Jain: A Treatise on Jainism: Three Jewels of Jainism, The Path of Liberation

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A Treatise On Jainism

By - Shri Jayatilal S. Sanghvi

CHAPTER VI  THE THREE JEWELS OF JAINISM

The Path of Liberation is the combination of right belief (Samyak Darshan), right knowledge (Samyak Jnana), and right conduct (Samyak Charitra)  the Three Jewels of Jainism.  Following this path the soul reaches its ultimate goal, Nirvana.  Nirvana is the condition of the soul when it is free from all karmic dirt and regains its own pure inherent nature.  Then it is all blissful, all knowing, all powerful, ever lasting, having accomplished all that was to be accomplished. The Jain Philosophy explains all points in a two-fold manner.  The Nishchaya, Mukhya, Shuddha, Satyartha, Bhutartha, or Dravyartha Naya, is that aspect which views things from an absolute standpoint, unaffected by the influence of surrounding circumstances. Vyavahara, Upachara, Ashuddha, Asatyartha, Abhutartha, or Paryarthika Naya contemplates the same objects in their varying conditions under outside influences. This study of the two-fold aspect of substances, is essentially necessary for a full and perfect comprehension of an object.  From the Nishchaya Naya i.e.  Real point of view man viewed as the Jiva is pure consciousuess, and is immaterial. Again, as encased in the body, it is from Vyavahara Naya i.e. Practical point of view, said to possess weight, colour and other attributes of matter.  It has varying degrees of consciousness according as it is in one sensed, two sensed, three sensed, four sensed and five sensed form of life.  The vast majority of people in the world are so very much engrossed in mundane pursuits, that they pay no attention, and bestow no thought to find out the reality of their own selves; and therefore they go deeper into the more of mundane meanderings. "Know thyself," has been the precept and practice of all serious searchers after the truth about soul.  The high saints point out Vyavahara for the guidance of the ignorat.  They first describe things as they ordinarily and seemingly appear and gradually they lead to the real aspect.  If attention is confined to vyavahara only and no effort is made to grasp the real aspect, there would be no real progress and one would be unable to evolve the spiritual side and would ever remain involved in mazes temporal.  It is therefore essentially necessary that one should know both the real and practical aspects of things. If one adopts the Nishchaya view only, one would altogether neglect the rules of conduct which serve as stepping stones to spiritual progress.  If the Vyavahara view alone is adhered to, realisation of the true self, Moksha, would become impossible of attainment. In the universe, Jivas exist in two conditions.  There are the pure, uncontaminated Jivas, exhibiting all the attributes of perfection.  They are omniscient.  Omniscience is just the seeing of the whole Truth.  It is a full and direct manifestation of the soul, knowledge is the essence of soul.  There is no soul without knowledge, Non-omniscience is merely a result of the soul being obscured by the conation obscuring and knowledge obscuring karmas. These being destroyed, Omniscience the real natural characteristic of the Soul manifests itself.  Such omniscient jivas want nothing, they are above desire, and they are ever happy.  They are Mukta Jivas. The Samsari Jivas or embodied souls are contaminated by combination with fine molecules of fine karmic matter, which obscure their inherent attributes such as omniscience, peace and beatitude.  It is this Karmic combination, which is the inducing cause for attracting fresh Karmic matter to the soul, and keeping up the state of contamination.  There is a limit to the period for which karmic matter can remain combined and bound up with a soul, but before the expiry of that period, the activities of body, mind and speech, and the passions and emotions, generated by the karmic molecules already in contact, create a condition which attracts other karmic molecules for bondage with the soul, and thus the process of falling off of old, and the bondage of fresh karmas goes on and on. The karmas are ever changing in their intensity, duration, kind and quantity.  The stoppage of this process of bondage and the elimination of all karmas can be attained by effort, of which the ultimate result is nirvana, emancipation, liberation from the karmas.  The ultimate object of human existence is to attain perfect purity of soul, its condition of inherent perfection.  