1. Mysticism in Jainism

Spiritualism is the inevitable part of the human existence. The quest for divineness, the truth, the perfection and the eternal happiness proves the existence of mystical idea. The historical accounts of revelation of great saints and seers of east and west enrich the concept of mysticism. It seems that though the term mysticism in the form of thought or school became famous in 18^th–19^th century, but the idea of mysticism existed in remote past as inherent quality of every religion in various forms. In general, the mysticism was defined as the first-hand experience or direct contact with God. On the basis of this definition Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam can be considered as theistic mystical tradition. Here arises a question that does mysticism exist in Jainism? If it does then what is Jaina mysticism?

Rudolf Otto in his book ‘Mysticism East and West’ mentions that ‘mysticism appears where God is seen in a deeper sense as a mystic being, but mysticism can also exist where there is no conceptionof God at all or where for the final experience itself his existence is a matter of indifference’. To this type of mysticism Otto designates as soul mysticism.

Happold states-‘nirvāna is a purely, mystical conception it cannot be conceived or expressed, itcan only be realized by what can only be called mystical intuition.’ On the bases of above description, we can infer or claim that Jainism is also mystical tradition.

Jaina mysticism is all about direct experience of ultimate reality or absolute truth i.e. soul. It is the state of perfection, the experience of infinity the manifestation of divinity, and approach to the truthor transcendental reality. It is fundamentally an transcendental state of consciousness attained by renouncing material world and exploring the spiritual world.

The foundation of Jainism is mysticism as it is believed that Jainism has been evolved through the process of deep contemplation and realization of twenty-four Tīrthaṅkaras (who had a common pursuit-i.e. to explore the truth & to show the ultimate path to achieve peace) so Jaina philosophy iseventually spiritual. It is practical realization of spiritual truth and it is philosophy that has an insight into the nature of reality. Thus, Jainism is a mystical tradition.

The traces of mysticism in Jainism can also be traced by the designations used for Jainism. Jainism was popularly known as ‘Nirgrantha dharma’, ‘Vrātya dharma’, ‘Śramaṇa dharma.’ The word Nirgratha means devoid of knot of attachment and aversion and the ultimate goal of which is to free oneself from the knot of karmas and attain mokṣa. The term Vrātya is derived from Vrata. Thereligion which gives importance to observance of vows is known as Vrātya dharma.

Śramaṇa dharma the religion which is ascetic oriented, which focuses on asceticism or monkhood is Śramaṇa dharma. The Nirgrantha, Vrātya and Śramaṇa all these terms directly and indirectly reflect the idea of mysticism–that an ascetic to attain the mystical state follows or practices the great vows to attain the mystical state which is devoid of attachment and aversion and full of everlasting bliss and knowledge. At present among all, Jaina dharma is prevalent. The word ‘Jaina’comes from the word ‘Jina’ which means the conqueror of the enemies’ (passion) of soul and who have realized the supreme soul. The following of ‘Jina’ are known as Jainas.

Ācārya Mahāprajña says -“Jainism is also known as ‘kaivalika’, in the sense that it has been preached by only those who have experienced the kingdom of the soul. It is Nirvānavādi (believer in ultimate deliverance) that profess the doctrine of nirvāna i.e., final emancipation. Thus, all these designations reflect the idea of mysticism in Jainism and proves the originality and actuality of Jaina mysticism. This also helps to infer Jaina mysticism as synonyms to Jaina tradition.

According to Jainism, Jaina mysticism is all about self-realization, liberation or nirvāna. Defining the Jaina mysticism A.N. Upādhye states ‘Jaina mysticism consists in realizing the transcendental self through internal self by renouncing the external self, Ācārya Mahāprajña says ‘mysticism is realizing the self that which is mystical reality, after attaining which there is nothingto be attained and there is nothing that is mystery’. He also defines that ‘the process which helps to transforms the ātmā into paramātmā, to manifest the pure nature of the soul is called mysticism’.

From the above definition it is very clear that Jaina mysticism is purely spiritual which also can be interpreted from the perspective of metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. When we talk aboutJaina metaphysics, Jaina epistemology and Jaina ethics, spirituality remains in the center. The ultimate goal of metaphysics is to realize the nature of ultimate reality i.e. soul. The ultimate goal of Jaina ethics is to experience the purity of the soul and the ultimate goal of Jaina epistemology is to attain perfection of knowledge through which the reality is known in its allcompleteness. These branches of Jaina philosophy are centered to one thing and that is pure soul.

