Know Thyself As Soul, According to Lord Mahavira and Jainism

Know Thyself As Soul, According to Lord Mahavira and Jainism


"Now, since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist, and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself.." (Yeshua, The Book of Thomas the Spiritual Athlete, Nag Hammadi Library)

 

 

 

The greatest mistake of a soul is non-recognition of its real Self, and it can only be rectified by recognizing itself..

Know thyself; recognize thyself; be immersed in thyself --- you will attain Godhood..

--- Mahavira (Tirthankar Bhagwan Mahavira)


By merely meditating upon Him all inflictions of the living souls (jivas) which have arisen from the world are destroyed. These are not destroyed through any other means. He is the Lord of three worlds, and is the Indestructible Supreme Soul..

Whatever is the Supreme Soul, so am I. Whatever is my essential nature, is the essence of Supreme Soul. Therefore, I am fitted for meditating on my inner Supreme Soul --- none other..

--- Pundit Puja Tika


The only method to know Consciousness is to experience (the true nature of) one's Self and thus to purify and uplift the mental tendencies. It is most desirable for the practitioner to search for one's self by one's self. There is no other means other than meditation, which verifies subjectively and substantiates objectively that which previously was only known through listening or teaching..

--- Acharya Tulsi


This soul in itself is illumined by the light of knowledge. However, in this body it is covered by three coverings: the gross body and two subtle bodies (Taijas and Karman shareer). As long as this soul does not recognize its enlightened form, the bondage remains..

An ascetic established in the Self (Atma) is liberated. The ascetic who is not thus established does not attain liberation through mere observance of niyama (outer observances). The state of being established in Atma is the Right Faith (belief verified by experience), and firmness in this is the ‘discerning character endowed with knowledge’..

---Jainist Sutras quoted in the book, The Harmony of All Religions


The person who has recognized the true nature of the soul (Atma) and experienced it through self-knowledge, merges into the Pure Form and becomes Paramatma (Lord, the Supreme Soul)..

--- Pundit Puja Tika


Human beings without knowledge of the Supreme Soul wander through the law of karma in the deep forest of the world. By the knowledge of the Supreme Soul a human being attains a prominent place --- even greater than Indra (king of the gods). Know Him to be the true manifested Supreme Soul. He is the abode of all joys. He is the brilliant light of knowledge. He is the protector. He is the Supreme Person beyond thinking and His nature can not be described..

The One, who can not be described by words and is not conceivable as matter or material stuff is the Supreme Soul. He is infinite, transcends Sound, has no birth, and is not subject to wandering in the world. With a still and tranquil mind meditate on the Supreme Soul..

--- Jainist text called, Jnanarnva

Arati and Santmat Special on the Auspicious Day of Guru Purnima!

Arati and Santmat

Special on the Auspicious Day of Guru Purnima! 

 

"Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night, again
and again. With care in thought, word and deed, you will
cross to the other shore." -- Sant Dadu Dayal

 

 

Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras

Arati and Santmat

- Pravesh K. Singh

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati, http://blog.360.yahoo.com/praveshksingh )

Most of the Hindu religious ceremonies end by performing a ritual called 'arati/aaratee' (a ceremony performed in adoration of a deity or a deeply respected religious figure of highest spiritual accomplishments by circular movement of a lighted lamp accompanied by ringing of bells, blowing of conches, beating of drums and gong etc.). The lighted lamp is usually placed in the centre of a large flat metallic plate or platter which is decorated with 'akshat' (whole unbroken rice grains), camphor, flowers, fruits, sandalwood paste/powder, betel leaves, confectionery sweet dishes, incense sticks, camphor etc. Use of light and sound in some form or the other are found to be generally associated with most of religions worldwide. In a mosque, for instance, 'chirag' (lamp or some other source of light; as 'namaz' is not offered in darkness) is kindled and 'namaz' (prayer) is rendered by the 'Imam' (priest) through microphone. Candle and bell can be found in churches. While, in the Buddhist temples a lamp is kept lit and a gong is hung.

