On today’s show, we learn of the pursuit of ultimate spiritual liberation and the practices that lead to it, as explained in the Uttaradhyayana, Lecture 29.
TWENTY-NINTH LECTURE. THE EXERTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
“O long-lived (Gambûsvâmin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following discourse from the venerable (Mahâvîra).
Here, forsooth, the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvîra, of the Kasyapa Gôtra, has delivered this lecture called the exertion in righteousness. Many creatures, who truly believe in the subject (taught in this lecture), put their faith in it, give credence to it, accept it, practice it, comply with it, study it, understand it, learn it, and act up to it according to the precept (of the Ginas [enlightened spiritual teachers]) – have obtained perfection, enlightenment, deliverance, final beatitude, and have put an end to all misery.
Sir, what does the soul obtain by the longing for liberation? By the longing for liberation the soul obtains an intense desire of the [Dharma] Law; by an intense desire of the [Dharma] Law he quickly arrives at an (increased) longing for liberation; he destroys anger, pride, deceit, and greed, which reproduce themselves infinitely; he acquires no (bad) Karman, and ridding himself of wrong belief which is the consequence of the latter, he becomes possessed of right faith; by the purity of faith some will reach perfection after one birth; nobody, however, who has got this purity, will be born more than thrice before he reaches perfection.
Sir, what does the soul obtain by disregard of worldly objects? By disregard of worldly objects the soul quickly feels disgust for pleasures enjoyed by deities, men, and creatures; he becomes indifferent to all objects; thereby he ceases to engage in any undertakings, in consequence of which he leaves the road of Samsâra [cycle of birth and death] and enters the road to perfection.
Sir, what does the soul obtain by the desire of the [Dharma] Law? By the desire of the [Dharma] Law the soul becomes indifferent to pleasures and happiness to which he was attached; he abandons the life of householders, and as a houseless monk he puts an end to all pains of body and mind, which consist in (the suffering of) cutting, piercing, union (with unpleasant things), and so forth; and he obtains unchecked happiness.
By obedience to co-religionists and to the Guru the soul obtains discipline. By discipline and avoidance of misconduct (towards the teacher) he avoids being reborn as a denizen of hell, a creature, a (low) man, or a (bad) deity; by zealous praise of, devotion to, and respect for (the Guru) he obtains birth as a (good) man or deity, gains perfection and beatitude, does all praiseworthy actions prescribed by discipline, and prevails upon others to adopt discipline.”
“By confession of sins (before the Guru) the soul gets rid of the thorns, as it were, of deceit, misapplied austerities, and wrong belief, which obstruct the way to final liberation and cause an endless migration of the soul; he obtains simplicity, whereby the soul which is free from deceit does not acquire that Karman which results in his having lust, and annihilates such Karman as he had acquired before.
By repenting of one’s sins to oneself the soul obtains repentance, and becoming indifferent by repentance he prepares for himself an (ascending) scale of virtues, by which he destroys the Karman resulting from delusion.
By repenting of one’s sins before the Guru the soul obtains humiliation; feeling humiliated, he will leave off all blameable occupations, and apply himself to praiseworthy occupations, whereby a houseless monk will stop infinite disabling developments.
By moral and intellectual purity (literally, equilibrium) the soul ceases from sinful occupations.
By the adoration of the twenty-four Ginas [enlightened spiritual teachers] the soul arrives at purity of faith.
By paying reverence (to the Guru) the soul destroys such Karman as leads to birth in low families, and acquires such Karman as leads to birth in noble families; he wins the affection of people, which results in his being looked upon as an authority, and he brings about general goodwill.
By expiation of sins he obviates transgressions of the vows; thereby he stops the Âsravas [influx of karma], preserves a pure conduct, practices the eight articles, does not neglect (the practice of control), and pays great attention to it.
By Kâyôtsarga [standing meditative posture] he gets rid of past and present (transgressions which require) Prâyaskitta [atonement]; thereby his mind is set at ease like a porter who is eased of his burden; and engaging in praiseworthy contemplation he enjoys happiness.
By self-denial he shuts, as it were, the doors of the Âsravas [influx of karma]; by self-denial he prevents desires rising in him; by prevention of desires he becomes, as it were, indifferent and cool towards all objects.”
