification.
Those who find joy in causing suffering to others will themselves receive suffering in return.
Some indulge in sin to please others, but they must bear the consequences of their karmas.
Self-interest and lust for pleasure make one forget all relationships.
Worldly pleasures and sensual delights are like sweet poison.
Individuals become arrogant about their lineage, power, or wealth, but when intense karmic consequences arise, no one can offer refuge.
If life is filled with religious rituals and virtuous actions, even severe hardships can be endured, and the cycle of karma can be avoided.
Practicing and contemplating Dharma awakens self-confidence.

The Sukha Vipak section describes souls who attained happiness through good deeds. It also has ten chapters, with the first being about Subahukumar.

Chapter 1 (Subahukumar): In a past life, Subahukumar offered food (kheer) to an ascetic during the breaking of his month-long fast with pure intentions. As a result, he was born into a royal family in the present life, enjoyed abundant worldly pleasures, and even had the good fortune to meet Lord Mahavir. The remaining nine chapters follow a similar pattern, with variations in city names, illustrating how past good deeds led to present happiness.

The inferences and lessons from Sukha Vipak are:

Enlightened souls do not remain attached to worldly pleasures for long; they renounce them as soon as the opportunity arises.
If one cannot accept monastic vows, one should definitely observe the vows of a lay follower (shravak).
After initiation, one should spend their time in pure asceticism and contemplation of knowledge and meditation.
Donating to deserving individuals leads to right faith (samyaktva) and ends the cycle of birth and death; therefore, one should aim for such donations.
One should behave with dignity and in accordance with the scriptures when ascetics come for alms.
Lay followers should also be aware of the 42 defects of alms-seeking and behave with discretion.
One should experience joy at all stages of donation: the opportunity to give, the auspicious moment of giving, and after the act of giving.

In conclusion, the study of the Vipak Sutra reveals how sins lead to severe suffering and good deeds bring immense happiness. It guides us on which tendencies to avoid and which to adopt. To attain happiness, one should dedicate their life to the welfare and upliftment of others. By worshipping the path of non-attachment (vitarag dharma), one can make this human life successful and meaningful. The true success of life lies not in enjoying pleasures but in renouncing them.