The obstacle to such attainment is ignorance, illusion, or Moha, and when that is removed, the inherent attribuies appear and the latent becomes patent.  The latent potentialities become fully, manifested, and the imperfect soul becomes perfect soul, Parmatma. Jiva and matter both have the capacity of modification.  The modification, however, would not go beyond the scope of their respective attributes.  A Jiva would in spite of all modifications remain a Jiva, and would never get modified into matter; and so would matter never get modified into Jiva.  But there is a sort of reciprocal connection of cause and effect between them, in as such as the impure thought activity of a Jiva is an auxiliary cause to the conversion of karmic molecules into karmas, and the operation of bound up karmas becomes an auxillary cause for the impure thought activities of Jiva.  This reciprocal action is the cause of the ever continuous existence of Jiva in mundane condition. Matter existing by itself could never have been capable of turning into karma, if there were no stimulus of the impure thought activity of a Jiva; and a Jiva could never entertain an impure thought activity if there were no karma affecting it.  The continuance of such action is Samsara, and its discontinuance is Moksha.  Illusion is the basic cause of the transmigration of Jiva in the world.  This illusion consists in not understanding the true nature of Jiva and matter, and in identifying Jiva with the passions, affections and the various other conditions caused by karmas. Love, hatred, lust, anger, greed, pride, and deceit are not the Svabhava (true nature) of Jiva; they are produced by the influence of karmas.  The true nature of Jiva is pure consciousness, which, by the effect of karmas, has become affected with attachment, hatred and the various other passions and affections.  Ignorant persons taking what are only (accidentals) circumstantials to be the essentials of Jiva, entertain hatred, and other passionate tendencies, and are ever involved in the course of transmigration. Having got rid of the above perversity and having well realized the nature of the self, steadfastness therein is the means to the acquisition of the object of Jiva.  This is what is well known as Samyak Darshan, Samyaktva, or Right Belief. Right Belief (Samyak Darshan): Right Belief must first be acquired; for it is there after that knowledge and conduct become right. It is an unshakeable belief in the real nature of the essential soul, non-soul etc., the seven principles of Jainism as described previously.  These seven principles solve all problems which agitate man's mind, such as, what substances the universe is composed of, what are the natural qualities and functions of each of these substances, what is the reality of Jiva, why does it transmigrate, and how can it attain Nirvana, what am I, why am I here, what is to become of me, what is the reality of what I see around me, why is there pain and misery in the world, and how can they be got rid of, and how can happiness be attained?  There are eight pillars of Right Belief as shown below: 01.  Nishankita Anga, i.e, it should be free from doubt.  The true believer should never entertain any doubt as to whether  all these many sided views of things proceeding from the  Omniscients, are true or untrue.  He should never be skeptical.  Our intellects are limited, our capacities are narrow and it is  impossible for us to realize the complete knowledge of  everything that exists.  We have therefore to take many things  on trust.  Inquiry should not be stifled but it should begin in  a reverent manner.  With a firm belief in the truth, as laid  down by the Lords of Wisdom, the earnest inquirer should proceed  to investigate in a steady manner the real nature of the  subjects of his inquiry, and light will come to him in fuller  and fuller blaze, until he will himself enter the Hall of  Wisdom, and see and know all. 02.  Nikankshita Anga i.e.  it should not be disfigured by  expectations. 03.  Nirvichkitsira Anga, by disgust 04.  Armudha Drishti Anga, by superstition 05. Upavrinhano or Upaguhano Anga, by fault finding. A true believer does not hanker after wordly pleasures and greatness.  He is enamoured of spiritual happiness, which is far beyond the gratification of senses.  He should not exhibit a feeling of disgust at the various conditions caused by hunger, thirst, cold, heat, etc.  or at the sight of excrement, etc.  He should realise the true nature of things as they, are and should look at everything with a dispassionate attitude. Physical conditions due to the operation of karmas should induce in him a feeling of pity and not disgust.  