Chapter 4.8a - The eighth: Parādṛṣṭi (parā-dṛṣṭi)—Introduction

Haribhadrasūri states that the understanding of parā dṛṣṭi is similar to the brightness of a moon-light^[1] . In reality a soul is as pure as the moon. The soul is pure by its nature just like the moon. The light of the moon compared with the kevalajñāna, kevaladaarśana etc. of the soul. Just as the moon-light get covered by clouds, the qualities viz. kevalajñāna, kevaladarśana etc. of the soul are covered by karmans namely jñānāvaraṇīya karman and the other three^[2] . Now, in parā dṛṣṭi the kevalajñāna etc. qualities of the soul shine by pushing back/destroying the coverings of four destructive (ghāti) karmans.

Hence by obtaining the understanding of parā dṛṣṭi its beholder’s soul, who has destroyed covering of four destructive karmans, shines like the moon without covered by clouds. Taking all these into consideration Haribhadrasūri has proposed the simile of brightness of the moon-light for the understanding of the parā dṛṣṭi.

When a soul performs the second apūrvakaraṇa in eighth stage of spiritual development (guṇasthāna) by renouncing destruction–cum–subsidence type of attributes (dharmasannyāsa), he is said to mount the śreṇi (kṣapakśreṇi). It is at this stage he starts obtaining eighth yogadṛṣṭi. Within the period of forty eight minutes he finishes the climbing up of the śreṇi. Here, he acquires the omniscient state^[3] . This is the middle point of the eighth yogadṛṣṭi. According to Jainism the subject in question at this stage acquires omniscience by reaching thirteenth stage of spiritual elevation.

Haribhadrasūri states that the omniscience is characterized as niḥsptnā and sadodayā^[4]. Moreover he employs the word kevalaśrī for the omniscience knowledge.

Here, Haribhadrasūri says that just as a jeweler is satisfied about earning good profit on sold out jewel, the great sage i.e. the subject in question feels accomplished by renouncing the destruction-cum-subsidence type of attributes^[5] viz. kśānti, ārjava and so on. He experiences the state of accomplishment by renouncing them because now he is in possession of kṣānti and other attributes, which are of the nature of complete destruction instead of destruction-cum-subsidence. This is possible due to his acquisition of omniscience knowledge at this stage.

Haribhadrasūri further explains the simile of the moon-light covered by the clouds. He says that the clouds are like four destructive karmans namely jñānāvaraṇīya, darśanāvaraṇīya, mohanīya and antarāya. When the subject in question finished climbing of the śreṇi, he obtains omniscient knowledge by destroying four destructive karmans^[6] . The omniscient one has completely destroyed four passions viz. anger, pride, deceit and greediness each with its four sub-types. Hence he has won victory over vices attachment (rāga) as well as aversion (dveṣa). Therefore, at this stage he is called vītarāga. At this stage the subject in question, who is a sayogī kevalī, has closed four doors of the inflow of karmans (āśrava) namely wrong faith, non-abstinence, negligence and passion.

Here, he does not have to practice five types of conducts namely:

1. knowledge pertaining conduct (jñānācāra)
2. right faith pertaining conduct (darśanācāra)
3. conduct pertaining conduct (cāritrācāra)
4. austerity pertaining conduct (tapācāra)
5. strength pertaining conduct (vīryācāra).

It is thus because whatever karmans he is suppose to destroy, by practicing the above mentioned five types of conduct, have already been destroyed by him at this stage. Therefore he is not required to practice any more the five types of conduct. Haribhadrasūri hence, calls this stage as the state of no-conduct (nirācāra). The subject in question who occupies this state is like one who after having reached the top of a hill, does no mounting^[7] . The same state is explained by Upādhyāya Yaśovijaya as the state of a person who after having satisfied his hunger does no more eating^[8] .

Since there is no practice of conducts as well as vows at this stage the subject in question is free from transgressions pertaining to conducts and vows. Transgressions take place due to faulty or imperfect practice of conducts and vows. The expiatory recitals (pratikramaṇa) is meant to purify soul from the impurities of transgressions. In the present state, no-conduct means no transgressions and consequently no need of expiatory recitals^[9] .

Even though the parā dṛṣṭi beholder, who is an omniscient one, possesses the state of no conduct, he still undertakes activities viz. going door to door for food and other pertaining to his survival^[10] . It is so because his present state is the sayogī kevalī state where his soul is still veiled by the non-destructive karmans. Since he owns body, mind and speech, he has to perform daily activities till the end of his life. His daily activities are similar to that of a monk who has not yet obtained parā dṛṣṭi. Haribhadrasūri claim that though both of them perform same activities, both are rewarded with different results. The one who has not obtained parā dṛṣṭi performs daily religious activities with an intension of destroying destructive (ghāti) karmans. While the parā dṛṣṭi beholder practices daily activities to achieve destruction of non-destructive (aghāti) karmans^[11] . Consequently the prior one obtains omniscience and the later acquires liberation as a result of their respective intentions.

