October 2 nd Ahimsa Day Gandhiji

When the situation needs improvement, Gandhi offers guidance: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Gandhiji says that most of his lessons for self- improvement and on truth and non-violence, he has learnt from Shri Raichandbhai. He is one of the three personalities that have much impressed his mind, the other two being the writings of Tolstoy and Ruskin's `Unto this last'. To love the murderer is one of the maxims of non- violence and Gandhiji had well learnt it from Shrimadji, who was full of sympathy, forgiveness and piety for all living beings. "I have drunk to my heart's content the nectar of religion that was offered to me by Shri Raichandbhai. Raichandbhai hated the spread of irreligion in the name of religion and he condemned lies, hypocrisy and such other vices which were getting a free hand in his time. He considered the whole world as his relative and his sympathy extended to all living beings of all ages.

Einstein on Gandhi I believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence in fighting for our cause, but by non- participation in anything you believe is evil.

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.“ The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." –Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi "Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean." - Dag Hammarskjold "Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean." - Dag Hammarskjold Dag HammarskjoldDag Hammarskjold –Noble Peace Prize-- Swedish UN Secretary –Noble Peace Prize-- Swedish UN Secretary "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. "You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.“ Forgive and Forget that you forgive

What Percentage Violence we can avoid?

Refraining from injuring living beings having two or more senses, with a deliberate act of the mind, speech or body, in any of the three ways, krita(act), karita (encourage) and anumata (appreciate) is called Ahimsä Anu-vrata by the wise."

Swaroop Hinsä----- Pure Intentions Hetu Hinsä Hinsä because of Careleness Anubandha Hinsä----Action and Intentions

Himsä: (Physical And Spiritual) Dravya Himsä--the actual hurt or injury ----Dravya Präna ---How Many? Bhäv Himsä---the intention to hurt or injure) to the Präna (vitality)– Bhäv Prän How Many? How Many?

Bhäv Hinsä Sva-Bhäv Hinsä Self Par-Bhäv Hinsä Other What defiles attributes of a soul is Hinsä

: "Pramattayogät Präna- vyaparopanam Himsä," “The destruction of life due to an act involving negligence is violence Names for Pramäd or negligence

Compassion----- Pure Inner Reflection Non-Violence-----Pure Conduct To cultivate Inner Reflection---- Internal Austerities To Cultivate Pure Conduct---- External Austerities

Forgiveness The process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger, as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, and/or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution

Sunrise

Ladder of Elevation

Unique Teachings of Jainism Enlightened World-View (Samyak Darshan) Enlightened Knowledge (Samyak Jnäan) Enlightened Conduct (Samyak Chäritra) –Minor Vows –Major Vows

Faith is the journey not a destination. Faith is the journey and with righteous knowledge and conduct lead to right destination.

Gunasthäna Stages of Spiritual Development

Purity Of Inner Reflections---True Religion(Nischaya) Righteous Knowledge Purification Of Soul Purity of Conduct----Practical Religion(Vyavahar) Righteous Conduct Purification Of Daily Activities

AttachmentRuchi AppreciationSatkära AcceptanceSwikära AptitudeÄchrana

Types of Passions AngerEgoDeceitGreed Intensity Of Passions Anantänu-bandhi (Life long) Samyaktva (Right Faith) Apratyäkhyäna (Non- renunciatory) Desha-virati Pratyäkhyäna(Renuncia tory) Sarva-virati Sanjvalan (Total renunciatory) Yathäkhyäta (Natural or as suppose to be)

3 Stages of Soul ExtrovertBahirätmä IntrovertAntarätmä SupremeParamätmä

What are Gunsthäns ? These fourteen stages of spiritual development allow for stopping of Karma Inflow

Leaving the dense emotional envelope Discovering our ability for advanced spiritual progress

 There are 14 stages of spiritual development  Soul travels from complete dependence upon the Karma state to the state of complete detachment from it  The order of Gunasthanas is logical and not chronological  They are arranged according to the principle of decreasing sinfulness and the increasing purity  Soul removes its ƒ Ignorance (Mithyätva) on 4th stage ƒ Vowlessness (Avirati) on 6th stage ƒ Passions (Kashäya) on 12th stage ƒ Yoga (activities of body, mind and speech) on 14th stage and attains liberation Stages of Spiritual Development Gunsthäns

Gunsthäns 01 Mithyätva (False vision or faith) ƒ Delusion or Gross ignorance state of Right Belief ƒ This state is possessed by all souls from the beginning of time ƒ Soul does not have a true knowledge and faith in reality but believes in non-reality –Mithyätva Mohniya (Wrong belief) –Mishra Mohniya (Right/wrong belief) –Samyaktva Mohniya (Clouded right belief) ƒ Soul migrates to fourth stage after acquiring true knowledge and right faith

Mithyä-drashti Causes Of Bondage All five (Mithyätva, Avirati, Pramäda, Kashäya & Yoga) Dhyäna Ärta & Raudra Leshyä All Six (Krishna, Neel, Kapot, Tejo, Padma & Shukla) Stage of Soul Bahirätmä (Extrovert)

Proper knowledge of universal substances and fundamental Tattvas are essential for rational perception, knowledge and conduct Self purification, penance, austerity and meditation are essential for rational conduct

THE ULTIMATE GOAL To free our soul from its bondage of Karma through Samyak Darshan (Rational Perception) Samyak Jnän (Rational Knowledge) Samyak Chäritra (Rational Conduct )

"Tattvärtha-sraddhänamSamyag-darshanam" Right Faith is faith in the true nature of substances as they are.

