Dear Sadharmik brothers and sisters,
Jai Jinendra!

Today is the third day of Parvadhiraj Paryushan Parva and many Shravak and Shravikas will be completing Atham (3 Upvas). Hope you are all in sukh sata.

Let's learn about:

1. The third and fourth Jiv Vichar Gatha that talks about Pruthvikaya Jiv.
2. How Non-violence is an epitome of Jain religion in an article by Dr. Kumarpal Desai.
3. The next two types of Karma, Vedaniya and Mohniya, under the Theory of Karma in Jainism series.

Listen to the past lectures and or join the daily lectures by Dr. Kumarpal Desai in Gujrati, by Dr. Jitendra Shah in Hindi and by Dr. Bipin Doshi in English. The schedules and joining details are mentioned below.

Sincerely,
Mahesh Wadher
JAINA President

We will learn the 3rd and 4th Gathas together which talks about Pruthvikaya Jiva.

Gatha 3
फलिहमणिरयण विद्दुम, हिंगुल हरियाल मणसिलरसिंदा|
कणगाई घाउ सेढी, वन्निय अरणेट्टय पलेवा||

Gatha 4
अब्भय तूरी ऊसं, मट्टी-पाहाण-जाईओ णेगा|
सोवीरंजण लुणाई, पुढविभेआई ईच्चाई||

Pruthvikaya jiva are living beings having earth, soil, minerals, etc as their own bodies, also known as earthly bodies.

The different kinds of earthly bodies are stated below:
Quartz, pearl, gem, cinnabar, orpiment, mercury, metals like gold, silver, and platinum, chalk, red clay, coral, mica, alum, soda, sand. All varieties of stones, rocks, antimony, salt, etc. are also categorized as earthly bodies.

Jain Dharma is a religion of Non -Violence. In observing the pious festival of Paryushan, let us examine the prominence of Non-Violence in Jain Dharma. More than 2500 years ago, Bhagwan Mahavira said “Just as no mountain is taller than Meru and nothing is bigger than the sky, there is no religion like Non-Violence”.

Today the world is on the peak of violence it is eager to understand the deeper meaning of non-violence by Bhagwan Mahavira.

At the gathering of many religious leaders at the United Nation’s Chapple on April 25, 2002, to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti, when non-violence of Mahavira was presented, a Christian leader approached me and said, “Give us a Mahavira for today’s world”!

The reason is that the deep analysis and all-encompassing nature of Ahimsa presented in the principles of Mahavira is not found anywhere else. Commonly, hurting or killing someone is considered Hinsa or Violence. But Jain philosophy says that to have an evil thought about someone or to give mental space to criticism or hatred for anyone is also Hinsa. We know that giving birth to such fillings transforms into animosity and war. If the mind evicts animosity than how ill feelings can remain?

The second thought of Bhagwan Mahavira is that if you cannot give life, you have no right to take away life. Such violence awakens more violence and eventually, animosity multiplies. For this reason, Ahimsa is the epitome of Dharma and Violence is the root of all sins and despair.

The third thought he gave us is to consider the soul of every life the same as our own soul (Acharang Sutra). Not just “Live and Let Live” but “Reverence for all lives” is the message.

We know that man’s exhaustive consumption of all non-human species is putting humans in a dangerous state. At the root of Corona pandemic is the “Wet Market”. By extracting animals from their natural habitat, man has created a huge blunder. It took ten thousand years for a species to disappear. Now every twenty minutes a species is extinct.

The fourth observation of Mahavira is that one who can be cruel to animals can also be cruel to humans. Cruelty resides in the heart and a man hoarding cruelty in his heart can spring it on animals or humans. Some years ago, research in Russia demonstrated that most of the people who were dealt death penalty enjoyed their childhood tormenting or killing snakes, frogs, and squirrels, etc.