A true believer who has faith in seven Tattvas should never have a superstitious belief in a fallacious scripture, an unreal doctrine, or a false deity.  Similarly he should not search for and proclaim the faults, defects and discrepances of others. 06.  Sthitikarana Anga is the 6th pillar of Right Belief. It means steadiness.  The right believer should be firm, and should strengthen others who are vacillating.  One should always drive away the inroads of scepticism on himself or others by constant reassuring and argument, and should never yield to sceptical thoughts. 07.  Vatsalya Anga means that the right believer should have affection for co-religionists.  He should ever cherish feelings of deep affection for religion, which brings about the treasure of spiritual happiness, and also for co-religionists. 08.  Prabhavana Anga is the 8th pillar of Right Belief.  It is a  desire to enhance the glory of the Faith. The learned saints have said six Padas regarding soul as the basis of Right Belief: 1. There is soul.  Just as there are other substances in the  universe, similarly there is a soul substance also.  On  account of certain attributes, just as the existence of other  substances has been proved, similarly on account of its  attribute chetan, consciousness the existence of soul has  been proved. 2. The soul is ever-lasting.  Soul is of permanent duration.  Other substances owe their existence to circumstances.  Soul  is a self entity because no circumstances are experienced for  its origin or birth.  Chetan attribute is not likely to be  produced due to combination of any other substance.  Therefore, that which has its existence without any  circumstances cannot have its destruction due to any  circumstances.  As such soul is ever-lasting. 3. The soul is the doer.  All substances are full with some  actions and results thereof are seen.  The soul is also full  with actions and is therefore the doer thereof.  In the real  sense self-absorption is its action but in the practical  sense it is the doer of karmas due to thought activities. 4. The soul is the enjoyer.  There is always the fruit of  whatever action is done.  Such is the experience.  There is  fruit of poison if it is consumed, there is fruit of sugar if  it is taken, there is fruit of fire touch if that is done,  there is fruit of snow touch if that is done.  Similarly,  there is fruit of whatever way the soul acts, viz., with  passions or without passions.  The soul is therefore the  enjoyer of those actions which he does. 5. There is Moksha (Liberation).  The soul is the doer of karmas  and the enjoyer of the fruits of its karmas.  However, there  is destruction of these karmas also, because as intensity of  passions gets lessened by practice the karmas get destroyed  that way.  Pure self (without karma) is Moksha or liberation  from karmas. 6. There is remedy for Moksha.  If there is always bondage only  of karmas, then these can be no release from same.  But there  are remedies swch as Right Belief, Right Knowledge, Right  Conduct, which are contrary for the bondage of karmas and by  the practice of which intensity of karmas gets lessened and  gradually the karmas get destroyed.  There are, therefore,  the remedies for attainment of Moksha. These six truths are said by the learned Saints as the basis of Right Belief. Right Knowledge (Samyak Jnana): Those who have attained Right Belief as above, should devote themselves to the acquisition of Right Knowledge, which though simultaneous with Right Belief is yet distinguishable from it and has to be striven for, as an effect following Right Belief. Right Belief and Right Knowledge both are two distinct attributes of Jiva.  They respectively are obscured by two destructive karmas, Darshanavaraniya and Jnanavaraniya.  On the attainment of Right Belief, the knowledge then becomes Right Knowledge; but because of the existence of knowledge obscuring karma in operation, it not perfect.  Therefore, it is necessary to make constant endeavours for advancement of knowledge as long as omniscience is not evolved. The conquerors (Jinas) have called Right Knowledge the effect and Right Belief the cause.  Lamp and light go together; still the lamp precedes the light, and light cannot be said to precede the lamp. In the same way there is relation of cause and effect between Right Belief and Right Knowledge, though both are almost simultaneous. It should be free from three main defects: (a) Doubt (Samashaya) (b) Perversity (Viparyaya), and (c) Indefiniteness or Vagueness (Anadhyavasaya). Practical Right Knowledge is the acquisition of the detailed knowledge of all the seven principles, explained previously, with the help of the Jain Scriptures and should be free from the above said three main defects.  