JAIN SUTRAS DISCOURSE 6 THE AWAKENING
From a Discourse by SPH JGM Bhagavān THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM Buena Park, CA, USA
March 10, 2007
Namo Arihantanam Namo Siddhanam Namo Ayariyanam Namo Uvajjhayanam Namo Loye Savva Sahunam Eso Pancha Namokaaro Savva Pavappanasano Mangalanam Cha Savvesim Padhamam Havai Mangalam
I welcome you all with my love and respects. Today's subject is 'The Awakening' - awakening to the Truth, enlightenment, reality, awakening yourself to your consciousness. Before entering into the sutras, I will just answer the questions from devotees about yesterday's discourse.
Question and Answers
Q: In Vedic times, there was no divorce, but men could burn their wives. Even Rama tried in Ramayana. Is not divorce better than being burnt in an abusive violent marriage?
I don't think Rama burnt Sita. That is the first thing. So the very information with which you are putting the question is not true information. The question is written just to disrespect the Vedic tradition. I don't see any Truth or sincerity in your question.
In two ways you can analyze this problem. It was not always abusive or you don't have to always think that divorce is the only way to escape to avoid abusive relationship.
So it is just a purely hypothetical question, not a question of a real problem. You can always say, if divorce is not there, then what will happen to this, what will happen to that. But for any problem, you can find a solution. There is no need that divorce should be a solution. And I don't think Rama burnt Sita. That's complete wrong information or a lie.
Q: Nowadays a person selects his own spouse, say at 20-25. He still makes a lot of mistakes. Would you not advocate a person selecting his religion, whether Jainism, Buddhism, Islam or Christianity at a mature age of 20 plus, after he has had a chance to explore all of them?
This is a nice idea. A few days ago, I had a radio interview. In that I spoke this same thing. Religion should not be forced on people. It should be an option. After maturity, maybe after 14, they should be given a fair, clear, decent idea of all religions from their original sources. A person should be given a choice to decide what he wants to follow. This is exactly my idea. I advocate this; this is what I call religious freedom. Real religious freedom means you are given freedom to choose your religion. You are given freedom to practice your own religion. That is what real religious freedom is.
Q: How did you learn reading and writing and speaking so fluently since most of your life was involved in seeking? Please excuse me if my question does not make sense.
To tell you the Truth, no question makes sense! All questions are just playing with words. It is a strange question.
See, in the Vedic tradition, even in Jainism, we don't believe that knowledge can be gained only through the senses. Knowledge can come from a different source also. We call that as intuition. There is a source through which knowledge can happen to you if you know how to open that door, how to open that source. You can receive knowledge without the help of eyes and ears.
Q: What is the qualification to be called a Paramahamsa?
You are supposed to be in complete bliss and experiencing the total freedom. That is the qualification for Paramahamsa.
Q: Your discourses of last four days has brought major suffering for me, because my wife expects me to be a married Paramahamsa! Can you help a person like me?
I am here to help only you. Understand, if your wife is expecting you to be a married Paramahamsa, she also should become a Paramahamsi! Everybody expects that their husband should be like Ramakrishna but nobody wants to become like Sharada Devi. Understand, you first tell her, 'You achieve the state of Sharada Devi, then naturally you will see me as Ramakrishna'. So, this is the help I can give as of now. Maybe you can try to bring her to the discourses and spiritual practices. That may give little more help for her and for you.
Transcend Even Liberation
Now, we will enter into the sutras, Mokshamarga sutra. Again we are going to work on the Mokshamarga sutra, second chapter. Yesterday we worked on the Mokshamarga sutra, first chapter. Today, Mokshamarga sutra, second chapter.
It is a very powerful sutra. The problem is, because it is filled so much with the Truth, only a sincere seeker can feel connected to it. If you are just an onlooker or a casual visitor, you won't feel connected to this. These great sutras of Mahāvīra are not for the masses, it is for sincere seekers. It is delivered to a different quality of human beings.
Gita is delivered to a person who was in the world and who is going to be in the world. But these Jain sutras are delivered to people who are working towards enlightenment, who are working towards the realization of the Ultimate. So, these sutras are so powerful and filled with Truth that it needs intense energy to go into them and experience them.
Jo jeevevi najjane ajeeve vinajaanaye Jeeva jeeve ayannanto kaham sonayisanjamam Jo jeeve vivviyanaayi ajeeve vivviyanayi Jeevaa jeeve viyaananto sogunaahi sanjamam Jaya kahimbakoviham samva jeevana jaanaye Kaya punnam chamam paapam chabandam mokyancha chaanaye Jaya punyancha paapancha bandam mokyancha chaanaye Taya nirbig tayam eva moye jetivya jaye monasu Je divve Jeya maanuse
I can say this is the punch line. This is the essence of the whole thing, where he ends the sutra by saying even liberation is useless. Understand, there is no other Master who is so courageous, so powerful. Understand, the last statement je dive jeya maanuse - even the liberation is useless. This is surprising - one should transcend sin and merit, bondage and liberation.
Understand, you are supposed to be free from the idea of freedom also. Actually, the ultimate liberation can happen to you the moment you are liberated from the idea of freedom. As long as you want freedom, you will be bound and working towards it. The moment you are liberated from the idea of freedom, you are liberated this moment. This is the punch line, the essence of the whole spirituality.
I don't think any other Master is so courageous to declare that you should be free even from the idea of liberation. See, understand, only as long as the disciple is seeking liberation he will be around you. Only a great person like Mahāvīra, only a great Master like Mahāvīra can declare, 'Liberate yourself even from freedom, even from liberation.'
See, here Mahāvīra is talking about one who transcends sin and merit, bondage and liberation. He is liberating you even from the concept of liberation. Actually, when you are liberated from the concept of liberation, you experience true liberation. Otherwise, the concept of liberation is the best way to bind you.
See, even for money, you can't be bound 24 hours. You may be bound for 8 hours a day maybe, that's all. But somehow if the idea of liberation is inserted into your head, you are bound now 24 hours. You will do exactly as that person wants you to do. You will do all sorts of things that he wants you to do.
There was a time these so-called spiritual people had started using the idea of liberation to rule the common masses, to rule the ordinary people. With Mahāvīra, even that mistake cannot happen. He is so clear, he has created a foolproof system which can't be corrupted. Either you know consciously you are going away from Mahāvīra or you follow him perfectly. You can't justify yourself and corruptHis teachings, no. It is impossible.
Either you know clearly, you are not following Mahāvīra properly and you are just doing things on your own and trying to act as if you are following spirituality, or you will be very clear and follow the true path Mahāvīra teaches. You will be surprised at Mahāvīra's power, Mahāvīra's intelligence andHis ability to create sutras in such a beautiful way.
If you study different traditions you will understand the power of Mahāvīra's words. They can't be degenerated. You can't misinterpret. You can't miss them. You can't dilute them. You can't corrupt them. He has taken the extreme step to preserve the purity ofHis teachings.