COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICES IN JAINISM

AND PĀTAÑJALA YOGA

THESIS SUBMITTED BY

DEEPAK BAGADIA

TO

KAVIKULAGURU KALIDAS SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY

FOR

PH.D. DEGREE

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

DR. SHRIRAM H. AGASHE

RESEARCH GUIDE

K. J.SOMAIYA BHARATIYA SANSKRITI PEETHAM

(CULTURAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE)

SOMAIYA VIDYAVIHAR CAMPUS, MUMBAI, INDIA

2016
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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that works integrated in the thesis entitled “Comparative study of
spiritual practices in Jainism and Pātañjala Yoga” submitted by Deepak Bagadia for
the Ph.D. Degree, is a bonafide record of the research work done by him under my
supervision and guidance during his period of study at K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti
Peetham for the degree, that his study has been as outcome of his own efforts and has not
been submitted either in part or whole to any other University for any other degree, that it
is an independent work done by him, and that the material which has been obtained from
other sources has been duly cited and acknowledged in the thesis.

Dr. Shriram H. Agashe

Research Guide

K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham

Somaiya Vidyavihar Campus, Mumbai, India

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DECLARATION

The thesis entitled “Comparative study of spiritual practices in Jainism and

Pātañjala Yoga” submitted to Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek for the
award of the degree of Ph.D. has been completed under the guidance of Dr. Shriram
Agashe in K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, Vidyavihar, Mumbai, India.

This study has been an outcome of my own efforts and has not been submitted either in
the part or whole to any other University for any other degree.

Candidate

(Deepak Bagadia)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

For the accomplishment of this work, I wish to express deep appreciation to all those who
have helped me during my work of completion of this thesis and to take it to the
destination in various ways, without whom, my thesis would not see the light of the day.

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my guide Prof. Dr. Shriram
Agashe, a great inspiration to the entire community of Yoga students, who not only
motivated and guided me like a true Guru but also provided all energy, knowledge and
boost to complete this research work. Without his help, it would have been impossible to
fulfill this task. I am highly indebted to Dr.Kala Acharya, Director of K.J.Somaiya
Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, Dr.Lalita Namjoshi and entire staff and co-teachers at
Peetham, my second home, for their continuous support and cooperation. I am also
indebted to Guruji Shrikrishna Vyavahare (Annaji) and Ghantali Mitra Mandal, who
pulled me to the field of Yoga with their virtues and values, 25years back. I am sincerely
grateful to Dr.Madhusudan Penna, who inspired me to take up this topic out of many
choices. Besides, I am grateful to my teachers and Yoga experts Dr.Ganesh Rao and Shri
Niranjan Gogia. Also my since thanks to Jain scholars like Shri Suresh Gala, Dr.Kokila
Shah for their continuous guidance.

Pujya shri Kirtichandra Maharaj, founder of Shantiniketan, Tithal and other great
Jainacharyas like the head of Swetamber monks Pujya Jaighoshsuri, Pujya
Jagvallabhsuri, Agama expert Pujya Labdhichandra sagarsuri, Pujya Muktivallabhsuri
have always been sources of inspiration and continuous flow of guidance in knowing and
understanding the basic principles given in Jain Agamas. I am indeed grateful to them.

I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to my parents, better half Bhavna,
better manifestations Dr.Chirag-Dr.Jimish, and other family members for providing
constant inspiration, fuel and encouragement throughout this Jnana-yatra. I am also
grateful to my co-students Suvarna and Vikas and few friends for various suggestions and
encouragement to take this journey towards destination.

May all those mentioned above and whose names are hidden gain full merits and virtues
accrued from this work, all the depth of my silent gratitude to you.
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ABBREVIATIONS

AD = anno domini, before dates after the supposed year Christ was born

B.C. / B.C. = Before Christ

C.E. / CE = Christian Era

GS = Gheranda Samhita

ed. = Edited by

e.g. = as an example

i.e. = that is to say, in other words (an abbreviation of Latin: “id est”)

PYS = Patanjal Yoga Sutra

HP = Hatha Pradipika

p. = Page Number (pp. = more than one page)

No. = Number

Tr. = Translator

T.S. = Tattvarthasutra

Uni=University

Up. = Upanisad

U.P. = Uttarpradesh

V.S. = Vikram Samvat (Hindu calendar year from the death of King Vikramaditya)

Vir Samvat = Jain calendar year, starts from the nirvana/death of Lord Mahavir

Vrutta/Mahavrutta/Anuvrutta = व्रत / भहाव्रत / अणुव्रत (Virtues in Jainism)

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Diacritical Marks as per Standard International Transliteration Code