Real Right Knowledge is to know the true and real nature of the soul as quite distinct from all other non-soul substances. Constant contemplation of, and unflinching devotion to, the subject matter of practical Right Knowledge is an auxiliary cause to the attainment of real Right Knowledge.  Further, it comprises correct reading, writing and pronouncing of letters and words, correct understanding, both combined, at proper time, with reverence, propriety of behaviour, zeal, and desire for its propagation.  Just like eight pillars of Right Belief there are eight pillars also of Right Knowledge as set out below: (1) Grantha - Reading, writing and pronouncing every letter and word correctly. (2) Artha - Understanding the meaning and full significance of words, phrases and the text. (3) Ubhya - Reading, writing and speaking with full and proper understanding of the import of what is read, written and spoken. (4) Kala - Observance of regularity, punctuality and propriety of time.  Improper and unsuitable occasions should be avoided. (5) Vinaya - Reverent attitude. (6) Sopadhana - Propriety of behaviour. (7) Bahumam - Zeal. (8) Aninhana - No concealment of knowledge or of its sources, If knowledge is pursuied in the manner stated above, it will be properly and progressively acquired and promulgated. Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra). After Right Belief and Right Knowledge, the third but the most important path to the goal of Moksha is Right Conduct, the three together forming what is collectively known as Ratna Traya, the "Jewels Three" of Jainism.  Right Belief and Right Knowledge would not lead to Moksha, which is attainable only after the destruction of all karmic contact, and this can only be accomplished through Right Conduct. A Right Believer, who has fully realised the true and real nature of his own soul, and is bent upon getting rid of the karmic filth which is in bondage with his soul, tries to follow Right Conduct. It is Right Knowledge which makes conduct right.  Conduct following ignorance can never be designated as right.  Therefore, Right Conduct follows Right Knowledge.  The main object in following Right Conduct is to be free from attachment and aversion, and from all impure thought activities and to attain the condition of equanimity. It is of two kinds.  The complete conduct of a saint, and the partial discipline of a disciple or a layman, Shravak. From the real point of view, Right couduct is an inherent attribute of Jiva, in its pure condition. Practical Right Conduct consists in observing the following five vows: 1. Ahimsa - refraining from doing injury to any of the mundane  souls. 2. Satya - refraining from falsehood. 3. Asteya - refraining from theft. 4. Brahmacharya - chastity. 5. Aparigraha - Non-attachment. Laymen observe these partially (Anuvrata) while saints observe them fully (Mahavrata). We now look into the details of these vows. 1. Ahimsa: Refraining from doing injury to any mundane soul.  Any injury whatsoever to the material or conscious vitalities  caused through passionate activity of mind, body or speech is  Himsa.  Under the influence of passion, a person injures the  natural purity of Jiva; and, as a result of the working of  passions, he loses his life forces, or life itself, and  similarly, causes pain to others, or even the deprivation of  vitalities or of life itself.  Passion is thus the moving  cause which leads to himsa.  The word Prana means vitality.  It is of two kinds.  Bhava Prana,  conscious vitalities are the attributes of Jiva such as  consciousness, peacefulness, happiness, power.  The conscious  vitalities are possessed by all Jivas alike.  Dravya Prana are material vitalities.  They are ten,  the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, the  three forces of body, speech, and mind, and breathing and age.  With reference to the possession of material vitalities Jivas  differ and are divided into the following six classes:  (1) Ekendriya, one sensed, such as earth bodied, fire bodied,  air bodied, vegetable bodied.  They have four vitalities:  age, breathing, body force, and sense of touch.  (2) Dvendriya, two sensed, such as worms, conch, shell.  These have six vitalities:  the previous four, and speech  force and sense of taste.  (3) Treendriya, three sensed, e.g.  bug, ant, scorpion, lice.  