Traces of Mysticism in Jainism (Study)
by Sadhvi Madhystha Prabha | 2021 | 103,765 words
This page relates 鈥楲abdhi: Obstacle or Supportive鈥� of the study on the concept of Mysticism in Jainism exploring key concepts such as Jaina metaphysics and Jain ethics. The present research is divided into six chapters, beginning with an introduction to mysticism, examining its characteristics from both Western and Eastern perspectives. Subsequent chapters delve into the mystical aspects of Brahmanic and Shramanic literature, analyzing texts from the Shvetambara and Digambara traditions to unearth traces of Jain mysticism.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
6. Labdhi: Obstacle or Supportive
Labdhi stands phenomenologically as symbol or milestone for radical transformation of the human personality through the spiritual practices. They are not necessarily indicative of moral perception or spiritual liberation; they do indicate that something has been accomplished or perfected. They are the concrete presentation of transformation.
All the Spiritual system accepts the attainment of relative labdhis as an extra benefit of high level of purity and concentration. The use of relative labdhis is prohibited in all the traditions as they are also the impediment to highest/ Supreme mystic goal or absolute labdhi. Therefore, by a wise they are viewed with dispersion in order to secure mystical experience鈥�办别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补 and siddha state, the highest labdhis.
Patanjali in '痴颈产丑耻迟颈辫腻诲补' section states that though these powers are said to rise out of 蝉补峁儁补尘补, i.e. yogi mastery and though they are of great significance in the process of spiritual development to serve as indicators of meditative success and accomplishment on the way to kaivalya or to aid others on the path of spirituality but they are secondary to the attainment of kaivalya and are nonetheless feats for materially oriented individuals.
As the text quotes鈥�
鈥�te sam膩dhav-upasarg膩岣yutth膩ne 蝉颈诲诲丑补测补岣�鈥�[1]
The system believes that if a yogi does yoga practices with the aim of attaining the yogic powers then though he may acquire the powers but he cannot attain the state of 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈.[2]
Hence yogic powers being the obstacle for 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈, the '驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补' further emphasizes that鈥�
鈥�tad-vair膩gy膩doupi 诲辞峁b墨ja办峁测补 kaivelya峁�鈥�
Non-attachment even from those powers, destroys the foundation of all 诲辞峁 (blemishes) and thus results in 碍别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补[3].
In Jain tradition an aspirant while treading on the path of three jewels -蝉补峁儁补驳补 箩帽腻苍补 (Right knowledge), 蝉补峁儁补驳补 诲补谤艣补苍补 (Right view), 蝉补峁儁补驳补 肠腻谤颈迟谤补 (Right conduct) as gradually progress in his practice so destroys the inauspicious karmas and bounds auspicious karmas. The excellence of this spiritual practice leads to the attainment of labdhis such as ratna, a峁噄ma, 膩mar峁 etc.[4]
Jainism like Yoga system believes attainment of the relative labdhis as natural process and are sign of progress. The attainment of the labdhi in itself is not obstacle. But these relative labdhis are recognized as an obstacle in the Spiritual progress only when:
1. The Spiritual practices are undertaken with the aim of attainment of labdhis.
2. The aspirant get struck or attracted to it.
3. The attainment of relative labdhi is recognised as the end of the spiritual practices.
4. The aspirant makes use or displays the powers of relative labdhis.
We get the historical story of Sthulibhadra that illustrates the (attraction and the) use of relative labdhi as obstacle in a spiritual progress. Sthulibhadra in his ascetic life went to Bhadrabahu Swami to learn the fourteen 辫奴谤惫补蝉. Bhadrabahu agreed to give him the teaching. By the time Sthulibhadra had finished learning of ten 辫奴谤惫补蝉, his sisters came to see him. Knowing the arrival of his sisters he thought to show (the sisters) his miraculous capacity of labdhi. There upon, he through the power of labdhi assumed the form of lion. As the sisters entered to the room to visit Sthulibhadra they were scared to see the lion and not the brother. They thought that the lion must have eaten their brother. Hence they reported to Bhadrabahu the incident. Bhadrabahu by his special power of intellect could make out what had happened. He asked them to go back to the room of Sthulibhadra. Sthulibhadra had reassumed his original form. Seeing the Sthulibhadra safe and alive the sisters were happy. Bhadrabahu was however annoyed that Sthulibhadra had used his capability for such trivial purpose. He therefore refused to teach him further. Sthulibhadra having realised the mistake and was sorry for the misuse of the labdhi. Bhadrabahu said that on your request, I shall give you the teachings further but I will only give you the 蝉奴迟谤补 teaching, but not the teachings of the artha (meaning)鈥�. From this incident there was a great loss not only for Sthulibhadra but for the complete Jain Order. As the teachings of the 辫奴谤惫补 in the complete form was stopped from here onwards. Bhadrabahu said that I have decided so for -as by stopping the 惫腻肠补苍补, 膧谤测补 Sthulibhadra will get the punishment of his remissness and in/for further, this will be a great lesson to other 艢谤补尘补峁嘺蝉[5].
Here arise a question that why one get struck to the labdhis? Why one displays or makes use of the labdhis and how does that display of labdhis becomes obstacle in spiritual progress? Are all the types of relative labdhis obstacle in spiritual journey?
From the available, narratives and description in the literature, we can list out the following reasons such as:
1. To generate faith in one's tradition.
2. To demonstrate the superiority of one's Guru or one鈥檚 own tradition of meditation and Yoga.
3. To compete with the other tradition.
4. To earn livelihood.
5. To gain name and fame.
6. To help others.
Jainism believes that,
鈥淚n the 惫墨迟补谤腻驳补 艣腻蝉补苍补, the use of labdhis or power is completely prohibited. In any case or situation the projection of labdhi is not in the Lord's permission.鈥�[6]
But still on an occasion, the labdhis have been used for different reasons. An aspirant make use of 鈥�辫耻濒腻办补 labdhi鈥� to save his congregation[7], 鈥�腻丑腻谤补办补 labdhi鈥� to resolve the query or doubt through 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补 or Kevali[8], 鈥�tejo labdhi鈥� to harm or save the other person, as used by Go艣膩laka and Lord 惭补丑腻惫墨谤补,[9] 鈥�肠补谤补峁嘺 labdhi鈥� to testify the words of Lord,[10] 鈥�vaikriya labdhi鈥� to demonstrate the power as Sthulibhadra made the form of lion to show off his power to his sisters.[11]
According to Jainism, the root cause for the use and display of relative labdhi is attachment and aversion. It is stated that -person who is ignorant, who is with deluded world view, who is devoid of the knowledge of the soul and soul鈥檚 power, who is not self-restraint, they being attracted from the relative labdhis, get deviated from the path of penance. They demonstrate for the worldly purposes, which consequently creates the obstacles in the upliftment of the soul, and due to the bondage of new karmas they lose these labdhis and attain the lower gati (lower forms of life) like infernal beings.
In Vyavahara 厂奴迟谤补, there is a law that a muni can study svapna 产丑腻惫补苍腻, 肠补谤补峁嘺 产丑腻惫补苍腻, tejo nisarga, 膩艣墨vi峁 产丑腻惫补苍腻 and d峁涐梗峁璱visa 产丑腻惫补苍腻, only after the completion of fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen years of the ascetic life respectively. In all these text, there is an explanation of methodology of attainment of 峁沝诲丑颈/labdhi.[12] It is believed that one whose (samyama) ascetic life is not perfected, he after reading the books, can make misuse of 峁沝诲丑颈s/labdhis. Therefore reading of these books is prohibited and the regulations were set for the study of such scriptures.
Therefore, in the various places of the Jain literature we find the words about the prohibition of its use. It is stated that a wise aspirant, who has belief in the infinite power of the soul considers that relative labdhis are dependent, incomplete, temporary and only a part of soul鈥檚 infinite power. Such an aspirant remains indifference from the relative labdhis and move ahead to attain the pure and perfect state of the soul. They neither make the propaganda nor display/ give the teachings of attainment of relative labdhi.
