Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)

by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626

This page describes the observances of benevolence, joy, compassion and tolerance which is verse 7.11 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 11 of the chapter The Five Vows and includes an extensive commentary.

Verse 7.11 - The observances of Benevolence, Joy, Compassion and Tolerance

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 7.11:

मैत्रीप्रमोदकारुण्यमाध्यस्थानि च सत्त्वगुणाधिक क्लिश्यमानाविनेयेषु ॥ ७.११ ॥

maitrīpramodakāruṇyamādhyasthāni ca sattvaguṇādhika kliśyamānāvineyeṣu || 7.11 ||

Benevolence (maitrī) towards all living-beings (sattva), joy (pramoda) at the sight of the virtuous (guṇādhika), compassion and sympathy (kāruṇya) for the afflicted (kliśyamāna), and tolerance (mādhyasthya) towards the insolent and ill-behaved (avineya) are the other observances. (11)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: [सत्त्वेषु मैत्री] प्राणीमात्र के प्रति निर्वैर बुद्धि [गुणाधिकेषु प्रमोदं] अधिक गुणवानों के प्रति प्रमोद (हर्ष) [क्लिश्यमानेषु कारुण्यं] दुःखी-रोगी जीवों के प्रति करुणा और [अविनेयेषु माध्यस्थं] हठाग्रही मिथ्यादृष्टि जीवों के प्रति माध्यस्थ भावना-ये चार भावना अहिंसादि पाँच व्रतों की स्थिरता के लिये बारम्बार चिन्तवन करने योग्य हैं।

Anvayartha: [sattveshu maitri] pranimatra ke prati nirvaira buddhi [gunadhikeshu pramodam] adhika gunavanom ke prati pramoda (harsha) [klishyamaneshu karunyam] duhkhi-rogi jivom ke prati karuna aura [avineyeshu madhyastham] hathagrahi mithyadrishti jivom ke prati madhyastha bhavana-ye cara bhavana ahimsadi pamca vratom ki sthirata ke liye barambara cintavana karane yogya haim |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

The next sūtra describes other observances (bhāvanā) or contemplations.

The desire that others should be free from suffering and pain is benevolence (maitrī). Fervent affection as well as veneration in the presence of the virtuous (guṇādhika) is joy (pramoda). The disposition to render assistance to the afflicted is compassion (kāruṇya). Tolerance (mādhyasthya) or unconcern is freedom from attachment and revulsion based on desire and aversion. Those who take birth in several kinds of yoni and die, owing to the ripening of inauspicious karmas, are the living beings (sattva or jīva). The virtuous (guṇādhika) are those in whom right knowledge, etc., abound. The afflicted (kliśyamāna) are those who suffer from anguish and distress on rise of the karmas that produce unpleasant-feeling (asātāveda-nīya). The ill-behaved (avineya) are those who don’t listen to the reality of substances and fail to adopt virtues. Benevolence, etc., must be practised towards living beings and others respectively–that is, benevolence towards all living beings, devotion towards the virtuous, compassion towards the tormented, and unconcern towards the indecorous and insolent persons. He who conducts himself in this manner is able to practise non-injury (ahiṃsā) and other vows (vrata) to perfection.

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