They have seven vitalities:  sense of smell is added to  the above six.  (4) Chaturendriya, four sensed, e.g.  wasp, moth, fly, bee.  They possess the sense of sight also and have eight  vitalities.  (5) Panchendriya Asaini, Irrational, five sensed, such as a  kind of serpent found in water.  They have nine  vitalities, the sense of hearing being added to the  preceding eight. They are rarely found.  (6) Panchendriya Saini.  Rational, five-sensed.  They include  hellish, celestial and human beings, beasts, birds, fowl,  fishes, serpents, etc.  They have ten vitalities, mind  force being added to the above nine.  The degree of Himsa varies with the motive which causes it,  and the vitalities injured.  The higher the number of  vitalities possessed by a Jiva, the greater is the himsa in  killing it.  Himsa has been said of two kinds: Anarambhi or Samkalpi and Arambhi.  The first one may be translated as "Intentional Injury".  It can  be avoided by every thinking person without any difficulty or harm  to himself.  The second one Arambhi Himsa may be sub-divided as Udyami,  Graharambhi, and Virodhi.  Udyami Himsa is unavoidably committed in the performance of  necessary domestic purposes such as preparation of food, keeping  the house, body, clothes clean, construction of buildings, wells,  gardens, and keeping cattle.  Virodhi is that which is unavoidably committed in defence of  person and property, against thieves, robbers, etc.  One who has  adopted the discipline of a saint practises complete Ahimsa.  A  true believer in the householder's stage abstains from Samkalpi  Himsa, but is unable to abstain from Arambhi, although he tries  his best to avoid it as far as possible, and is ever making  progress in such endeavour.  Further, those who desire avoiding himsa should, first of all take  care to renounce wine, flesh, honey, and the five Udumbar fruits,  viz., gular, anjeera, banyan, peepal and pakar, all belonging to  the fig class.  Honey, wine, butter, flesh are all the result of  extrerne fermentation and the birth place of lives of the same  genus.  The five fruits referred to are birth places of mobile  lives.  A Jain disciple would renounce all the above non-eatables.  Also Himsa is inevitable in eating at night.  It should,  therefore, be renounced.  One, who has perfectly renounced Himsa,  will not utter a word which is likely to give pain to auother;  will not do any act which may cause injury to another; will not  harbour any thoughts prejudicial to another; will not make anybody  else utter words likely to cause pain to another, nor commit acts  likely to injure another, nor entertain feelings of ill will  towards another; and will not approbate or encourage others who by  words, deeds or thought cause pain to another.  This nine fold  renunciation is perfect renunciation. 2. Satya: Refraining from falsehood.  Wrong statement throught carelessness is falsehood.  It may be:  (1) denial of the actual existence of a substance with  reference to its position, time or nature  (2) affirmation of what does not exist, with reference  to position, time awd nature  (3) where it is wrongly described  (4) speech condemnable, sinful, or disagreeable.  Himsa is inevitable in such cases, because of careless  indulgence. 3. Asteya: Refraining from theft.  This is the appropriation of what is not given.  It causes injury  and is himsa, for property is as dear as life and there is  thoughtless indulgence. 4. Brahmacharya: Sexual purity, chastity.  In sexual intercourse there is obvious himsa, due to the killing  of mobile germs in the act.  Sexual indulgence otherwise has root  in desire, and hence is himsa.  If unable to live without a wife,  let other females be abjured.  Many a householder is not  sufficiently advanced to give up sex desire altogether.  It is  only the ascetics who do so.  The house holder also should,  however, observe the vow of Brahmacharya to a limited extent by  total abstinence from all sexual desires with reference to females  other than his own wife. 5. Aparigraha, Non-attachment: Attachment of temporalities.  Affectionate regard for external objects is due to illusion  and is attachment clinging to externals.  Even if one has  renounced all tangible property, the feeling of attachment  itself is a clinging to externals.  Possession (Parigraha) is  external and internal (Bahiranga and Antaranga Parigraha).  Internal possessions are fourteen: (1) Wrong belief (2) Desire for sexual enjoyment with woman (3) Desire for sexual enjoyment with man (4) Desire for sexual enjoyment with both (5) laughter (6) indulgence (7) enui (8) sorrow (9) fear  (10) disgust  (11) anger  (12) pride  (13) deceit  (14) greed  External possession is of living or non-living objects.  