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R.D. Ranade (1886-1957) was a man of conventional wisdom and spiritual insight. The book entitled Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, Pathway to God in Hindi literature and many other bring out his views on mysticism.

Ranade鈥檚 View on Mysticism

Ranade in his book 鈥�Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism鈥�, defines mysticism as that attitude of mind which involves a direct, immediate, first-hand intuitive apprehension of God. It signifies the highest attitude of mind which man is capable,^[1] it is neither occult nor mysterious phenomenon, as it purely implies the silent enjoyment of God.^[2] In this book Bhagavad G墨t膩 as a philosophy of God-realisation, he defines mysticism as a spiritual grasp of the aims and the problems of life.^[3] The surest criterion of mysticism is the reality of experience as enjoyed by the mystic himself. And it is the element of divinity in it that makes it so supremely compelling and valid. It is this personal divine of aspect of the mystic鈥檚 spiritual realisation which stands it with a peculiar hallow and worth.

Jainism agrees with the above Ranade鈥檚 view on mysticism. According to Jainism, mysticism is an attitude of soul or state of soul where soul experiences or sees and knows the transcendental self and other realities; direct immediate and intuitively. It signifies the highest spiritual evolution of which man is capable. Jainas claim that soul is potentially divine, the 辫补谤补尘腻迟尘腻 is latent in 腻迟尘腻, hence the realisation of 辫补谤补尘腻迟尘补丑辞辞诲 is not an occult or mysterious phenomena but it is the enjoyment of purely divine state of the soul, which every man has a right to and could attain by his own effort without the help of any supreme authority. According to Jainism, in mystical experience the mystic grasps the mechanism of the universe as whole and human nature in particular, which led him to the roots of all problems.^[4] Jainism believes that mysticism is subjective experience. The mystic himself is the supreme authority is surest criterion in the realm of spirituality. His conviction or the reality of truth in all its aspect and the element of divinity featured with infinity and eternality constitutes the real criterion and the validity of the mystical experience. As A.N. Upadhye says 鈥榯o evaluate mystical visions rationally is not to value them at all. These visions carry a guarantee of truth undoubtedly with him who has experienced them; and their universality proves that they are facts of experience.鈥�^[5] Jainas believe that all the souls have knowledge as their essence, in omniscience they all are alike, which characterise as timeless suprasensory i.e., intuitive knowledge which lies beyond logical reasoning and is not amenable to verbal expression. This is the common or same experience which all the mystic soul attains, hence they form a unique unity.

Mystical Experience Exercise of Intellect, Feeling and Will

Ranade mentions that a mystical life involves a full exercise of the intellect, feeling and will and that in addition, brings into operation the faculty called intuition by which one gets directly to the apprehension of reality.^[6] This mystical experience connotes a determinative effort towards the acquisition of reality, it implies a definite, prolonged and continuous exercise of the will.^[7]

According to Jainism, the quintessence of the mystic journey involves the full exercise of three jewels, 鈥�厂补尘测补驳诲补谤艣补苍补, Samyagja帽膩na, Samyagc膩ritra.鈥� None of these three ratnas can be pursued meaningfully and effectively in isolation. The complete training and perfection and the integrated nature of these ethico-spiritual discipline leads to liberation,^[8] Ranade鈥檚 intellect feeling and will can be compared to the three jewels.^[9] In Jainism though for mystical apprehension the intuitive faculty works primarily and as an independent faculty, but it is included in the perfection of right knowledge. Thus, only trinity directs the liberation

Universality of Mystical Experience

According to Ranade, mystical experience is not a private possession of few but the treasure opened for all. Capacity to have insight into absolute truth is present in all of us but it is latent. It can be attained by training or the Guru impart to him the knowledge of true path.^[10] The progress consists in approaching God moment by moment. It is graded development. It has universality, objectivity and necessity.^[11]

Jainas do agree with the Ranade鈥檚 above view that the experience of divine treasure of the soul and insight into absolute truth is open to all and its not a private possession of few. This capacity is latent which is awakened only when the soul is spiritually inclined by the attainment of 鈥�samyaktva鈥�. The occurrence of smayag 诲补谤艣补苍补 is sometimes consequent upon the instruction of those who have realised the divine within themselves, or are on the path of God-realisation, while at other times, the self is reminded of its spiritual heritage automatically without the help of any outside instructions^[12]. The Arhanta, Siddha, 膧肠腻谤测补, 鲍辫腻诲丑测补 and 厂腻诲丑耻 are recognised as active gurus who instruct for spirituality.

Having attained the smayag诲补谤艣补苍补, the aspirant now ascends step by step on the spiritual ladder known as 驳耻峁嘺蝉迟丑腻苍补. This gradual ascending on spiritual path leads to the purity by destruction of the karmas and in approaching or getting nearer to the godhood moment by moment. The experience of these 驳耻峁嘺蝉迟丑腻苍蝉 are universal, objective and necessary part of mystic鈥檚 journey.

