By Dilip V Shah
E D U C AT I O N
Book Review: Atmasiddhi Shastra – Six Spiritual Truths of the Soul
Dilip V Shah of Philadelphia is the past president of JAINA. He is currently serving as chairman of JAINA’s Constitution Committee and member of the Academic Liaison Committee. In addition to being an advisor for Jain Digest, he is also publisher and General Editor of Jain Avenue magazine – a publication of JAINA India Foundation. (“Atmasiddhi Shastra – Six Spiritual Truths of the Soul” is a Concise & Complete Commentary on Shrimad Rajchandraji’s signature creation by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji. Published by Harper Collins (India) Available on Amazon)
To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Shrimadji’s magnum opus – Atmasiddhi Shastra, the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD) has presented this elegantly produced spiritual guide for the English speaking world by his ardent follower Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji.
The Atmasiddhi Shastra is in fact a version of the letter Shrimadji wrote to one of his followers - Lalluji Muni. Battling a long illness, Lalluji feared he was nearing the end of life without grasping the essence of religion needed for his salvation. He wrote letters pleading Shrimadji to enlighten him with that kind of benevolent knowledge. As an act of benevolent compassion, Shrimadji wrote him a letter explaining six characteristics of the soul understanding of which is the key to salvation with advice to commit it to memory and daily recital. A copy of the letter reached Saubhagbhai, an elderly associate of Shrimadji who found it extremely beneficial but too arduous to memorize. He suggested to Shrimadji that it will be easier to remember if it were poetry. Again Shrimadji acquiesced and in just one sitting penned the most beautiful 142 stanzas under the title Atmasiddhi that has been known to the world as Atmasiddhi Shastra.
It is a work of beauty in poetry that rhymes. The discourse proceeds in a logical manner without using complicated words. There are several versions of it on YouTube in melodious and haunting tune that pulls in the listener and awaken him.
Shrimadji had developed a wide and all-encompassing view of the six main philosophies of Indian tradition: 1. Chārvāk 2. Jainism 3. Buddhism 4. Nyāy-Vaishesi 5. Sānkhya- yog 6. Purva Mimānsā- Uttar Mimānsā
The six fundamentals are the very basis on which each Philosophy builds its opinion. The genius of Atmasiddhi is in integrating and weaving them in expounding the six fundamentals. It logically arrives at the supreme truth by examining all perspectives. Shrimadji accomplishes that without mentioning any philosophy by name, denigrating, or endorsing anyone. In fact, the entire text does not name any religion by name. The focus is on self-realization and self-realization alone.
The central theme of the Atmasiddhi – the six steps – has appeared in much earlier Jain writing by the sages like Acharyashri Siddhasen Divakar in Sanmati Prakaran during fourth-fifth century, the seventeenth century Mahopdhyay Yashovijayji in Adhyatma Sār, Kundkundacharya -Digambar intellectual giant of the first century, and
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