Atman is Both a Bondage and a Source of Moksha

In an exclusive interview with Life Positive magazine, Acharya Mahaprajna, head of Jainism's leading Terapanth sect, discusses the philosophy of the Jain faith and his own vision for the future.

How would you explain the basic principles of Jainism?

Jainism has a sacred book known as Saman Sutra. This contains scriptures written by Lord Mahavira and has been put together by Acharya Tulsi (one of Jainism's leading spiritual leaders and guru of Acharya Mahaprajna). Jainism is basically atman (soul)-oriented. The main tenet is that the atman is both bondage and a source of moksha (liberation). The individual has to fulfill his karma to achieve moksha: man is responsible for his own happiness and sorrow. God is just a natural part of the universe. Jainism, however, is better known for its principle of non-violence. Acharya Tulsi incorporated another tenet—non-pollution, of the mind, body, spirit and the environment. But the basic philosophy is truthfulness. Jainism has compiled an aachar samhita (code of right conduct), which is codified in the form of anuvrat.

Why hasn't Jainism attained the same international stature as Buddhism? In northern parts of India, even in Karachi and Sind in Pakistan, Jainism is well known. But this faith does not have many followers abroad. The reason is simple. Jainism has tougher rules than Buddhism. Jain monks have to wear a white cloth on their mouths. We also do not touch most things, including money and electronic items. But Acharya Tulsi did try to liberalize the rules. What are you doing to spread the religion? To spread Jainism abroad, we have initiated a separate group of monks, called Saman, and nuns, called Samani. At the moment they are around 1,000 in number. According to traditional principles, Jain ascetics are supposed to travel only by foot and are not allowed to use modern technology. But this special group is allowed to travel by air and train. They are also allowed to use computers. As they travel in foreign countries, we have even kept more flexible diet rules for them. However, non-vegetarian food remains taboo. In India, we have begun featuring in religious programs on cable television. We are also planning a series of documentaries on all Jain acharyas, starting from Acharya Bhikshu. Representatives from the Jain community are handling all these projects. The monks do not come into the picture at all.

Are there more male monks than female in Jainism? That's not true. In Jainism, there have always been more nuns than monks. How do you relate to other religious traditions? We hold regular inter-faith talks. We also organize peace seminars where we invite representatives from various religions to discuss social and moral problems of the world. Is your vision any different from that of Acharya Tulsi? Essentially I am working on the same tracks as him. But, of course, as you move along, you discover more avenues of growth. What would you like to do for the people? My emphasis is on inculcating strong moral values in our society. But isn't the concept of right and wrong extremely subjective and time-space specific? There are some absolutes. Take cruelty. We know that hurting someone, be it a human or an animal, is wrong. What about corruption? Bribery is definitely wrong. But what else can a person do in today's society? This is actually a social problem. What role does religion play in politics? In ancient times, the two were interlinked. Today, money is the pivot around which society moves. People no longer give religion and faith the same priority. With few people opting for monkhood, will Jainism fade out? No. I don't think it will ever completely vanish. Sacrifice, restraint, and truth are eternal values. Maybe only a handful possess these qualities but they will never be non-existent. Courtesy: Life Positive Magzine

Canvas of the soul

Meeta Deshpande

Artist Kavita Shah's paintings represent the 12 ways of worldly renunciation and attempt to show the path to nirvana

Nirvana has always been associated with attaining spirituality and fulfillment and 49-year-old artist Kavita Shah from Chennai has tried to portray nirvana through her paintings in an ongoing exhibition. Talking about painting Shah says, "I was interested in painting right from childhood and I am just following my passion." It is worth mentioning here that Shah did not receive any academic training in the field of painting but she does consider herself lucky to have A V Ilango, the world-renowned artist himself, as her teacher.

An interesting feature of Shah's paintings is that the paintings represent the Jain philosophy of life. "Jainism has always interested me, as it is all about renouncing body and worldly desires and attaining nirvana," she explains. Her paintings are oil-on-canvas and in the ongoing exhibition she has tried to depict the 12 symbolic ways of renunciation through her paintings under the theme of Nirvana. This beautiful series of paintings was inspired from a leaf suspended in mid-air. "These paintings are a combination of my passion and the study of Jainism," says the artist.

Shah has done a thorough study on Jain philosophy and Jain scriptures. Elaborating more on Jainism, Shah says, "Jainism is more of a science. It tells what is living and non-living. It teaches that in order to attain nirvana, one must curb worldly desires and be on the journey to attain the state of jiwan mukta. It even tells us how to be happy." Indeed beautiful thoughts put across through paintings. "These philosophies are not restricted to Jainism only but can be applicable to any religion," she adds.

The exhibition was inaugurated by senior artist Ravi Paranjpe, environmentalist Mohan Dharia and Surekha Shah, author of the book Johad on Saturday.

The beliefs of the Jains

Ashik Shah

Outline of Jain Beliefs

What is it which prompts a prince, used to the best things in life, to abandon his material and worldly pleasures, and to adopt a life of strict asceticism austerity?