Nature of Mystic

Describing the nature of mystic Ranade asserts that not all mystics need to be philosophers, not all mystics need to lead a life of emotion, not all mystics need to be activist, but wherever true mysticism is one of these faculties must predominate, and unless we see in a mystic a full-fledged exercise of atleast one of these faculties we may not say that he is entitled to the name of mystic at all.^[13] In Ranade鈥檚 view, the mystics of all ages and countries form an eternal divine society. There are no social, no communal, no national prejudices among them. Time and space have nothing to do with the eternal and infinite character of their mystical experience.^[14] It lies at the bottom of moral, social, as well as ritualistic teaching.^[15] The great mystics of various ages and climes have an identical teaching about the victim of the self, which is the acme of their spiritual realisation. Moreover, 鈥榃hen a man reaches the acme of his spiritual realisation, he sees his self, his own form, suffused in a halo of dazzling light鈥�^[16]. This vision of the self is attained when the tree of unreality has been cut down, when through all manner of exercises, the outer man has been converted into the inward man.

In this context, what I understand is that in Jainism a true mystic is a supra-multidimensional personality. He is a philosopher as he philosophizes the experienced absolute truth. He leads a life of supra-sensuous emotions, endorsed with supreme compassion, supreme forgiveness, supreme equanimity etc. infinite virtues and he is an activist as he shows the path of liberation. But the remarkable point, in the 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补蝉 all these qualities manifest, whereas in the 厂腻尘腻苍测补 碍别惫补濒墨 there is no necessity of its manifestation. Besides these two the siddhas transcend all these facilities and they are comparable to quitistic tendency. Thus, these faculties cannot be taken as criteria for calling mystic as a mystic.

Jainism too, regards the mystical experience or supra-sensuous experience enjoyed by true enlightened mystic (i.e., 碍别惫补濒墨 or siddha) as the 鈥榓pex of spirit鈥� or 鈥榠nner light鈥�. In this enlightened state and spiritual realisation, the soul shines with the light of omniscience like the light of the sun enlightening itself and other objects; and experiences great bliss for which there is no parallel elsewhere^[17]. This state of vision is attained by the mystic soul when turns inwards to the soul and eschews everything else. This realisation is the foundation source for all moral, social and religious teachings.

Jainism, too, agrees that the 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补蝉 of every time cycle gives an identical teaching about 腻迟尘补-惫颈诲测腻 i.e., vision of the self. They see the whole truth and preaches it but add nothing since it is perfect and one for all, and for all times, and must necessarily be without beginning and without end.^[18] According to Jaina thinkers, the siddhas or the perfect soul in 狈颈谤惫腻峁嘺 are form less, bodiless and free from all karmic attachment, remains in inactive, omniscience and bliss through all eternity, transcending, time and space. These infinite siddhas forms unity in this above aspect due to which they constitute the formation of eternal divine society. There is no, communal, national prejudice among them. Beside siddhas, from the transcendental point of view the embodied mystic鈥�罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补 and 蝉腻尘补苍测补 办别惫补濒墨, of all time cycle forms one class or unity on the basis of having the same characteristic such as absolute knowledge and absolute perception.^[19] But from empirical point of view, they do not form any unity as the former enjoys atisayas (special super natural powers) which the latter does not. Moreover, the former is capable of preaching and propagating religious doctrines in order to guide the mundane souls emerged in the life of illusion, and his sermons are properly worded by 骋补峁嘺诲丑补谤补, while the latter is not propounder of religious faith or principles but silently enjoys simply the sublimity of mystical experience.^[20] They give the teachings as per the need of the hour, or questioned by any.

Royal Possession

Ranade opines that mystic鈥檚 journey for self-realisation is a royal or victorious procession. Jainism too opines the mystic journey as royal or victorious procession, as the mystic journey is the journey of self-conquest. The 膧驳补尘补 remarks that-鈥渃onquest thy self^[21], as greater will be his victory who conquer self than that of one who conquers ten thousand soldiers/fighters in a vigilant fight.^[22]

In the context of mystical discussion Ranade details the ugly soul, ideal sage and sanctuary and statue, all the three can be compared with Jaina concept of three states of soul, antar腻迟尘腻, bahir腻迟尘腻 and 辫补谤补尘腻迟尘腻 respectively. See chapter four for more detail.

Value of Name

Ranade believes that in mystical experience by celebrating of God鈥檚 name one can put an end to the misery of the world and attain blissful life and hopes for salvation.^[23]

Jaina devotees do believe that the name of the God assumes an important place in attaining liberation. By God Jainism understands Siddha and 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补 who provides the highest ideal to which aspirant soul aspires^[24]. Offering prayers, or worship or salutation to these great spiritual ideals leads the potent power there to be fully manifested, undermines the root of 蝉补尘蝉腻谤补.