It is elucidated in the 叠丑补驳补惫补墨,[13] in the context of 肠补谤补峁嘺 labdhi that even if a monk uses either of the labdhi and dies before performing 肠补谤补峁嘺 (repentance) and 辫谤补迟颈办谤补尘补峁嘺 (expitation) then he becomes 惫颈谤腻诲丑补办补[14] (one who does not observe the right 蝉腻诲丑补苍腻 spiritual practice for the accomplishment of the goal or one who does not do expitation for the purification of the transgression of the vow he has accepted). And if does 肠补谤补峁嘺 and pratikramana then he is 腻谤腻诲丑补办补[15] (the rightful observer of the spiritual path prescribed for the attainment of summum bonum).
The Da艣vek膩lika 厂奴迟谤补 蝉迟补迟别蝉鈥�
鈥�alola-bhikkh奴-i岣嶀笉hi峁� ca 蝉补办办腻谤补峁嘺 puyana峁� ca cae 峁環iyapp膩a峁噄he je sa bhikkh奴鈥�[16]
The ideal ascetic is one who renounces the 峁沝诲丑颈s, 蝉补迟办腻谤补 (respect) and 辫奴箩腻 (reverence).
Similarly, Uttar膩dhyayana 厂奴迟谤补[17] 蝉迟补迟别蝉鈥揳n aspirant should not wish or desire for adoration, worship, 峁沝诲丑颈, respect or 办腻尘补产丑辞驳补 (worldly pleasure). The one who is detached from all these, is only the ideal muni鈥�, It is only he who can attain 尘辞办峁.
膧肠腻谤测补 Kundakunda 蝉迟补迟别蝉鈥�
鈥淎n aspirant with right world-view by seeing 峁沝诲丑颈s / labdhis do not get attracted[18].
It means one should not get attracted to the relative labdhis.
Hence the wise aspirant being soul and spiritual oriented aiming for 惫墨迟补谤腻驳补 state and liberation must remain indifferent to the relative labdhis and moves ahead in his spiritual practices to attain the absolute labdhis. He must giveup labdhis which are the cause of bondage like Cakravarti Sanat Kumar[19] who was infected by sixteen diseases, even though having mystic powers of which some types of labdhi could cure all his diseases. But he did not make use of it. He was equanimous and ultimately achieved 苍颈谤惫补苍腻. Moreover, if due to any reason, one may make use of the labdhi then he must do 腻濒辞肠补苍腻 and 辫谤补迟颈办谤补尘补峁嘺 to get rid of the blemish. As Muni Vishnu Kumar[20], for the savior of the munis demonstrated his vaikriya labdhi. After accomplishing the task, he did 腻濒辞肠补苍腻 and 辫谤补迟颈办谤补尘补峁嘺 for it and continued his ascetic life. Ultimately, he attained 尘辞办峁.
As per the study taken on the restriction of application of labdhi, it seems, it is a relative statement. It is not all the labdhis that are restricted in its use. It is only those relative labdhis that create obstacle in spiritual progress are restricted or prohibited in use.
Jainism believes attainment of all the labdhis by the spiritual practices are pure or auspicious (nirvadya) as the means of their attainment is either 办峁测补 or 耻辫艣补尘补 or 办峁测辞辫补艣补尘补产丑腻惫补. In action or application of the labdhis, udaya, 办峁测辞辫补蝉补尘补 and 办峁测补 play an important role. The labdhis of 办峁测辞辫补艣补尘补 and 办峁测补 are of pure nature. They lead to 苍墨谤箩补谤补 (shunning of the karmas) and are conducive for further spiritual progress. Hence they are not the cause of obstruction in the spiritual progress, but are supportive in spiritual progress. The labdhis of intellectual and soul type are of this category. As it is been said that avadhi箩帽腻苍补, mana岣paryav箩帽腻苍补 and 办别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补 are not the obstructions in 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈.[21] The labdhis of udaya 产丑腻惫补 are obstruction in the spiritual progress. They obstruct in the attainment of 办峁测墨办补 and 办峁测辞辫补艣补尘颈办补 labdhis.