Abjuring all possession is Ahimsa; and all appropriation  internal as well as external is himsa.  Himsa, the central  sin, is included in every other of the remaining four:  falsehood, theft, sexual impurity, and possession of goods.  Internal attachment, the desire for worldly objects  prejudically affects the purity of the soul, and this injury  to the pure nature of the soul constitutes himsa.  External  possession or the actual possession of temporalities creates  attraction and love for them, which defiles soul purity and,  therefore, amounts to himsa.  Both internal and external  attachment should, therefore, be given up by one who  practises the principle of Ahimsa. Supplementary Vows: A layman is required to follow the seven supplementary vows (Sheelas) also, as they are helpful in the proper observance of the first five main vows.  Just as the encircling walls guard town, so do Sheelas (supplementary vows) protect the Anu-Vratas. Out of these seven, the following are called Gunavratas (Multiplicative vows) because they raise the value of the first five vows multifold. Gunavratas: (1) Dig Vrata, a vow to limit worldly activities to fixed points in all the 10 directions, north, south, east, west, north- east, north-west, south-east, south-west, above and below. This brings the merit of Ahimsa with regard to what is beyond such limits. (2) Desha Vrata, a vow to limit worldly activities for a fixed period only.  This means that one shall not, during a certain period of time, proceed beyond a certain village, market, street, or house or have anything to do with objects beyond that limit.  This secures Ahimsa in regard to what is beyond such confines. (3) Anartha Danda Vrata.  Taking a vow not to commit purposeless sin.  It is of five kinds: (a) Apa Dhyan, thinking ill of others. (b) Papodesha, preaching ill of others. (c) Pramada Charya.  Inconsiderate conduct, such as uselessly breaking the boughs of trees. (d) Himsa dan, preparing or supplying instruments of attack. (e) Dushruti, reading or listening to improper literature. The remaining four supplementary vows are the following Shiksha-vratas or disciplinary vows; so called because they are preparatory to the discipline of an ascetic's life. Shiksha Vratas: (1) Samayika.  Taking a vow to devote a fixed period everyday, once, teice or thrice, at sunrise, sunset and noon to the contemplation of the self for spiritual advancement.  By giving up Rag-Dwesha," affection and aversion and observing equauimity, in all objects, one should practise samayika, equanimity, continuously, as per set procedure, which brings about a realisation of the true nature of self. (2) Proshadhopvasa.  Taking a vow to fast on four days of the month, i.e.  the two Ashtamis and the two Chaturdashis.  To strength the daily practice of Samayika a discipline, one must observe fasting, twice each fortnight.  Free from all work, and having given up affection for the body etc., one should commence fasting at middle of the day previous to Proshadha day (which is the 8th and the 14th day of each lunar fortnight).  One should then retire to a secluded spot, renounce all sinful activities, abstain from indulgence in all objects of the senses, and observe due restraint of body, speech and mind, and pass time in spiritual contemplation, perform Samayika, engage himself in self study and worship of Jina.  The Proshadha day, the second night, and the half of the third day should carefully be passed in the above manner.  He who having set himself free from all sinful activities, passes 16 Yamas (48 hours) in the above manner certainly observes the vow of Ahimsa in its thoroughness, for that period. (3) Bhogopabhoga Pariman. Taking a vow everyday to limit one's enjoyment of consumable and nom-consumable things.  Bhoga means enjoyment of an object which can only be used once, such as food and drink, fruits and flowers.  Upabhoga means enjoyment of an object which can be used several times, such as furniture, dresses, ornaments, buildings.  Himsa is incurred from the use of articles of Bhoga and Upabhoga. One should, therefore, ascertain the reality of things, and renounce these two also, in accordance with his own capacity.  The use of all Anant Kaya vegetatables such as potato, ginger, radish must be given up, Anant Kaya or Sadharana vegetable is that which infinite Jivas adopt as their one and common body.  In Pratyeka vegetable only one jiva pervades throughout the body.  