Pure Thought Activity (Shuddha Bhava)

Niyamsara

CHAPTER II

Pure Thought Activity (Shuddha Bhava)

38. The external principles, soul, etc., should be renounced. One’s own soul, absolutely free from all the attributes and modifications, caused by the impurity of Karmas should be realised.

39. (From the real of view), there are in the soul, no stages, (impure) thought-activities Vibhava Swabhava Sthana, neither there are degrees of regard and disregard, nor grades of feelings of pleasure, nor degrees of the feelings of pain.

40. In soul, there are no stages of duration bondage, (Sthiti Bandha Sthana); neither (there are the stages of Karmic nature (Prakriti Sthana); nor (are) the degrees of the molucular bondage (Pradesha Sthana) nor are the grades of fruition (bondage) (Anubhaga Sthana), nor are the degrees of operation of Karmas (Udaya Sthana).

41. (In soul there are) neither the stages of destructive thought-activities, (Kshayika Bhava), nor the degree of destructive subsidential thought-activities (Kshay opashamic Bhava), nor the grades of operative thought activities (Audayika Bhava), nor the degrees of subsidential thought activities (Aupashamika Bhava).

42. In soul (there is) neither wandering in the four conditions of life (gati), nor (are there) birth, old age, death, disease, and sorrow, nor are there the stages of bodily materials (Kula), nuclei (yoni), soul-classes (Jiva Samasa) and soul quests (Margana).

43. Soul (is) turmoil-less, bodyless; fearless, independent and faultless; without attachment, free from the activities (of mind, body and speech), devoid of delusion and free from ignorance.

44. Soul (is) possessionless, free from attachment, blemishless, devoid of all defects, desireless, angerless, prideless (and) without lust.

45. Colour, taste, smell, touch, conditions of female, male, and common-sex inclinations, etc., (six kinds of bodily), figures, (and six kinds of) skeletons; all these are not found in the soul.

46. Know the soul to be, devoid of taste, colour and smell, not cognizable (by the senses), possessed of the attribute of consciousness soundless, incomprehensible by any outward sign and one having no describable form.

47. Just as liberated souls (are) free from oldness, death and birth, and are crowned with the eight attributes; so (are) mundane souls (from the pure real point of view).

48. Just as liberated souls, residing at the top-most of the universe are bodiless indestructible, independent of senses, free from (karmic) filth, and pure, so the mundane souls (also) should be considered (from the pure real point of view).

49. From the practical point of view, all mundane souls have been described as possessing all the aforesaid conditions; but from the pure, real point of view they also (are) of the same nature as liberated souls.

50. All the aforesaid conditions relate either to foreign substances or foreign modifications; hence (they) should be renounced. Internal principle, is one’s own substance, i.e., soul. (It only) should be realised.

51. Conviction (in things ascertained as they are) alone without (any) perverse motive (is) right belief, (Samyak Darshana), (Knowledge) free from doubt, (Samshaya), perversity (Vimoha) and vaccilation (Vibhrama) is right knowledge (Samyak Jnana).

52. Conviction, from wavering (Chala), impurity (Mala), and non-steadfastness (Agarha) alone (is) right belief. Correct understanding (Adhigama) of what principles are worth renouncing and what are worth realising, (is) right knowledge.

53. The external causes of right belief are the Jain scriptures and the persons who know them; while the destruction, etc, of right-belief-deluding Karma are said to be the internal causes.

54. Listen, (just as) Right Belief and Right Knowledge are the (causes of) liberation, (so) is Right Conduct. Therefore I shall describe Right Conduct from (both) the real and the practical points of view.

55. Right conduct from the practical point of view, is to practice austerities from the practical stand-point, while Right Conduct from the real point of view is to observe austerities from the real stand-point.