Traces of Mysticism in Jainism (Study)

by Sadhvi Madhystha Prabha | 2021 | 103,765 words

This page relates ‘Physical Labdhi (attainments)’ of the study on the concept of Mysticism in Jainism exploring key concepts such as Jaina metaphysics and Jain ethics. The present research is divided into six chapters, beginning with an introduction to mysticism, examining its characteristics from both Western and Eastern perspectives. Subsequent chapters delve into the mystical aspects of Brahmanic and Shramanic literature, analyzing texts from the Shvetambara and Digambara traditions to unearth traces of Jain mysticism.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

5.3. Physical Labdhi (attainments)

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[Full title: Classification of Labdhi from Various Perspectives (3) Physical Labdhi]

The labdhis that are associated with body or matter are categorised as physical labdhis.

1. Āmarṣa Labdhi

It is a labdhi that have the healing power. Defining it, the Aupapātīka Sūtra states it is a kind of Labdhi that turns the touch of the adept curative^[1].

Āvaśyaka Cūrni, defining it, differently states,

“āmoṣadhī nāma rogābhibhūtaṃ attānaṃ paraṃ vó jaṃ ceva tigicchāmiti samciteūṇa āmusati taṃ”.

Āmarṣa means touch. The adept by resolving or thinking. ‘I wish to cure’ and then if touch oneself or the other diseased person, by that mere touch the disease immediately cures. This labdhi can be generated in any one part or in the whole body^[2].

Where as according to Tiloyapaṇṇatti–A labdhi by dint of which a disease can be cured by going/coming nearby, the (person) aspirant possessed of such labdhi.^[3]

2. Vipruḍauṣadhi Labdhi

Discussing the labdhi, the Viśeṣāvaṣyaka Bhāṣya states -Vipruḍa means parts of faeces and urine. It is the power by which a disease can be cured by faeces and urine of the adept or person endowed with such labdhi.^[4]

3. Jallauṣadhi Labdhi

According to Aupapātīka Sūtra–the power that turns the slime or mucous from the adept ears, nose, eyes, tongue and body fragrant and medicinal.^[5] In the words of Tiloyapaṇṇatti–the dirt produced from the sweat is called Jall. By the power of which the dirt or impurity of body cures the disease, is called jalluṣadhi.^[6]

4. Ksvelauṣadhi Labdhi

According to Aupapātīka Sūtra–It is a Labdhi by the power of which the phlegm of the adept turns fragrant and medicinal.^[7]

5. Sarvauṣadhi Labdhi

This is defined differently by different texts.

Āvaśyaka Cūrni^[8] defines–It is a labdhi along with which all the other auṣadhi (healing) related labdhis are acquired. An aspirant whose complete body or body’s every part becomes medicinal is said to be possessed of sarvauṣadhi labdhi. The adept of this labdhi has the capacity to cure all types of labdhis.

Describing it differently Tattvarthavārtikaṃ^[9] states -an aspirant is said to be endowed with sarvauṣadhi labdhi whose touch of any part of the body can cure the disease and by whose touch things like the air, water etc. (gain/attains the quality of medicine or) becomes medicinal.

6. Kśirāsrava–Madhvāsrava–Sarpirāsrava–Amṛtāsrava Labdhi

Ācārya Mahāprajña in Bhagavaī defines^[10] -the ability to transform by touch even the rotten food into delicious and relisihing one like milk, honey, ghee, nector etc. or the ability to make mind and body blissful just by the utterance of words as sweet as milk, honey, ghee and nector etc. are kśirāsrava–madhvāsrava–sarpirāsrava–amṛtāsrava labdhi.

7. Kāyabali

According to Aupapātīka Sūtra–It is a labdhi by dint of which one attains the untiring capacity to endure hunger, thirst, heat, cold and other torments^[11]. With the different definitions the Tiloyapaṇṇatti states -it is a labdhi which is attained by the maximum kṣayopaśama of viryāntarāya karma, by dint of which an aspirant can stand for month or more than four months in kāyotsarga (relaxation) without being exhausted or tired. And such aspirant can lift all the three worlds on his little finger and move it to other place very fast^[12].