Butter is the birth place of numerous Jivas.  Fresh butter if not at once melted on fire and strained away, becomes the place of generation of innumerable Jivas.  This is visibly apparent in what is called fermentation.  Fermentation in the case of butter, actually commences at once, though it is not visible early. Just like honey, wine and flesh, butter should also be renounced or enjoyment should be limited. (4) Atithi Samvibhag. Taking a vow to take one's food only after feeding ascetics or others, with a part of it. The food offered should be pure and with reverence. The house-holder is also the observer in the last moments of his life, of the process of Sallekhana, peaceful death, which is characterised by non-attachment to the world and by a suppression of the passions.  The last thought should be of a calm renunciation of the body, and this thought should ever be present long before death, supervenes.  This is, Ahimsa, because all passions have been duly subdued.  Thus, the house-holder's vows are twelve with the last or peaceful death as their supplement. The following 11 stages of spiritual progress (Pratimas) have been laid down for a layman.  (1) Darshan (Faith) Pratima.  A layman who entertains Right  Belief, and follows the five main vows to a limited extent  is classed in this stage.  He must have a perfect and  intelligent, well-reasoned faith in Jainism, i.e., he must  have a sound knowledge of its doctrines and their  applications in life.  (2) Vrata (Vow) Pratima.  In this stage he observes the five main  vows to a limited extent (Anuvratas), without transgression  and follows the seven supplementary vows i.e.  three  Gunavratas and four Shiksha Vratas.  In short, he must not  destroy any kind of life, must not tell a lie, must not make  use of another person's property without the owner's  consent, must be chaste, must limit his necessities of life,  and avoid the use of food which involves unnecessary killing  of living beings.  The three Guna-Vratas are special vows  relating to the limitation and determination of his daily  work, food, and enjoyment.  The remaining four vows relate  to his meaitation in the morning, noon and evening, to his  keeping fast on certain days, limiting enjoyment everyday of  consumable and non-consumable things, and to his duty of  daily giving charity in the form of knowledge, medicine,  comfort or protection, and food.  (3) Samayika (worship) Pratima.  In this state he practises  faultless contemplation regularly, three times, in the  morning, at midday and in the evening, at least for 48  minutes everytime.  Worship means self contemplation and  purifying one's ideas and emotions.  (4) Proshadhopavasa (Fortnightly must fast) Pratima.  In this  stage, he observes regularly a fast faultlessly twice a  fortnight i.e.  on the 8th and 14th days of each lunar  fortnight.  (5) Sachitta Tyaga Pratima.  In this stage he does not take  animate water and vegetable, etc.  Sachitta Tyaga means  abstinence from the flesh of conscious creatures.  He  refrains from taking fresh vegetable because they are  living.  (6) Ratri Bhukta Tyaga Pratima. (Abstinence from eating at  night).  He does not take or give food or drink at night.  There are minute living beings which no amount of light can  reveal or disperse, and which must be consumed with meals  after sunset.  (7) Brahmacharya Celebacy Pratima.  He gives up sexual intercourse even with his wife.  (8) Arambha Tyaga Pratima.  He gives up all professions and all  means of earning money and all worldly occupations.  Abandonment of merely all worldly engagements and  occupations.  (9) Parigraha Tyaga Pratima.  He gives up all desire for objects  of the world and abandons all property;  except a very few  limited number of clothes and utensils. (10) Anumati Tyaga Pratima.  He would not even offer advice on any worldly matter. (11) Uddishta Tyaga Pratima.  In this stage he would not accept  food which is prepared particularly for him.  He will only  accept food which is respectfully offered by a house-holder  at the time when he goes out for food. The last three stages 9 to 11 are preparatory to the monk's life.  They enjoin a gradual giving up of the world and retiring into some very quiet place to acquire the knowledge of Truth and ultimately to become fit to be a teacher of the Path to Liberation. Six Daily Duties.  Every Jain house-holder is ordinarily required to perform the following six daily duties: (1) Deva-Puja.  Worship of the Arhats, the adorables. (2) Guru Bhakti.  Devotion to the Gurus or Preceptor saints. (3) Svadhyaya.  