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ĀTMĀNUŚĀSANA – PRECEPT ON THE SOUL by Ācārya GUṆABHADRA (ca. 818–900 A.D.) [12]

    Alexander Zeugin
    By Alexander Zeugin

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    Gātha 10

     

    Having belief in the true nature of substances is right faith (samyagdarśana). It is of two kinds depending on whether it is attained by intuition (nisargaja) or by acquisition of knowledge (adhigamaja). It is of three kinds depending on the disposition or thought-activity (bhāva). That disposition (bhāva) which has subsidence as its object or cause, is subsidential (aupaśamika).

     

    Similarly with regard to destructional (kṣāyika) and destruction-cum-subsidential (kṣāyopaśamika). It is also of ten kinds, like revelation (ājñā) by Lord Jina, as will be detailed in the next four verses. Rid of the twenty-five imperfections like the three kinds of follies, and enriched further by qualities like perpetual fear of the cycle of existence – saṃvega, such right faith is the cause of the cessation of transmigration (saṃsāra); it purifies the knowledge by filtering out the three contaminators called wrong-sensory-knowledge (kumati), wrong-scripturalknowledge (kuśruta) and wrong-clairvoyance (vibhaṅga).

     

    It ascertains the seven substances of reality – tattva, like the soul and the non-soul, or the nature of the nine substances (padārtha) which comprise merit (pāpa) and demerit (puṇya) besides the seven substances. For the intelligent disciple wishing to climb to the top of the edifice called liberation (mokṣa), this right faith (samyagdarśana) is the first rung of the ladder. As such, right belief is the first of the four adorations (arādhanā).

     

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      • Alexander Zeugin
        By Alexander ZeuginComment by owner

        Note 1:

        Explanatory note:

         

        The three kinds of follies (mūḍhatā) that a householder with right faith must assiduously guard against are:

         

        1) folly relating to worldly customs (lokamūḍhatā),

        2) folly relating to deities (devamūḍhatā),

        3) folly relating to preachers (gurumūḍhatā).

         

        Right faith must be strengthened by these eight limbs (aṣḍāṅga); the absence of any of these constitutes an imperfection:

         

        1) freedom from doubt (niḥśañkita),

        2) freedom from worldly desire (niḥkāñkṣita),

        3) freedom from revulsion (nirvicikitsā),

        4) freedom from superstitions (amūḍhadṛṣḍi),

        5) charitable forbearance and concealment of defects in others (upagūhana),

        6) ensuring steadfastness of right faith and conduct so as not to swerve from the path to liberation (sthitikaraṇa),

        4) freedom from superstitions (amūḍhadṛṣḍi),

        7) propagation of the true path (prabhāvanā),

        8) joy and affection towards the right path and its followers (vātsalya).

         

        A person with right faith must be free from eight kinds of pride (mada):

         

        1) pride of knowledge (jñāna mada),

        2) pride of veneration (pūjā mada),

        3) pride of lineage (kula mada),

        4) pride of caste (jāti mada),

        5) pride of strength (bala mada),

        6) pride of accomplishments (ṛddhi mada),

        7) pride of austerities (tapa mada),

        8) pride of beauty (śarīra mada).

         

        Beside these nineteen imperfections – three kinds of follies (mūḍhatā), absence of eight limbs (aṣḍāṅga), and eight kinds of pride (mada) – the person with right faith (samyagdarśana) must shed adoration of the

        following six denigrating-abodes – anāyatana – that vitiate faith (see Āśādhara’s Dharmāmṛta Anagāra, verse 84, p. 174):

         

        1) wrong belief (mithyādarśana),

        2) wrong knowledge (mithyājñāna),

        3) wrong conduct (mithyācāritra),

        4) possessor of wrong belief (mithyādṛṣḍi),

        5) possessor of wrong knowledge (mithyājñānī)

        6) possessor of wrong conduct (mithyācāritrī).

         

        The six anāyatana have also been defined in the Scripture as 1) false preacher (kuguru), 2) false deity (kudeva), 3) false doctrine (kudharma), and 4-6) adoration of the above three.

         

        The qualities which further enrich right faith (samyagdarśana) are* (* see Pt. Āśādhara’s Dharmamṛta Anagāra, p. 189-190.):

         

        1. saṃvega: perpetual fear of the cycle of existence, or fond affection (anurāga) for the real dharma;

        2. nirveda or vairāgya: detachment from the world, the body and the objects of enjoyment;

        3. nindā: expiation for the faults committed;

        4. garhā: confession, in front of the master ascetic, of the faults committed;

        5. upaśama: to subdue faults like anger;

        6. bhakti: devotion to right faith, Lord Jina, the Siddha, etc.

        7. vātsalya: affection for those following the same path, or to remove impediments from their path;

        8. anukampā: compassion for all worldly beings.

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