કુંદકુંદાચાર્યકૃત સમયસારમાં આત્મતત્ત્વની વિચારણા

Summary

Jagruti Pandya’s Gujarati article examines how Dudhkundācārya (Kundakunda) articulates the nature of the soul in Samayasāra, a foundational Jain text composed around the 2nd century CE. Samayasāra literally means “the essence of the self” and consists of 439 verses divided into ten chapters. The author explains that Kundakunda distinguishes between the empirical self (vyavahāra jīva), which is entangled in karma and worldly activities, and the pure self (niścaya jīva), which is omniscient, blissful and devoid of karmic matter. The text discusses the five fundamental categories that describe the soul’s journey: āśrava (influx of karmas), bandha (bondage), saṃvara (stoppage), nirjarā (shedding of karmas) and mokṣa (liberation). Kundakunda teaches that bondage arises when the self identifies with the body and responds to sensations with attachment or aversion. Liberation comes when one observes pleasant and unpleasant sensations without craving or hatred, allowing karmic particles to shed. The article highlights that Kundakunda emphasises the Ratnatraya—right faith, right knowledge and right conduct—as the path to liberation. He explains that true self‑knowledge involves realising that one is not the body, senses or mind but the soul itself. By cultivating detachment from material things and practising non‑violence, truthfulness and self‑restraint, one can stop new karmas from accruing and accelerate the dissolution of old ones. The essay analyses verses where Kundakunda likens the soul to a mirror covered in dust: when the dust (karma) is removed through spiritual practice, the mirror shines in its own light. The author also addresses commentaries that interpret Samayasāra as an experiential manual for meditation; they argue that it anticipates techniques akin to vipassanā, where awareness of bodily sensations leads to equanimity and insight. The article concludes that Dudhkundācārya’s exploration of atmatattva (nature of the self) combines metaphysics with practical ethics. Samayasāra remains a timeless guide for Jain seekers, emphasising introspection, detachment and the gradual purification of the soul.