Wandering Souls TIME AWARENESS The Journey Starts

Darshan means To see SightVision System of Philosophy BeliefFaith While Samyag Darshan means Faith resulting from the use of righteous power of thought

Belief is the psychological state in which an individual is convinced of the truth of a proposition. Plato----knowledge is justified true belief. Perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information.

Samyaktva/Samyag-Drashti Right faith or inclination Integrity or purity of inclination towards the essence of spiritual welfare To recognize unity or equality in diversity or distinctions To view all living beings as one views oneself.

RightEnlightenedRationalRighteousFaithBelief

The Five Qualities of A Person Having Samyaktva Ästikya Belief in the fundamentals and conviction Anukampä Compassion Nirveda Dispassionate and detached view of things Samvega Keenness for righteousness and positive motivation Sama Control and subsidence of passions

Ästikya (Belief in the fundamentals and conviction) Firm conviction about the principles of truth Acceptance of reality as not absolute but relative Existence of a Soul Soul and Body Relationship All souls are equal in potential Conviction that good conduct leads to spiritual welfare while bad conduct to degradation and misery. Unfailing relationship of Cause and effect

Anukampä (Compassion) Desire to eliminate sufferings of living beings without any partiality. Service and goodwill Non-violenceSelf-sacrifice Humane, cooperative and open- minded approach

Nirveda (Dispassionate and detached view of things) Non-attachment to the world Disgust with unwholesome, sinful and evil activities. Composed and undisturbed in all situations

Samvega (Keenness for righteousness and positive motivation) Intense desire to attain the highest spiritual good Channeling energy in positive way

Calm and contended mental state Passions are suppressed or controlled Desire for worldly pleasures is properly curbed Happiness not dependent on material things Sama (Control and subsidence of passions)

Outcome: Improved attitude towards Life, Relations with others, Assessment of values, Outlook towards worldly things Miraculous achievement of tendencies Calmness, Enthusiasm, Detachment, compassion, Acceptance of reality Social harmony and peace in the world

First is knowledge then compassion; that is how the disciplined live. How would an ignorant discriminate between good and evil” - Dashvaikälik Sutra

Knowledge Faith- Shraddhä

Right Knowledge reveals the nature of things neither insufficiently, nor with exaggeration, nor falsely, but exactly as it is and with certainty". Right Knowledge is having full comprehension of the real nature of soul and non-soul and that knowledge should be free from doubt, perversity, vagueness.

Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association, and reasoning. The term knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose. -Psychology Review

Right Conduct: The rules of discipline: Restrain all censurable activities of mind, speech and body Weaken and destroy all passionate activity Lead to non-attachment and purity Lead to Samyag Tapa (Right Penance) To have multifaceted view To refrain from delusion and doubt

Wandering Souls TIME AWARENESS The Journey Starts

Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas Mithyatva (False vision or faith)Mithyatva (False vision or faith) ƒ Delusion or Gross ignorance state ƒ This state is possessed by all souls from the beginning of time ƒ Soul migrates to fourth stage after acquiring right faith Sasadana (Stage of having tasted true belief)Sasadana (Stage of having tasted true belief) ƒ One has a taste of true belief ƒ This states exists only while actually falling down from the fourth to the first stage ƒ Duration less than 48 minutes Misra (Mixed Stage)Misra (Mixed Stage) ƒ Mixed or partially rational belief. ƒ Also the condition of mind while actually falling down from the fourth to the first stage ƒ After the first fall, condition of mind going up from first to the fourth stage ƒ Duration less than 48 minutes

Vratas DetachedInhibits Inflow Of Karmas (Samvar) AttachedGenerates Beneficial Karmas (Punya) DetachedNot To Be Violent AttachedTo Be Compassionate Another Perspective of Vrata Negative aspect in the form of moral prohibitions Positive aspect in the form of a moral duty.