Vowels Consonants

अ a क ka ध dha

आ ā ख kha न na

इ i ग ga ऩ pa

ई ī घ gha प pha

उ u ङ ṅa फ ba

ऊ ū च ca ब bha

ऋ ṛ छ cha भ ma

क ṝ ज ja म ya

ए e झ jha य ra

ऐ ai ञ ña र la

ओ o ट ṭa व va

औ au ठ ṭha श śa

ववसगग ḥ ड ḍa ष ṣa

ढ ḍha स sa

ण ṇa ह ha

त ta ऺ kṣa

थ tha ऻ jña

द da
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certificate ii

Declaration iii

Acknowledgement iv

Abbreviations v

Diacritical Marks vi

Table of contents vii

Preamble viii-x

Chapter (1) Introduction 1 - 46

Chapter (2) Yoga philosophy and practices 47 -156

Chapter (3) Jain philosophy and practices 157 -292

Chapter (4) A Comparative study 293 -340

Chapter (5) Conclusion and discussion 341 -347

Annexure-I 348

Annexure-II 349-350

Annexure-II 351

Bibliography 352-360
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PREAMBLE

The study and understanding of Indian Philosophy offers satisfactory answers to all
queries a human mind can raise. The goal of all Darśana-s is to attain liberated state from
all miseries and to achieve complete silence. For this attainment, different paths and
means are described in different philosophies. Yoga, one of them offers techniques which
are scientifically designed for development of an individual. Sage Patañjali, a great
designer of Yoga and true sutrachologist has nicely compiled all moral principles, values
and techniques that quieten the mind, develop personality and ultimately uplift one
towards spirituality. If we focus only on individual development predominantly, we may
get individual peace.

Another Darśana, Jainism also has ethical principles, meditation practices and a certain
ideology to make us realized our real nature, the true origin and our ultimate goal of the
human life. All practices prescribed result into social upliftment, social peace. Unless
universal peace is established, both of them individual and social peace do not serve the
purpose. And both are interdependent. The actual need today is social harmony for which
a perfect blend of both in current situation is necessary.

Though, the common goal of liberation in a way is abstract, the path towards the goal is
empirical and the techniques are experimental and logical. But, in the current scenario,
even a spiritual person cannot liberate himself if he is surrounded by violence, corruption
and terrorism in the society. So, it is important to design a quality system which would
simultaneously bring positive change in both society and an individual. Even Yogi
Aurobindo‟s efforts and teachings are to liberate entire universe and not only an
individual freedom. He insisted on total change in the society. Fundamentally, nobody is
truly liberated until all are liberated. Similarly, here the approach of this blend is to make

spiritual progress from an individual level to the community level. (व्मक्तत – सभक्टट)

The main focus of this research work is to evolve a system which will be useful to both;
an individual and society as well. Further, it could be extended to universal level. The
type of this work is qualitative conceptual research based on literature survey. The
research process designed as under:
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Research questions:

1. Do the spiritual practices described in our scriptures provide eternal happiness and
peace?

2. Are there any common and comparable practices in different Indian philosophies to
form a better and more helpful blend out of them?

3. Whether these spiritual practices of one philosophy are applicable to followers of

different philosophy?

4. Should not the goal of human life be “Emancipation of self as well as upliftment of
the society”?

The basic research questions are analysed, applied delimitating the research work to the
selected two philosophies namely Jainism and Yoga for and these questions then,
converted to formulate a hypothesis.

Hypothesis:

“A detailed study, analysis and implementation of spiritual practices of Yoga and

Jainism philosophies may build a better Human being and an ideal society one can
aim for.”
Hence the synthesis of the two systems viz. Yoga and Jainism may lead to „आत्मनो मोक्षार्थं

जगध्दिताय च |’ i.e. for liberation of the individual and for the good of the world – as

mentioned by Swāmi Vivekānanda1. This Hypothesis or a proposed explanation is made

on the basis of available scriptural evidences and experiences of few scholars as a
starting point for the further investigation. It is intended to explain certain facts or
observation.
Research Methodology:
The methodology used here is qualitative conceptual research based on literature
survey which starts with Literature review, looking for new possibilities for spiritual

1
Swami Vivekananda, My India, The India eternal, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture,
GolPark, Kolkata, 1996, p.240
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practices to manage the stress and quality of life followed by collection of data from
maximum available primary and secondary scriptures, comparing them and attainment
of solutions in the form of blends of practices for the current problems in human life.
All possible data of spiritual practices available from both the Darśana-s are collected
from the original available scriptures, literature and commentaries (bhāṣyas) of
yogasūtra-s, translations and summaries of Jain Āgama-s like Ācāraṅgasūtra,
Āvaśyakasūtra (Chedasūtra), Bhagvatisutra, Tattvārtha Sūtra, and others. Sources of
data also were interviews, discussions with great scholars, monks and Acharyas. After
gathering the data, a detailed statement of similarities and differences in both these
philosophies is prepared as a comparative study. Analyzing these data resulted into rich
blend of the best practices out of both which are applicable to an individual and the
community as well for their benefits. Implementation of these practices may uplift the
quality of life of a person individually and groups or families of the society.

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