12. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam

The twelfth value of jñānam is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, a long Sanskrit compound word that stands for a rigorously objective attitude toward life.

The word breaks down as follows: janma (birth), mṛtyu (death), jarā (old age), vyādhi (disease), and duḥkha (pain). Doṣa means faults or defects, anu means repetitively or “again and again”, and darśanam means seeing or knowing. Therefore, this value is the practice of repeatedly reflecting upon the inherent defects and limitations of life.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of this value based on the teachings:

The Unavoidable Defects of Life

• Birth and Death (Janma and Mṛtyu): These are inseparable mirror-twins. Anything that is born must inevitably end; while a person is busy living, death is always patiently waiting.
• Old Age (Jarā): Even if a person is currently young and vigorous, if they elude death for long enough, old age will certainly arrive. It brings unavoidable physical decline, such as dimming vision, dull hearing, and an unsteady step.
• Disease (Vyādhi): Sickness is a constant shadow in life. It can strike anyone at any time or place, transforming a champion athlete into an invalid in a short period.
• Pain (Duḥkha): Pain is a lifelong companion from infancy onward, and despite one’s best efforts, it cannot be completely avoided. The teachings categorize this sorrow into three types:
  • Ādhyātmika duḥkha: Internal pain, comprising the individual’s own physical aches and mental troubles.
  • Ādhibhautika duḥkha: External pain caused by the surrounding world, such as pollution, a noisy neighbor, or a traffic accident.
  • Ādhidaivika duḥkha: Pain resulting from completely uncontrollable, “heavenly” sources like earthquakes or tidal waves.

A Factual, Not Negative, Attitude It is crucial to understand that reflecting on these defects is not a negative, morbid, or pessimistic practice; rather, it is purely factual. The purpose of this darśanam (seeing) is to direct your attention to the reality that life is uncertain, painful, and swiftly moving toward old age and death.

By keeping these facts in mind, a seeker avoids frittering their life away. It motivates the individual to recognize that available time is deeply precious. When one remembers that time is the “devourer of the world”, they are inspired to use their time consciously and alertly. Whether working, playing, eating, or sleeping, doing so with conscious alertness prevents life from passing by unnoticed, making the individual a true master of time rather than a victim of it.