In Jaina canons, we do not find or trace the word ‘Rahasya’ or ‘Rahasyavāda’ the translation of the word mysticism. But when we understand the theory of mysticism and analyzing the above definition it can be inferred that though in Jaina canons explicitly there is no development of the theory of mysticism but implicitly Jainism imbibes mysticism in it. As mysticism is all about the direct encounter of ultimate reality or absolute truth. For Jainas the state of vītarāga (dispassionate), kevalajñāna (omniscience), mokṣa (liberation) is the mystical state where aspirant realizes the ultimate reality or absolute truth. Thus, the description of kevalajñāna, liberation andself-realization can be traced as mysticism.

In Bhagavaī Sūtra regarding the nature of jīva four options are mentioned. There options are related to particular perspective. For example, some souls are sādi saparyavasita (with beginning and end), some souls are sādi aparyavasita (with beginning but without end), some are anādi saparyavasita (without beginning and with an end) and some are anādi aparyavasita (without beginning and without end).

Sādi aparyavasita option reflects mystical state of liberated souls. Soul has beginning from the pointof view of liberation so it is sādi but after attainment of liberation, soul never loses this state. This state remains forever, so it is aparyavasita. The word aparyavasita manifests the ‘infinity’ which is mystical in itself. Anādi saparyavasita option is given from the perspective of those souls who have ability to attain liberation. The word anādi refers that the soul is mithyātva (delusion) sincebeginning-less time. Whereas the word saparavasita states that the state of mithyātva has an ending point. Soul can be free from the dark state and put effort to attain enlightened mystical state. All the bhavī jīvas (the soul that is potentially capable to attain liberation) are anādi saparavasita. The above description clearly reflects the idea of mysticism in Jaina concepts.

The words used for enlightened mystic and mystical experience in Jaina literature are Kevalī, Jina, Kuśale, Drṣṭā, Jñāni, Ayogi, Sayogi, Alesi, Siddha, Anīndriya, Arhata, Vīre, Medhāvī, Nikkammadasmsī, Ātmajña, Kṣetrjña, No-samjñi-No-asamjñi, No-parita-No-aparita, Paṇḍita, Vītarāga, Avyābādha Sukha, Ānantacakkhu, Anantajñānadarsani, Ayakra, Akṣya, Avyābādha, Sijjanti, Bujjhanti, Mucchanti, Parinivāyanti, Labdhi, Ŗddhi, Śuddhopayoga, etc.

Jaina believes that mystical experience does not require proof. It is self evident and self sufficient. It does not look at anything beyond itself for its verification. The mystic himself is the authority in the realm of spirituality. The validation of mystical experience is evaluated

by the authority of enlightened mystic or detached state of the soul i.e. Vītarāga. According to Jainism, one who has attained the highest knowledge is filled with compassion for his fellow being, for this reason, he likes to communicate his knowledge to others. Compassion, sympathy, fellow feeling and friendliness persuade him to transmit his experience for others benefits. It is these feeling which make the enlightened souls speaks. But when two the enlightened souls meet, they would not speak to each other, they would not needto aid of any material medium of communication, because they would be able to understand each other directly. The medium of language is relevant to those only who don’t have direct experience of reality. Here arises a question that mystical experience is characterized as ineffable then how is it communicated? Jaina do believes that mystical experience is ineffable or inexpressible. It is only the truth experienced in its wholeness is accounted as inexpressible in its entirety. Unlike Buddhism Jainism believes that the transcendental reality or the absolute truth can be expressed only partially. The unique theory of syādavāda (dialectical expression) and nayavāda (theory of standpoint) reflects the idea that a reality in its completeness is inexpressible but it can be expressed or know from the certain standpoint. Through these symbolic languages the enlightenedmystic expresses his experience.

As per Jaina the attainment of pure mysticism is not conditional of one’s residential locations, beit village or forest, or the top of mountains and also is irrespective of any such barrier of sex, age, color, caste, creed status. The only requirement is the purity of mind and soul by annihilation of the karamas. Bharat the son of Lord Ṛṣabha attained kevalajñāna while sitting on the elephant. Both of them attained the mystical state with no time after attaining the samyaktva. This profess that attainment of absolute mystical state is not necessarily slow process nor it is very long process the speed depends on the intensity of the previously accumulated karamas on one hand, the intensity of earnestness and purity of the aspirant on the other. Hence the spiritualperfection can be attainted in a single life span or it can be attained after a long journey.

According to Jainas, the mystical attainment–kevalajñāna and mokṣa is only possible in the humanform. It believes that it is not to be searched in distant heaven nor it is necessary to surrender to any higher authority nor to ask for any favor, nor divine grace is must for the supreme attainment. There is emphasis on individual effort. The Āgama says ‘appanā saccamesejjā’, ‘everyone has to do his own search in order to reach the truth’. The soul himself is the architect of his fortune and the maker of his destiny. The individual is alone responsible for his degraded status and it is up to him to work out his salvation by his unaided efforts.