8. Āśīviṣa

The Viśeṣāvaṣyaka Bhāṣya states that–Āśī means fang. The one who has poison in his fang is known as Āśīviṣa. This is attainable by the ascetic undertaking the severe austerities by which one has poison in the fang and one can undertake the activities like those beings who has poisonous fangs such as snake, scorpio etc^[13]. In the words of Bhagavaī, it is an ability to transmit the poison into others by the utterance of words^[14]. Yogaśāstra defines it as an ability to curse or boon others.^[15]

9. Akṣinamahānasa Labdhi

It is a kind of labdhi to make food unlimited or unexhausted. According to Aupapātīka sūtra–An ascetic endowed with this kind of power collects alms from a kitchen, the remaining food in that kitchen would not exhaust even if hundreds of thousands of people were fed from it. The food would exhaust only when either the donor himself has eaten or that ascetic has eaten the alms he collected^[16].

Āvaśyaka Cūrni defines–An ascetic endowed with such labdhis, when collect alms, the food collected by him will not be diminished even after eaten by many munis. It get finished only when consumed by muni himself who is endowed with the labdhi^[17].

10. Pulāka Labdhi

According to Bhagavaī Vṛtti^[18] –it is a labdhi by which an ascetic can destroy the large army of Cakravartī, for the cause of the interest of the saṅgha (religious order). It is also defined as a type of Labdhi which is as powerful as the ṛddhi of (supernatural power) of the Indra (the king of the Gods) and powerful enough in destroying the large army of the Cakravartī (Universal Sovereign).^[19]

11. Cakravartī

The soul endowed with this labdhi attains the power of becoming Universal Sovereign one of the category of śalākāpuruṣa (Universal personage). He is possessed of the strength of four billion aṣṭapāda (a fabulous animal possessed of eight legs and greater strength than elephant)^[20].

12. Baladeva

The soul endowed with this labdhi, attains the power that associates in becoming Baladeva (semi-universal-sovereign), one of the type of śalākāpuruṣa. Due to this Labdhi he is endowed with a great physical strength which is half that of the vāsudeva (semi-universal sovereign) and that is equivalent to the capacity of ten lakh aṣṭapāda (a fabulous animal possessed of eight legs and greater strength than elephant)^[21].

13. Vāsudeva

The soul endowed with this labdhi gets associated with the capacity of becoming vāsudeva (semi-cakravartī), one of the type of śalākāpuruṣa. Due to this labdhi he is endowed with a great physical strength which is equivalent to twenty lakhs aṣṭapāda^[22] and becomes the owner of three continents^[23].

14. Āhāraka Labdhi

It is a type of labdhi specially possessed by śrutakevali (one who has fathomed the entire lore of scriptural knowledge) who uses it for the creation of the āhāraka śarīra (conveyance body) for some specific purpose^[24].–It is a labdhi which is used by Caturdaśapūrvī Pramatta Samyati (a remiss ascetic endowed with the knowledge of the fourteen pūrvas–canonical work of earlier lore) for the purpose of removal of his doubt by projecting the āhāraka śarīra to Mahāvideha to get the answer from the Tīrthaṅkara existing there^[25].

15. Tejo Labdhi

It is a kind of labdhi–supernatural ability by the dint of which one can curse or grant boon to others. It can burn to ashes the things situated at a distance of hundred yojans. Tejas labdhi is the power or energy of tejas śarīra which is obtained by developing the tejas śarīra by austerity etc.^[26] Bhagavaī in the narrative context of Gośālaka conveys the complete procedure of attaining tejo labdhi, as told by Lord Mahāvīra on the request of Gośālaka. Gośālaka asked Lord Mahāvīra–Bante! How can one develop Tejo leśya? In answer to this question Lord Mahāvīra explained one of the source to develop tejo leśya. He said–‘an aspirant who does two days fasting continuously for six months and on the day of pāranā (breaking the fast) eats fist full lentils, drinks fist full water and stands in front of the sun raising the hands up, can develop or awakens tejo leśya within six months’^[27].