As to Ahimsa, Lord Mahavir said that Himsa is not just an outer activity, it is an internal septic instinct. The one who has kindness in his heart will exhibit kindness to all – humans, animals, and nature. For that reason, Mahavir’s message in Agams is “The one you are trying to kill is also yourself, the one you are trying to rule is also you, and the one you are trying to bother is also yourself, and the one you are trying to kill is none other than yourself. For this reason, a wise man does not hurt anyone and does not rule on anyone.

The sixth glory of Ahimsa is: “Parsparopagraho Jivanam” meaning all lives live by co-operating with each other. We know this now if the animal kingdom perishes, there will be a great danger to the human race. Similarly, destroying trees and deforestation will spell a disaster for human lives.

The seventh fact is more than 2,500 years ago, Jain Dharma talked about plants as living beings. The teaching was: Earth, water, fire, and air all are living beings. It means that if we do not accept that we are also rejecting our own existence.

The eighth truth is that acceptance of life in all mobile or stationary, seen, or unseen beings is Ahimsa. The ninth truth is violent speech or deeds cause bondage of Karma. Meaning the thought of violence causes violent speech or deeds.

Going further, the tenth truth stresses that hurting others is not the only violence one can indulge in. In fact, lending support to another person’s violent acts, to become accessory to it, or to praise him for it is also Himsa.

The eleventh teaching is that one could be born in one species and reborn in another species. That is the rule of re-incarnation. One could be a bird and in the next life be born as a human. For that reason, man has no right to inflict pain on non-human creatures. One must behave with equanimity towards all beings – friend or a foe.

- Kumarpal Desai

Let’s learn the next two types of karma, Vedaniya and Mohniya. 3. Vedaniya Karma:

The matter which makes you experience happiness and unhappiness is called ‘Vedaniya karma’. This karma resembles the edge of a sword. If honey is applied to the edge of a sword and if somebody licks it, he experiences sweetness in the beginning but later on feels pain and misery on account of the cut caused by the edge. If one licks the edge of a sword to which opium is applied, he experiences bitterness first and pains later on. One experiences happiness and unhappiness also by this karma. This Karma has two varieties.

How is this Karma formed?

Satavedaniya karma is accumulated by showing mercy to all living beings, by sharing the unhappiness of unhappy people and reducing their misery. Asatavendaniya karma is accumulated by troubling and harming living beings and by becoming happy in their misery.

The Fruits of this Karma

Satavendaniya karma gives pleasing and likable enjoyments.
Asatavedaniya karma gives miseries like poverty, disease, etc. in return.

4. Mohaniya Karma:

The matter which makes the soul passionate and deluded is called ‘Mohaniya karma’. A man taking narcotics cannot have any sort of discretion. Similarly, on account of this karma, the soul forgets itself and becomes attached to transient enjoyments. This karma has 28 varieties.

How is this Karma formed?

Mohaniya karma is accumulated by an outburst of too much anger, pride, deceit, and greed; by practicing irreligion in the name of religion, by following bad conduct, by committing adultery, etc.

Fruits of this Karma

Because of this karma, the soul becomes deluded, excessively attached, and passionate. It becomes jealous, quarrelsome, deceitful, and hypocritical. It becomes frightened without reason or with reason and full of sorrow, etc.

Source: www.jinalaya.com

Listen to today's lectures by Dr. Kumarpal Desai in Gujrati, by Dr. Jitendra Shah in Hindi and by Dr. Bipin Doshi in English. The schedules and joining details please visit:
https://www.jaina.org/page/ParyushanMahaparv2020

With the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Jain Centers across the country are having to cancel their planned activities for the 2020 Paryushan Mahaparv. In the absence of these activities, JAINA has coordinated many virtual events for you to participate in. We are offering daily lectures and virtual Samvatsari Pratikaman for Deravasi, Sthanakvasi, and in English for participants in East, Central and West Timezones

There is no need to register for Deravasi , Aloyana or Sthanakvasi Pratikramans. To join just click on the below link which will take you to the JAINA website where you need to select the event you want to join.

If you have any questions please call Mahesh Wadher at 909 376 4027 or email to Mahesh.Wadher@gmail.com

Click Here to Attend Lectures and Samvatsari Pratikamans