As the Yogindu states鈥�

鈥淭hose who take the name of the ideal souls, they destroy the delusion karma and becomes the master of the world^[25] 鈥�

Criterion of Mystical Experience

Ranade deals with five criterions of the reality of mystical experience. He states that in the state of mystical experience there is no difference in the quality of the mystical or intuitive realisation of all the mystics.^[26] He supposes that as per intellectual aspect, one must have a penetrating, accurate, and unflattering intellect. He must have intellectual power is absolute clarity of thought. Pointing to the emotional aspect, he mentions that the life of emotions is a sine qu膬 non of mystical experience. In fact, no mystical experience is possible unless we have a platitude of finer emotions, all turned to the experience of God.^[27] To a mystic the possession or use of emotions in their refined, pure and deiform state is must. The third criterion of mystical experience is its capacity for the definite moral development of the individual and the society^[28]. Then, again, so far as the utility of the mystic to the society is concerned, we may almost regard it as a truism of mysticism that a mystic who is not of supreme service to the society is not a mystic at all.^[29] Finally, the surest criterion is the validity of the experience as enjoyed by the mystic himself^[30] or finally the conviction of the mystic himself constitutes the real criterion of the validity of mystical experience.

Ranade discusses five criterions for mystical experience which we do also find in the concept of Jaina of mysticism. The very first criterion is the element of universality. As it is already been said before. Secondly Jainas believes that the realisation of the soul divinity and its essence comes through the undistributed mind. A distributed intellect brings delusion, to the soul. Tranquillity of mind, lead to undistributed concentration which results in self-realisation. Thirdly, the Jains believes that a mystic aspirant with introvertive attitude, recognises all the souls as equal to his soul. He practices supreme comparison, forgiveness, equanimity, tolerance etc. Fourthly Jaina opines that morality pervaded with spiritualism can lead to the transcendental height of mystical experience. Jainism being an ascetic system provides moral code of conduct that results in ascending purity by destroying the karmas, ultimately leading to mystical experience. Moreover, Jainism do not agree with Ranade鈥檚 this view that a mystic is not at all mystic who is not supreme service to the society. Jainas accounts that among the enlightened mystics-Siddha, 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补 and 厂腻尘腻苍测补 碍别惫补濒墨, it is 罢墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补, who necessarily gives supreme service to the society by preaching the religious doctrine and establishing the religious order for crossing the road of miseries and attaining liberation. He is activists. While the Siddha has minded his own business of spiritual realisation. They correspond to the tendency of quitistic , while the 厂腻尘腻苍测补 碍别惫补濒墨 are of correspond to both qualities i.e., they do sometimes give teaching and some times are quiet. About criterion of its validity is already discussed. Thus, Jainism imbibes all the criterion. We can conclude that the Ranade鈥檚 philosophy of mysticism has very nearer reflection of Jaina mysticism.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. xiii

[2]:

Ibid, p. xiii

[3]:

Ranade, R.D., The Bhagvad Gita as a philosophy of God-realisation, 1959, pg.124 (as quoted in Facets of Mysticism, p. 308)

[4]:

Rampuria, S.C. (general editor), Lord 惭补丑腻惫墨谤补, Jain Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun, 2001, Vol. 1, p. 309

[5]:

Spiritual Enlightenment, p. 45

[6]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. xiv

[7]:

Ibid, p. xiv

[8]:

Rampuria, S.C., Lord 惭补丑腻惫墨谤补, Jain Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun, Vol. 1, p. 189

[9]:

Param腻迟尘补prak膩艣a and Yogas膩ra, Pram腻迟尘补鈥揚rak膩sa, p. 2.13

[10]:

Ranade, R.D., Pathway to God in Kannada literature, Bhartiya Vidy膩 Bhavan, Mumbai, 1976

[11]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. xxxvii

[12]:

Ethical Doctrine in Jainism, p. 176

[13]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. xxxviii

[14]:

Ibid, p. xv

[15]:

Ibid, p. xxxi

[16]:

Ibid, p. xviii-xix

[17]:

Param腻迟尘补prak膩艣a and Yogas膩ra, 1.33-35, 106, 116

[18]:

The Jaina Concept of Omniscience, p. 83

[19]:

Param腻迟尘补prak膩艣a and Yogas膩ra, Param腻迟尘补prak膩艣a, 2.99, 203

[20]:

Ethical Doctrine in Jainism, p. 199

[21]:

鲍迟迟补谤补箩箩丑补测补峁嚹佱箛颈, 23.36

[22]:

Ibid , 9.34

[23]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. xxxviii

[24]:

Lord Mah膩vira, Vol.1, p. 189

[25]:

Param腻迟尘补prak膩艣a and Yogas膩ra, 2.206

[26]:

Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism, p. 37-38

[27]:

Ibid, p. 30

[28]:

Ibid, p. 11

[29]:

Ibid, p. 12

[30]:

Ibid, p. 13