Quotations From Scriptures:

Rational Perception: From Realistic And Experiential Viewpoints

Selections from SAMAN SUTTAM (1)

Synopsis

Jainism places considerable importance on rational perception. It is of two kinds: realistic (inXcy NISHCHAYA) rational perception and experiential (Vyvh;r VYAVAHAAR) rational perception. Both these are presented in the following couplets. It is through the experiential rational perception that a soul attains rational knowledge and adopts rational conduct. Ultimately, the soul becomes pure, which, in fact, amounts to attaining realistic rational perception, knowledge and bliss.

Importance of rational perception:

sMmÝry,s;r' moK%mh;®K%mUlimid .i,y')
t' j;i,Jjî i,Czy-vvh;rsÂvdo.ey' // 219 //
SAMMATTARAYANASAARAM MOKKHAMAHAARUKKHAMOOLAMIDI BHANIYAM
TAM JAANIJJAI NICCHAYA VAVAHAARASAROOVADOBHEDAM
Rational perception is the essence of the three jewels of Jainism;
it is like the root of the tree of liberation &endash; MOKSHA;
it should be understood from two viewpoints:
realistic (NISHCHAYA) viewpoint and experiential (VYAVAHAAR) viewpoint.

Explanation: Jain scriptures have stated that the three jewels of Jainism (rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct) together lead to salvation. There is no rational perception without rational knowledge, and conduct without rational knowledge is of not much avail. Thus rational perception is extremely important for our spiritual progress. We should understand rational perception from both, the realistic as well as experiential, viewpoints.

Realistic and experiential views of rational perception:

jIv;dI sĥh,' sMmÝ' ij,vreih' p<,Ý')
vvh;r; i,Czydo aPp; ,' hvî sMmÝ' // 220 //
JEEVAADI SADDAHANAM SAMMATTAM JINAVAREHIM PANNATTAM
VAVAHAARA NICCHAYADO APPA NAM HAVAI SAMMATTAM
According to JINs, who have conquered their passions,
the experiential rational perception consists of believing
in the existence of soul and other aspects of reality.
The realistic rational perception, on the other hand,
is essentially an attribute of the pure soul itself.

Rationalism and virtuous conduct (path to liberation):

j' mo,' t' sMm' j' sMm' timh hoî mo,' it)
inCzyao îyrSs ¨ sMm' sMmÝheË iv // 221 //
JAM MONAM TAM SAMMAM JAM SAMMAM TAMIH HOI MONAM TI
NICCHAYAO IYARASSA OU SAMMAM SAMMATTAHEOU VI
From the realistic viewpoint, rationalism is true virtuous conduct,
and, true virtuous conduct is achieved through rational perception;
from the experiential viewpoint, the righteous practices
that lead to rationalism constitute true virtuous conduct.

Conduct without rationalism:

sMmÝivrihy; ,' su$(#u iv ¨Gg' tv' cr't; ,')
, lh'it voihl;h' aiv v;sshSsko@Iih' // 222 //
SAMMATTAVIRAHIYA NAM SUTTHU VI UGGAM TAVAM CHARANTA NAM
NA LAHANTI VOHILAAHAM AVI VAASASAHASSAKODEEHIM
One who is devoid of rational perception
will not attain rational knowledge, though
one may perform severe penance of various kinds
for millions upon millions of years.

Rational perception and NIRVANA:

d's,.ö; .ö; d's,.öSýs ,iTýq i,Výv;,')
isJýZ'it ciry .ö; d's,.ö; , isJýZ'it // 223 //
DANSAN BHATTHA BHATTHA DANSANABHATTHASSA NATTHI NIVVAANAM
SIJJHANTI CHARIYABHATTHA DANSAN BHATTHA NA SIJJHANTI
People whose perception is deluded are indeed ignoble.
Such people do not attain salvation.
People with poor conduct can reform themselves,
but there is no hope for people with deluded perception.

Rational perception and righteousness:

d's,suġo suġo d's,suġo lheî i,Výv;,')
d's,ivhI, puirso , lhî t' îiCzy' l;h' // 224 //
DANSAN SUDDHO SUDDHO DANSANASUDDHO LAHEI NIVVAANAM
DANSANAVIHEEN PURISO NA LAHAI TAM ICCHIYAM LAAHAM
One who is adorned with rational perception is
indeed righteous, and righteous individuals attain salvation;
on the other hand, being devoid of rational perception,
one does not attain the desired fruit of one's endeavors.

Mental state of an individual with rational perception:

jh sille, , ilPpî kmili,pÝ' sh;vpy@IE)
th .;ve, , ilPpî ks;yivsEih' sPpuirso // 227 //
JAH SALILEN NA LIPPAI KAMALINIPATTAM SAHAAVAPAYADEEAE
TAH BHAAVEN NA LIPPAI KASAAYAVISAEHIM SAPPURISO
Just as a lotus leaf floating on the surface of water
remains unaffected on account of its intrinsic nature,
similarly, a worldly soul having rationalism
does not indulge in passions and sensual enjoyment.

Intent and endeavors of a rational individual:

¨v.ogim'idyeih' dVv;,mced,;,imdr;,')
j' ku,id sMmid$(#I t' sVv' i,Jjri,imÝ' // 228 //
UVABHOGAMINDIYEHIM DAVVAANAMACHEDANAANAMIDARAANAM
JAM KUNADI SAMMADITTHI TAM SAVVAM NIJJARANIMITTAM
All the activities, involving living and non-living objects,
performed through the application of senses,
by a rational individual are meant for obtaining
release from karmic particles &endash; the cause of worldly suffering.

Consequences of actions of a rational individual:

sev'to iv , sevî asevm;,o iv sevgo koÈ)
pgr,ce$(#; kSs iv , y p;yr,o iÝ so hoÈ // 229 //
SEVANTO VI NA SEVAI ASEVAMAANO VI SEVAGO KOI
PAGARANACHETTHA KASSA VI NA YA PAAYARANO TTI SO HOI
Like an actor in a play, one who has rational perception
does not enjoy an object while making use of it;
on the other hand, a person who is irrational,
may enjoy something that he/she does not possess.

External objects and equanimity:

n k;m.og; smy' ¨ve'it n y;iv .og; ivgî' ¨ve'it)
je tPpaosI y pirGghI y so tesu moh; ivgî' ¨veî // 230 //
NA KAAMABHOGA SAMAYAM UVENTI NA YAAVI BHOGA VIGAIM UVENTI
JE TAPPAOSI YA PARIGGAHI YA SO TESU MOHA VIGAIM UVEI
No objects of sensual pleasures generate equanimity;
no means of material comforts generate perversion;
in fact, attachment and aversion to external objects,
caused by a deluded state of mind, lead to perversion.

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Footnote:
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[1] SAMAN SUTTAM is a compilation of 756 verses representing the sum and substance of Jain scriptures of Digambar as well as Shwetambar tradition. It was published by Sarva Seva Sangh, Rajghat, Varanasi, on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of Bhagwaan Mahaveer's Nirvana on April 24, 1975. In 1993, an edition of SAMAN SUTTAM containing an English translation of the verses was published by Sarva Seva Sangh, Rajghat, Varanasi.

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