There are three sources to develop tejo leśya:

1. Mortifying the body (āyāvanatāte);
2. By restraint of anger (khantikamāte);
3. By fasting without taking water (āpānageṇaṃtavokammeṇaṃ)^[28]

This labdhi based on its usage is of two types:^[29]

1. Uṣṇa tejo labdhi.
2. Śīta tejo labdhi.

Ācārya Umāswati in his auto-commentary and Pravācana sārodhāra have listed these two types as two independent labdhis whereas some text such as Bhagavaī, Sthānāṅga Vṛtti lists only one as tejo labdhi.

The uṣṇa tejo labdhi is capable of cursing and burning any one^[30]. The śīta tejo labdhi is capable of being used for benevolent purposes and also for counter mending the uṣṇa tejo labdhi^[31]. In Bhagavaī we find the incident of the usage of both uṣṇa and śīta tejo labdhi by Gośālaka and Lord Mahāvīra respectively^[32].

16. Vaikriya Labdhi

A kind of labdhi obtained through spiritual practices by dint of which one can create different protean forms.

“vaikriya ‘kārakanāmādikarmodaya samuttāstāvad vaikriya’ haraka śarīra karaṇādikā labdhayo bhavantī”^[33].

Animā, mahimā, laghima, garima, apratighāta, kāmarūpitva, antaṛdhānaṃ, prakāmya, iśtva, vaśitva and prāpti^[34] are the types of vaikriya labdhi, by the power of which, one is able to make body small, large, light, heavy etc. In Bhagavaī, we find many examples of projection of vaikriya labdhi by bhāvitātma aṅagāra^[35].

17. Cāraṇa Labdhi

Cāraṇa means to move^[36] –

“caraṇa–gamanamatiśaya vadā kāśa eṣāmastiti cāraṇāḥ”.

It is a type of labdhi by the dint of which an ascetic (possessed of superhuman powers) is able to perform superhuman locomotion in a miraculous way like going away and coming back several yojans and also fly in air^[37]. It is of two types -Jaṅghācāraṇa (flying through the air using one’s legs) and Vidyācāraṇa (flying through the air by means of spell)^[38]. There are many sub-types of Jaṅghācāraṇa detailed in Tiloyapaṇṇatti^[39], Tattvarthavārtikaṃ^[40], Yogaśāstra,^[41] and Bhagavaī. Gautam Swami was endowed with this Jaṅghācāraṇa labdhi which he made use for climbing the Aṣṭāpada^[42]. Bhagavati Sūtra^[43] throws light on how an bhāvitātmā attains the capability of vidyācarana. It is mentioned that the incessant recitation of holy sūtras and alternate fasting for long periods of time, annul their ‘knowledge obscuring karmas’ and resultantly they are blessed with the art of space travel.

18. Arhat or Tīrthaṅkara Labdhi

It is a kind of labdhi by the association of which one becomes omniscience and forms the ‘Tīrtha’–the fourfold Jain community^[44] i.e. sādhu (monk), sādhvi (nun), srāvaka (lay man) and srāvikā (lay woman) and delivers the pravācana (discourse on truth)^[45]. With the attainment of this labdhi the aspirant or mystic attains the position of Arhat and attain many atiśayas^[46] (superhuman magnificence).

Other then above labdhis, there are many more labdhis that can be accounted in the body type such as–Dṛṣṭivīṣa (ability to transmit poison by casting a glance), Āsyavīṣa (ability to make poisonless by mere utterances), Akśinamahalaya (ability to accommodate innumerable beings at one place), Ākāśagāmitva (flying in the sky).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Aupapātīka Sūtra, 24, p. 60.

[2]:

Āvaśyaka Cūrni, Part I, p. 68, (as quoted in Śri Bhikṣu Āgama Viṣaya Kośa, part 1, (1996), p. 547)

[3]:

Tiloyapaṇṇatti (Part 2), 1079, p. 319.

