Who is a Jain Shravak: Blessings

Two types of spiritual practices or righteousness are propounded in Jain religion:

1. Shrut dharm (scriptural knowledge)
2. Chaaritm dharm (conduct)

Chaaritm dharm is further classified into two:

1. Agaar chaaritm dharm (conduct for a layman)
2. Anagaar chaaritm dharm (conduct for an ascetic)

Only those people who are endowed with deep detachment to the materialistic pleasures and are full of spiritual fervour can embrace anagaar chaaritra dharm. For a common layman it is difficult or next to impossible to pursue the ascetic's conduct. The ideology of a common layman having faith in religion is portrayed in a stanza of shravak pratikraman as:

dhany hain munivar mahaavrat paate sadbhaav se
sarvaa hinsa tyaag kar ve ji he samabhaav se
hai mahaavrat saadhy mera kintu vah duhsaadhy hai
par rmuvrat maarg madhyam saml aur susaadhy hai

A lay person contemplates that although mahaavrat (conduct of an ascetic) is their goal but at present it is arduous to follow whereas the path of anuvrat (conduct of a layman) is simple and easy to practice.Therefore, I must accept this path.

The most reverent Acharya Tulsi, the ninth acharya of Jain Shwetambar Terapanth sect, was the author of the treatise titled Shravak Sambodh. It would be beneficial for the lay community to learn by heart and comprehend this composition. Considering Gurudev Tulsi as the composer (Sutrakar), reverent Acharya Mahapragyaji can be recognized as commentator (Bhashyakar) of Shravak Sambodh.

The most reverent Acharya Mahapragyaji elucidated the verses of Shravak Sambodh during his discourses. The work of his expositions in Hindi is entitled as Pahachaan Jain Shravak Ki. In this day and age, there may be many people who, in spite of having interest in religion, are not well conversant with Hindi language and they are also educated with English medium. For such people English translation of the text Pahachaan Jain Shravak Ki will be very meaningful and this fact is being shaped in this book. It is hoped that the English version of Pahachaan Jain Shravak Ki would become a spiritual compass for the readers and for the people who are proficient in English and also would help their state of shravak get strengthened in the life.

With Best Wishes

8. 8. 18
Chennai
Acharya Mahashraman