Therefore, it emerges that light and sound are central to almost versions of worship. Sants say that this emphasis on worship of light & sound is, in fact, a hint at the fact that the true worship consists in worshipping (focusing one's undivided attention on) the divine Light and the divine Word which are pervading the whole of universe/creation - gross or astral. Even our own life depends on the presence of these two – Light and Sound. Absence of Light (indicated by the complete loss of body warmth; light and heat are mutually inter-related to each other essentially) and sound (manifested in the pulse-rate and heart beat) implies our bodily death. So, sants explain that these outer light and sound are symptomatic or suggestive of the more important inner Light and inner Sound. God has made the creation with the help of these two. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, one of the all-time greatest exponents of Santmat, would say that Light and Sound are like the two arms of God so that if we wished God to embrace us with all His love and affection, we must try to catch hold of these two limbs of His. Thus, a different notion of 'arati' is found in Santmat. The 'arati' of Santmat is an internal activity and should be accordingly performed within the temple that is, our own body. Sants like Tulsi Sahab of Hathras (U.P.), Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj etc. have composed wonderful verses exhorting seekers to perform 'arati' (signifying meditation on inner Light & Sound) within. Below is presented essence in English of one such 'arati' by composed by Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras, based on its Hindi Translations by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj and his worthy disciple & successor Maharshi Santsevi ji Paramhans. This 'arati' is sung at the end of Akhil Bharatiya Santmat (the branch of Santmat started by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj) Satsangs (spiritual gatherings):

"Perform 'arati' (within you) in the company of the True Guru, and behold the Light that keeps illuminating the inner sky. ||1||

Manifest Divine Fire within this body, made of five elements, (this may also be construed as to make the five characteristic colours of the five elements forming the gross universe around us including our own body appear within the body) and spread light by lighting lamp from this fire. ||2||

Placing (decorating) the Sun and the Moon as fruits & flowers on the plate or platter of the inner sky, install the pitcher of camphor i.e. the white luminous Point, in the beginning of 'arati'.||3||

Make 'akshat' (whole, unbroken grains of rice used in arati and other religious ceremonies) of stars and wear the garland of pearls visualized in the inner sky.||4||

[N.B. The spiritual practitioner comes to visualize stars, the Moon and the Sun in the inner sky in the course of meditation. These celestial bodies may be thought of as resembling small grains, flower, fruit etc. (articles used in the ritual of 'arati' performed outside in the gross world) kept on the plate or platter that is, the inner sky itself.]

Different forms of bright light seen within are like the betel leaves, sweets, sandal, incense sticks, lamps etc. used in 'arati'.||5||

While visualizing the refulgent Light within, melodious Sounds of various musical wind and percussion instruments are heard by the mind-fish (just as the fish can swim upstream against even very strong currents of water, mind also ascends in the inner sky and, therefore, has been likened to tiny fish by Sants. Thus the method of 'Surat Shabd Yoga' or 'Naadaanu-sandhaan' – meditation on the inner divine Sound - is also referred to as the 'meen-maarg' or the path of the fish).||6||

Just as the black bee is lost completely in the sweet fragrance of, and gets willingly trapped within, a lotus flower, focused surat plays in the inner sky joyfully, captivated by the fragrance of divine Sound.||7||

The pure Light that appears within destroys all the sins of the beholder.||8||

In the inner void or sky the currents of Light and Sound keep pouring. The spiritual seeker who can ascend himself unto this gateway (of divine kingdom) merrily drenches or soaks himself in this rain.||9||

The surat drinking the nectar (of Divine Light & Sound) gets intoxicated with the resultant joy, and thus marches jubilantly forward.||10||

Brilliance of Light seen within is comparable to the luminance of crores of Suns taken together. Connect yourself (to God) by seeing (ascending) beyond the Unseeable (Quintessential Sound) ||11||

Every moment keeping your surat focused in the inner sky, sip the rare Imperceptible juice by the Guru's grace.||12||

The path to Guru's abode is illuminated with sparkling Lights and reverberates with divine Sound. Sant Tulsi Sahab advises us to forsake the body (rise above the body) by reverting inwards just as the bird 'alal' does. ||13||

[N.B. In Hindu Scriptures there is a mention of a bird named 'alal' which is said to live pretty high above in the sky. This bird never comes down to the earth. The eggs laid by the 'alal' begin to fall down towards the earth. However, these eggs are laid at such great heights that before these can reach the earth's surface, their hatching period is over and the young kids come out of them and fly back towards their homes high above in the sky. Using the allegory of the 'alal' Sant Tulsi Sahab advises our individual souls to climb back, through meditation, to the great heights, our own true Native Abode i.e. the Realm of God.]