Haribhadrasūri explains the different intentions of the prior and later type of aspirant by giving an example^[12] . He says that the eye-sight of a person, who is learning gemology, on gems is different from the one who trades the gems^[13] . The earlier one rates gems by considering their quality clarity as well as brightness. While the later one values gems by comparing their prices, monetary profit and market value. Even though both observe the same gems, both view them differently. It is so because both observe gems with different intentions. The earlier one observes gems with a desire to gain knowledge regarding their quality, shape, origin etc. whereas the intention of the later one is to earn the maximum profit by doing business of the gems.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

parāyāṃ punadṛṣṭau candracandrikābhāssamāno bodhaḥ,... || 15 ||
   –Auto-commentary on Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[2]:

sthitaḥ śītāṃśuvajjīvaḥ, prakṛtyā bhāvaśuddhyā |
candrikāvacca vijñānaṃ, tadāvaraṇamabhravata ____________् || 183 ||

... jīva-ātmā, prakṛtyā-''tmīyayā bhāvaśuddhayā-tattvaśuddhyetyarthaḥ | tathā candrakāvacca-jyotsnāvacca, vijñānaṃ - ke valādi, upamāmātrametat | tadāvaraṇa-ṃ jñānāvaraṇam abhravat-meghapaṭalavadityarthaḥ || 183 ||

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[3]:

dvitīyāpūrvakaraṇe, mukhyo'yamupajāyate |
ke ralaśrīstataścā'sya, niḥsapatnā sadodayā || 182 ||

dvitīyāpūvarkaraṇe śreṇivartini mukhyo'ya-ṃ dhamarsannyāsaḥ upajāyate, upacaritastu pramattasaṃyatādārabhya |
ke valaśrīstataśca - dhamarsannyāsaviniyogāt asya-yogino niḥsapatnā, ke valaśrīḥ sadodayā-pratipātābhāvena || 182 ||
   –ibid.

[4]:

niḥsapatnā, ke ralaśrīḥ sadodayā pratipātābhāvena || 182 ||
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[5]:

tanniyogānmahātmeha, kṛ takṛtyo yathā bhavet |
tathā'yaṃ dharmasannyāsa-viniyogānmahāmuniḥ || 181 ||

tanniyogād-ratnaniyogāt ...kṛtakṛtyo yathā bhavet kaścid ratnavaṇik |... || 181 ||

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[6]:

ghātikama -jñānāvaraṇīyādi, tadyathā-jñānāvaraṇīya,ṃ daśarnāvarṇīya,ṃ mohanīyam, antarāyaṃ ceti |
etadabhrakalpaṃ vatarte | tad - ghātikarma, ..., yadā'paiti śreṇiparisamāptau, tadā śrīmānasau mukhyavikramayogena jāyate jñānake valī sarvajña ityarthaḥ || 184 ||
   –Auto-commentary on Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[7]:

nirācārapado hayasyā-maticāravivarjitaḥ |
ārūḍhārohaṇābhāva-gativat tvasya ceṣṭitam || 179 ||
   –Auto-commentary on Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[8]:

nirācārapado hayasyāmataḥsyānnā'ticārabhāk |
ceṣṭā cā'syā'khilā bhuktabhojanā'bhāvavanmatā || 24.28 ||
   -Dvātriṃśad-dvātriṃśikā, Vol: 6, Pg: 1689

[9]:

nirācārapado hi-eva asyāṃ dṛṣṭau yogī bhavati, pratikramaṇādyabhāvātad, aticāravivarjitastannibandhanābhāvena |........., ācārajeyakarmābhāvāt nirācārapada ityarthaḥ || 179 ||
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[10]:

tathā''cārakriyā'pyasya yoginaḥ, saiva-bhikṣāṭanādilakṣaṇā... |... || 180 ||
   –ibid.

[11]:

anyā bhavati | ku ta ityāha-phalabhedataḥ, prāk sāmparāyikakamakrṣayaḥ phalam, idānīṃ tu bhavopagrāhikamakrṣaya iti || 180 ||
   –ibid.

[12]:

kathaṃ bhikṣāṭanādyācāro'syetyāśaṅkāpanodāyā''ha - ratnādiśikṣādṛgbhyo'nyā, yathā dṛk tanniyojane | tathā''cārakriyā'pyasya, saivā'nyā phalabhedataḥ || 180 ||
   -Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya (2010)

[13]:

ratnādiśikṣādṛgbhyaḥ sakāśāt anyā-bhinnaiva yathā dṛk tanniyojane–ratnādiniyojane śikṣitasya sataḥ |... || 180 ||
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