[4]:

Viśeṣāvaṣyaka Bhāṣya (Part 1), 777, p. 180.

[5]:

Aupapātīka Sūtra, 24, p. 60.

[6]:

Tiloyapaṇṇatti (Part 2), 1081, p. 320.

[7]:

Aupapātīka Sūtra, 24, p. 60.

[8]:

Āvaśyaka Cūrni, Part I, p. 68-69, (as quoted in Śri Bhikṣu Āgama Viṣaya Kośa, Part 1, (1996), p. 548)

[9]:

Tattvārtha vārtikaṃ (Part 1), 3.36.3, p. 203.

[10]:

Bhagavaī (Part 5), 2015, p. 388.

[11]:

Aupapātīka Sūtra, 24, p. 57.

[12]:

Tiloyapaṇṇatti (Part 2), 1077, p. 319.

[13]:

Viśeṣāvaṣyaka Bhāṣya (Part 1), 787, p. 182. ‘mar idi bhanido jīvo marei sahasa thi jīe sathīe dukkaro tava judo’ muṇiṇāāśīviṣaṇāma riddhī sā

[14]:

Bhagavaī (Part 5), 2015, p. 388.

[15]:

Yogaśāstra, p. 20.

[16]:

Aupapātīka Sūtra, 24, p. 61.

[17]:

Āvaśyaka Cūrni (Part 1), p. 71. ‘akkhīṇamahāṇasiyassa bhikkhaṃ na annenaṃ ṇiṭṭhvijjati, taṃ ti jimite niṭṭhātī’

[18]:

Bhagavaī Vṛtti, by Abhayadevasuri, Agamodaya Samiti, Bombay, 1919, 25.278., (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 291.)

[19]:

Pravacanasārodhāra, p. 693. ‘Laddhipulāo puṇa jarsa deviṃdariddhisavisā riddhī so siṃgaṇāyikajje’

[20]:

Uttarādhyayanabṛhad Vṛtti of Śāntyācārya; Śri Devachanda Lalbhai Jain Pustakoddhara Trust, Bombay, 1972-73, patra 350, (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 128.) ‘cakkavartīṣatkhaṇḍabharatādhipaḥ’

[21]:

Āvaśyaka Cūrni, Part I, p. 69, (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 237.)

[22]:

Āvaśyaka Niryukti (Part 1), 72.

[23]:

Āvaśyaka Ma. Vṛtti, patra79, (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 306.)

[24]:

Anuyogadvāra Vṛtti by Haribhadra, Śri Rishabhadevaji Kesharimalji Śvetāmbar Sanstha, Ratlam, 1928. p. 87, (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 68.) ‘kajjaṃmi samuppaṇṇe suyaka valiṇā visiṭṭhaladdhīya jam etta āharijjai’ According to Sthānāṅga Vṛtti ‘āhārae tti tathāvidhakāryotpattau caturdaśapūrvavidā yogabalenāhriyate’

[25]:

Sthānāṅga Vṛtti, 5.25, patra 281, (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 68.)

[26]:

Tattvārthadigama Bhāṣyavṛtti by Siddhasenagani, Devachandra Lalbhai Jain Pustokoddhara Trust, Bombay, Part 1-1926, and Part 2-1930, 2.37., (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 153.)

[27]:

Bhagavaī (Part 3), 15.70.

[28]:

Zaveri, Jethalal, S., Jaina Darśana Aur Vijñāna, Comp. Muni Mahendra Kumar, Jaina Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun, 3^rd edn., 2008, p. 131.

[29]:

Bhagavaī (Part 3), 15.68.

[30]:

Tattvārthadhigama Bhāṣya, 2.37, Vṛtti. (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 85.)

[31]:

Bhagavaī (Part 3), 15.68, Tattvārthadhigama Bhāṣya, 2.37, Vṛtti. (as quoted in Jain Paribhāṣika Śabda Kośa, p. 330.)

[32]:

Ibid (Part 3), 15.64-65.