Two and half millennia ago, Lord Mahavira (599-527 BCE) did precisely this, at the age of 30.
He spent years in silent contemplation, living a simple and austere life. At the age of 42 he attained Enlightenment or Omniscience, which the Jains called Kevalgnan, and for 30 years shared his message of universal spiritual upliftment until, at age 72, his soul left embodiment for good and he attained Moksha or Nirvana.

Lord Mahavira is a historical figure and he is mentioned in Buddhist texts, being a contemporary of the Buddha, but from an older, established tradition. He is a Jina, or victor, having overcome his inner enemies. A Jain is one who worships a Jina.

In addition to being a Jina, Lord Mahavira is a Tirthankar, a ford-maker. He has made a ford for us so we can cross over from this world of embodied existence (Sansar) to the state of Moksha, Liberation.

He is the last of 24 Tirthankars which Jains believe to have existed in this particular part of the time cycle. The 23rd Tirthankar, Lord Parshvanath, is also a historical figure. It is typically one or more of these 24 Tirthankars who Jains worship.

The Jain tradition is a unique, distinct and ancient part of the culture of South Asia. Often considered to be a sect of Hinduism, it is actually an independent religious tradition.
Like Buddhism, Jainism is considered a Shramanical tradition, as opposed to a Brahminical Hinduism.

While the Tirthankars are worshipped, they are considered to be mortal human beings, who attained Moksha and left behind a religious order and shared the eternal message of Jainism. We believe in them as exemplary beings, whose path we can follow to realise the same exalted states they achieved. In Jain philosophy, any living being, if it so wishes, can attain Moksha, or liberation, and become a Jina.

Each and every living being is, by nature, a soul. Each is eternal, unique and identical, apart from the circumstances of its embodiment. This state of embodiment has been driven since time immemorial by the Law of Karma. Just as gold is found in ore, so our soul is embodied, and the process of purification will lead to its shining liberation.

Despite our spiritual nature, we identify with the body we currently occupy and animate. Without a soul, a dead body is literally lifeless and will not function. The mind, the breath, the senses are all driven by the soul or Atma or Jiva. This soul is the seat of consciousness, which is its defining characteristic. The body is cast off from one life to another, in the same ways as we change clothes.

The misidentification of ourselves as bodies is a function of our delusion. This delusion generates a sense of “me and mine” toward the body, its relationships and its circumstances, with which we have a merely ephemeral, temporary association.

This generates feelings of like and dislike towards situations which are positive and negative for the body, and these are expressed as the quartet of passions, namely anger, ego, deceit, greed, which lead to various vibration activities in the soul, seens as thought, words and actions. This delusion, these passions, and these vibrations drive the process of Karma, in a seemingly vicious cycle. The Jain path is the path of breaking this cycle.

If we realise that we are souls by nature, and that all living beings possess a soul like ours, then this must have a dramatic outcome on both our vision and our ethical conduct. Jains believe in the cultivation of friendship and compassion towards all living beings. These virtues are to be practiced until they become a state of being, rather than conditional on any particular soul, just as a rose give fragrance, regardless of whether anyone is there.

Jain ethics are driven by the principle of Ahimsa, non-violence. This traditionally governs diet, business and professional practice, and general conduct. Jains are usually strict vegetarians: In addition, many do not even eat certain vegetables and fruits, as their cultivation, harvesting or consumption would entail more damage to living beings: in the West, there is increasing adoption of Veganism amongst younger members of the community. The scriptures and codes of conduct contain injunctions against certain professions involving harm, or the exploitation of other lives.
The religion and practice of Jainism, as with other South Asian traditions, is best expressed as Dharma. Dharma can be considered three ways: “Dharma is the nature of things;” it is that which protects us from conduct which is not beneficial to the Soul; and it is the path to Moksha.
Dharma thus brings us closer to the our own true nature, or soul. It generates conduct which will free us from Karma, and it is the path to Moksha or freedom from Karma.

“Right Belief, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct constitute the path to Moksha”
These three are seen as the three Jewels of Jain Dharma. Right belief, at one level, is the belief in our true nature as Soul, and not as body; a belief in the True God, True Dharma and True Guru; it can also be understood, at another level, as the very experience of the soul, of self-realisation. Right Knowledge refers to the insights that are conducive to faith, such as that body and soul are separate. Right Conduct ultimately also resides in the soul, in that our inclinations, thoughts, words and deeds are governed spiritually, and, ultimately, that we become still in the experience of soul.

The nature of the soul has already been described as eternal consciousness. It is our own sense of identity. Also intrinsic to it are the qualities of bliss and energy. In an embodied state, all of these are obscured by Karma, but in the state of Moksha, we experience them in infinity. The state of Moksha is thus freedom from Karma, but, more positively it is the experience of eternal, infinite consciousness, bliss and energy.

The soul is free from the duality of pleasure and pain, from like and dislike, and from the ups and downs of mundane life. Even before the state of Moksha, in self-realisation, one can experience this bliss and peace, even if momentarily, right here and now.

It is this potential to realise the joy and ecstasy of self-realisation, to cultivate a state of selflessness, and equanimity, and to live in harmony with all living beings, which inspires me on my journey.