Vows ->path of Liberation Vows remove entrenched undesirable habits A vow is a self imposed obligation Must be practiced with : How can a vow both inhibit and generate karmic inflow ? Ought not to do Ought to do Deed Word Thought

Control Your Attachments Practice with Attachment (Be compassionate) Practice with Attachment (Be compassionate) Practice with Detachment (Not be violent) Practice with Detachment (Not be violent) Vows of Non-Violence + / - Karma No Karmas

Vow has a two-fold purpose. Spiritual ---To prevent influx of new Karmas. Observance of the vows is self- control and stoppage of the evil propensities of the mind Social To desist from violence or theft is to preserve peace and harmony, and safety in society Mahävratas Complete Renunciation For Sädhu And Sädhvi AnuvratasPartial Renunciation For Shrävaks And Shrävikäs

Arrogance Sensory cravings Passions (Kashäya) Sleep Engaging in gossiping

Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas Avirata_samyagadristi (Vowless Right Vision)Avirata_samyagadristi (Vowless Right Vision) ƒ Right Faith but lack of self control or conduct ƒ Conquered over very intense passions (Anantnubandhi_kashay) ƒ Soul migrates here from first stage ƒ Preparatory stage for ascetic life ƒ It is a gateway to liberation ƒ Downfall occurs if Mithyatva was suppressed Desavirata_samyagadristi (Partial Renunciation)Desavirata_samyagadristi (Partial Renunciation) ƒ Practicing partial vows of Right Conduct ƒ Conquered over intense passions (Apratyakhan_kashay) ƒ Highest stage for laypeople

Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas Pramatta_virata (Full Renunciation with some laziness)Pramatta_virata (Full Renunciation with some laziness) ƒ First stage of ascetic life (homelessness) ƒ Observes five great vows though tinged with laziness (pramada) Apramatta_virata (Renunciation with full awareness)Apramatta_virata (Renunciation with full awareness) ƒ Observes vows without negligence (pramada) ƒ Passions are reduced to minimum in intensity, quality, number and form ƒ Partial realization of natural joy or bliss (svabhavik ananda)

Apurva_karana or Nivratti_badara_samparaya (Meditative state)Apurva_karana or Nivratti_badara_samparaya (Meditative state) ƒ Pureness of soul increasing ƒ Remains in meditative state ƒ Traces of Passions are still present Anivritti_karana or Anivratti_badara_samparaya (Advance meditative state)Anivritti_karana or Anivratti_badara_samparaya (Advance meditative state) ƒ More advanced thought-activity or meditation. Sukshma_samparaya (Almost passionless state)Sukshma_samparaya (Almost passionless state) ƒ Only very slight greed left to be controlled Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas

Upasanta_moha (Quiescence passionless state)Upasanta_moha (Quiescence passionless state) ƒ Quiescence of the remaining traces of greed ƒ Fallback occurs due to suppression of passions Kshina_moha (Complete passionless state)Kshina_moha (Complete passionless state) ƒ Desirelessness State ƒ Complete eradication of greed ƒ Omniscience is not possesses ƒ No fallback can occur (removal of passions) Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas

Sayogy_kevalin (Active Omniscience State)Sayogy_kevalin (Active Omniscience State) ƒ Omniscience state (elimination of four Ghati karma) ƒ Perfection of Right Vision, Knowledge, and Conduct ƒ Liberation in the embodied state ƒ Activity of Body, Mind and Speech exist (Yoga) ƒ Tirthankara establishes religious order Ayogy_kevalin (Passive Omniscience State)Ayogy_kevalin (Passive Omniscience State) ƒ Cessation of the activity of the three yogas ƒ Duration is very short (few seconds) ƒ Next step is Nirvana Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas

When all the five causes of Bondage persist in the soul, it remains in the first stage of Mithyätva and the third stage of Samyag Mithyä-drashti. When the soul gets rid of Mithyätva (False Vision) but if the other four causes subsist, it can rise up to stages number two, four and five; Säsvädana, Avirata and Desha-virat. By getting rid of Avirati (Undisciplined life), the soul can reach stage number six; Pramatta Virat because Pramäda (negligence) is persisting. By getting rid of Pramäda, the soul reaches stage seven or Apramatta Virat and if capable continues to stage ten Sukshma Samparäya through further purification.

Thus from stage seven (7) to stage ten (10) only two causes of Bondage remain viz.; Kashäya (Passions) and Yoga. By freeing itself from passions (Kashäya), the soul can reach up to stages (11), (12) and (13) called Upasham Moha, Kshina Moha and Sayogi Kevali. At the end of stage, number (13) the soul also stops Yoga and enters stage (14) - Ayogi Kevali state for a very brief moment and relinquishes the body thus achieving liberation or Mukti.

Wandering Souls Karmic Bondage and Inflow and Liberation Karmic Shedding The Vows Non- Violence Purity of Thought TIME AWARENESS Path to Liberation Omniscience

Taste of Samyak Darshan (Stage:1,2,3,4) Deluded World View Spiritual Life Begins (Who Am I?)

Realization and Self Restraint (Stages 5,6,7) Small Vows (Anu Vrata) Great Vows (Maha Vrata)

Suppresion/Elimination (Stage: 8,9,10,11)

Elimination of Deluding Karmas (Stage 12) Knowledge-covering Obstructive Karmas Intuition-covering KK

Omniscient Soul (Parmatma) At stage 13 –Souls attain full enlightenment and possess infinite perception, knowledge, bliss and vigor. –Stage of ‘Omniscience with Physical Activity’ –Aghatiya karmas are still present ! –Souls at this stage are referred as “Arihant”

Omniscience with Activity (Stage 13)

Omniscience (Final Stage: 14)