प्रतिरूपता : अनासक्ति की साधना

Summary

The text discusses the concept of pratirupata (equivalence) in Jain ascetic practice, focusing on the contrast between acelata (nudity) and savastrata (wearing clothes). It explains that in Jain tradition, two main schools exist: Digambara, where monks practice nudity, and Shvetambara, where white robes are worn. The core teaching emphasizes that liberation depends not on whether one wears clothes or not, but on conquering raga-dvesha (attachment and aversion). A monk who wears clothes but is free from attachment can attain liberation, while a naked monk with strong attachments cannot. Pratirupata, or nudity, is described as a severe austerity that brings ten benefits: lightness, non-negligence, manifest spiritual identity, pure identity, purified right faith, perfect conduct, trustworthiness of all beings, freedom from inspecting clothes, sense-control, and extensive practice of austerities and disciplines. The text notes that nudity is prescribed only for male ascetics, while Shvetambara tradition holds that women can also attain liberation. It warns against desire or ambition even in severe austerities, citing a Sanskrit verse about a practitioner who endures extreme heat and cold but remains bound by the noose of hope. The body is compared to a servant that must be paid wages—food, water, protection from elements, and medicine—to avoid exploitation and enable spiritual practice. Ultimately, the text stresses that the essential practice is overcoming attachment and aversion, maintaining equanimity in favorable and unfavorable conditions, and not becoming entangled in ambitions, as simplicity is the first step toward liberation.