PRERIT SHAHMumukshush of North America (MONA)Young Jains of America (YJA) Convention

Summer 2010

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Salutations To - Arihantas Siddhas Acharyas Upadhyays Sadhus

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Objectives Understand & Define Stress. Understand the importance of Jain

fundamentals in understanding & managing Stress.

Provide the resources to learn more about Stress Management & other issues.

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Key Questions1. What is Stress? Who experiences Stress?2. What are the Causes of Stress?3. What are the Consequences of Stress?4. How can you manage the Stress?

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Stress Management LogicDefine StressWhat is Stress?

Who experiences Stress?

Consequences of StressHow does it affect me?

Causes of StressWhat causes stress?Who is responsible?

Manage StressHow do I manage & mitigate Stress?

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What is Stress??High Blood Pressure??Hyper Activity of Endocrine System??Headache??Fear??Harassment??Environmental or External force?? OR Something else??According to American Institute of Stress,“Stress is not a useful term for scientists because it is

such a highly subjective phenomenon that it defies definition. And if you can't define stress, how can you possibly measure it? “

(Ref: http://www.stress.org/topic-definition-stress.htm) Let’s understand Jainism in order to understand Stress.

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Jainism & Stress Management Jain Tattva (Physics) provides a very clear

understanding about the phenomenon of stress. In order to understand stress, we’ll first need to

understand our self and physical principles of the universe around us.

Study of Jain Tattva (Physics) is extremely important to define stress, understand its causes and to find ways to manage stress.

Let’s explore few basic principles of Jainism in order to understand our self and the physical principles of the universe.

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Nature of Universe

What is Modification (Paryay)?Change of state of each attribute of the

Substance is called Modification.

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Six Substances

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Dravya (Substance), Gun (Attribute) & Paryay (Modifications)

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Dravya (Substance)Multiple Aspects – Every Substance exhibits

eternal aspect (Dhruv – non-changing) and transitory aspect (Utpat-Vyaya – changing every Samay)

Conservation of Substance – These 6 substances are in existence since the infinite time in the past and they will remain in existence till infinity in future. Substances can neither be Created nor Destroyed!! They will continuously change their modes while maintaining their fundamental attributes.

Classification – From the Number Point of View, Substances are infinite. From Type Point of View, there are Six Substances.

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Gun (Attribute) An attribute is that which exists in each and every

part of the substance in any shape or form (all modes/states).

There are 2 types of Attributes – Samanya (Common) – Present in all 6 substances Vishesh (Specific) – Present in one or more, not all

Each Substance consists of infinite Attributes. Here, we’ll study only few of them.

Each Attribute of every Substance is independent of other attributes.

All Attributes pervade in the Swa-Kshetra (entire region) of the Substance and exist simultaneously.

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Vishesh Gun (Special Attributes) of Jiv Dravya

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Vishesh Gun (Special Attributes) of Pudgal Dravya

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Paryay (Modification) Change of state of each Attribute of the

Substance is called Modification. Each Modification of each Attribute of every

Substance is independent of each other. Each Modification of each Attribute of all

Substances occur in a specific sequential fashion (Krambaddha Paryay).

Each Modification of Each Attribute of all Substances pervades in the Swa-Kshetra (entire region) of the Substance.

Each Substance is considered the Doer of its own Modifications. No Substance can interfere with other Substances.

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Types of Paryay Swabhav Paryay (True nature or Natural

behavior of Substance) – Paryay of Attributes which occurs without any instrumental cause. Example – (1) Sweetness of Sugar.

Vibhav Paryay (Impure behavior of Substance) – Paryay of Attributes which takes place in the Presence of Instrumental cause. Example – (1) Modified taste of sugar when sugar is

heated. Even when a Substance expresses Vibhav Paryay, its

ability (swabhav) to express Swabhav Paryay does not get destroyed and it remains within the Substance.

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Paryay in Pudgal Dravya

Attribute ParyayVarn

(Color)White, Red, Black, Yellow, Blue

Ras(Taste)

Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Astringent, Pungent

Gandh(Smell)

Fragrance & Bad Odor

Sparsh(Touch)

Light-Heavy, Hard-Soft, Cold-Warm, Viscous-NonViscous

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Classification of Paryay in JivAttribute Swabhav

ParyayVibhav Paryay

Gnan (Knowledge)

Keval Gnan (Infinite

Knowledge)

Mati-Shrut-Avadhi-Mann Paryay Gnan

Darshan (Perception)

Keval Darshan (Infinite

Perception)

Chakshu-Achakshu-Avadhi

Darshan

Shraddha(Belief)

Samyag Darshan (Right Beliefs)

Mithya Darshan (Wrong Beliefs)

Charitra (Conduct)

Veetaragata (Equanimity)

Kashaya(Passions)

Veerya (Energy)

Anant Veerya (Infinite Energy)

Limited Energy

Sukh(Happiness)

Anant Sukh (Infinite Bliss)

Sansari Sukh-Dukh (Worldly Happiness & Unhappiness)

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State of Extreme Stress

Mithya Darshan(Shraddha)

(Wrong Beliefs)

Kashayas(Extreme Passions)

Sampurna Dukh(Extreme

Unhappiness)

Mithya Gnan(Wrong & Limited

Knowledge)

Simultaneously

Mithya Drashti Sansari Jiv

(Worldly Soul with Wrong Beliefs)

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Conclusions - What is Stress? Who Experiences Stress? Who Does Stress? Stress is a Vibhav Paryay of Jiv. Since, Stress occurs in the Jiv Dravya, Jiv

Dravya experinces the Stress. Since, Stress occurs in the Jiv Dravya, Jiv

is the Independet Doer of the Stress. No other Substance causes Stress in Jiv.

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Key Message Don’t blame others for Stress. Jiv himself is

the independent Doer & Knower of the Stress. All causes of Stress lies within Jiv himself. Accept your own responsibility for your Stress. Circumstances do not bring Stress.

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Summary & Conclusions Stress is Self Inflicted. Circumstances & other people don’t cause

Stress. Our own Wrong Beliefs (Mithya Darshan) & Passions (Kashayas) are the root causes of our Stress.

Study of Jain Tattva (fundamentals) is extremely important to define stress, understand its causes and to find ways to manage stress.

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ReferencesEntire “Stress Management Workshop” and free

weekly teleconference classes on “Jain Fundamentals” for Young Jain Professionals (YJP) are available from Mumukshus of North America (MONA). Refer MONA YJP section on the website:www.jainism.us

Jain Scriptures by KundaKund Acharya Punchatikay Sangrah Pravachansar Samaysar

Jain Tattva Parichaya by Dr.Ujwala D. Shah. http://www.jaana.org/books/english.asp

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