Moreover, the labdhis that has the impression of 谤腻驳补 or 诲惫别艣补 or the labdhi that get associated with matter or body which cause the bondage of karmas, are the obstacle and are restricted in use, such as vaikriya labdhi, tejo labdhi, 膩艣墨vi峁 labdhi etc. The labdhis that manifest at the pure soul level such as 办别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补, avadhi箩帽腻苍补 and mana岣paryav箩帽腻苍补 are not obstacles in liberation as they are purely spiritual independent of matter and are directly related to the soul.
The relative labdhis such as vaikriya, 腻丑腻谤补办补, tejo, 辫耻濒腻办补, etc. are associated with matter or body, they cause the bondage therefore can be taken as obstacles in 厂补尘腻诲丑颈. Whereas the labdhis that are at the level of intellect such as P奴rvadhara, manobali buddhi, sa峁僢hinna艣rota labdhi etc are not obstacle as their use leads to 苍墨谤箩补谤补 (shunning of the karmas) and purity that is conducive for spiritual progress.
As it is said in Nandi 痴峁泃迟颈鈥�
鈥淭he one who gradually or continuously immerse in the special spiritual study and by the deep power of study mounting/ascending/rising intensively inauspicious contemplation, an apramatta muni (non-vigilant muni) attains/acquires 峁沝诲丑颈s鈥�.
They attain avadhi箩帽腻苍补, mana岣paryav箩帽腻苍补, etc.
There are two types of labdhis:
1. There are labdhis whose attainment and application works simultaneously.
2. There are labdhis whose attainment and application are not simultaneously.
The labdhis of first category does not need any effort on its application like 碍别惫补濒补箩帽腻苍补, Arhat, 颁补办谤补惫补谤迟墨. Their attainment and their working go together.
The labdhis of second category needs effort for its usage. Thus can be classified into two:
- Labdhis used at the level of body.
- Labdhis used at the level of mind.
The manifestation or projection of the first type cause the bondage such as 膧marsh, Pul膩ka, Tejo etc. whereas the labdhis of second category needs effort in their application but they being intellectual type leads to 苍墨谤箩补谤补 i.e. purification. Hence they are not obstructed. As 膧肠腻谤测补 Mah膩praj帽膩 have quoted:
Technically it can be understood that the labdhis of aud膩ika 产丑腻惫补 are obstacles for 办峁测辞辫补艣补尘颈办补 产丑腻惫补 labdhi and the labdhi of both 办峁测辞辫补艣补尘颈办补 and aud膩ika 产丑腻惫补 are obstacles for k峁yika产丑腻惫补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Yoga蝉奴迟谤补, 3.37.
[3]:
Yoga蝉奴迟谤补, 3.50.
[4]:
[5]:
[6]:
Jaina Dharma Ke Pra产丑腻惫补ka 膧肠腻谤测补, p. 204.
[8]:
Ibid, p. 616.
[9]:
叠丑补驳补惫补墨 (Part 4), 15.105.
[10]:
Ibid (Part 5), 20-79-87.
[11]:
Jaina Dharma Ke Pra产丑腻惫补ka 膧肠腻谤测补, p. 113.
[12]:
Jain Yoga. p. 241.
[13]:
叠丑补驳补惫补墨 (Part 5), 20.79-78, p. 396.
[15]:
Ibid, p. 64.
[16]:
顿补蝉惫别腻濒颈测补峁�, 10.17.
[17]:
鲍迟迟补谤补箩箩丑补测补峁嚹佱箛颈, 35.18.
[18]:
础峁ａ弓补辫腻丑耻岣峚, 叠丑腻惫补辫腻丑耻岣峚, 128.
[19]:
Muni Chatramalla, Jaina Kath膩 碍辞艣补, ed. Muni Nagraja, Adarsh Sahitya Sangh Publication, Delhi, 2016, pp. 331-333.
[20]:
艢谤颈尘补诲 Vijaya Laxman Surisvar Maharaja, 膧迟尘补迟补迟迟惫补 痴颈肠腻谤补, ed. Guncandra Vidy膩vinod, 艢ri Atmakamal Labdhi Surisvar, Jaina Gyanmandir, Mumbai, 2nd edn., 1984, pp. 226-233.