Study of the scriptures. (4) Samyama.  Control of the five senses and the mind.  In practising Samyam, it is necessary to renounce certain objects of enjoyments with the idea of self-control. (5) Tapa. Austerities such as meditating upon, the nature of soul, every morning and evening, for a fixed time. (6) Dana or Charity. Giving of food, knowledge, medicine, and protection. The causes and processes of mundane ailments are adumbrated in the Jaina karma philosophy.  Their remedies are the 11 Stages (Pratimas) of the house-holder's life; and the vows, common to the house-holder and the monk, but followed in a more extended and intensive way by the latter. A saint while observing the five main vows fully and without any transmigration, has to observe the following eight rules of conduct also:  I. Five kinds of caution (Samiti). (a) Irya Samiti, proper care is walking. (b) Bhasha Samiti, proper care in speaking. (c) Eshna Samiti, proper care in eating. (d) Adana Nikshepa Samiti, proper care in lifting and placing the bowl, etc. (e) Utsarga Samiti, proper care while attending calls of nature. II. Three kinds of Restraint (Gupti) (a) of mind (b) of word (c) of body These eight rules of conduct taken together with the five vows make the thirteen rules of practical Right Conduct laid down for a saint. Six Essential Daily Duties of a Saint (Avashyaka). From the real point of view this means that a really true and independent saint must refrain from all good and bad thought activities.  At the same time it is necessary for him not to engage himself in the flickering thought activities concerning various attributes and modifications of all the six substances (Dravyas).  He should devote his whole attention to the realisation of the pure nature of his own self.  It is only in this condition of self absorption that a saint is said to perform Avashyaka Karma (Independent Action) From the practical point of view they may be briefly described as follows: (1) Pratikramana -  Repentence means the statement of the sins  and transgressions committed by a saint, during the  performance of his daily routine; and making penance for  them. (2) Pratyakhyana -  Renpnciation means resolving to avoid  particular thought activities and actions in future,  which tend to disturb the performance of essential  duties. (3) Stuti - praising (4) Vandana -  Prostration to the worshipful saints.  They are  both aspects of devotion which are practised with the  object of getting rid of impure thought activities. (5) Samayika - Equanimity.  In practising Samayika a saint  resorts to some undisturbed solitude, and calmly and  cheerfully withdraws all his thought activities, and  meditates upon his own soul and its various attributes  and modifications. (6) Kayotsarga -  This is the relinquishment of attachment to the  body and all other objects associated with it. If a saint or a layman merely observes his respective duties and vows, without having self absorption as his real aim, he falls far short of the standard and cannot be called the real follower of the Path of the Conquerors.  He is known as a Bahir Atma or external soul, while a saint or a layman who believes in Avashyaka Karma of self absorption and tries to work up to that, and does not restrict himself merely to the observance of external formalities, is called an Antar Atma, internal soul. Nirvana is the result brought about by the practice of self absorption, which is the combination of real Right Belief, real Right Knowledge and real Right Conduct. Among the Jains there are two main sects:  Swetambaras and Digambaras. The Svetambaras are subdivided into Murtipujak, Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi.  The latter two do not believe in idol-worship. The three main groups of Digambaras are Bisapanthi, Tarahapanthi and Taranapanthi.  They believe in idol-worship. The observance of the great vows are uniform for all the Jains except that the vow of Aparigraha (non-possession) is followed in its full sense by Digambar monks only, who remain unclad.  A peacock feather broom and a water pot (tumbdu) are the possessions of Digambar Monks.  They keep standing while they eat from the cavity of their palms. Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi monks and nuns carry a piece of cloth tied on their mouth (Muhapatti) which distinguishes them from other monks and nuns. Murtipujak monks and nuns carry a Muhapatti in their hand and they hold it at a distance from the mouth while delivering religious discourses.  Some critics call the Jainas Idolatrous, The answer to them is that the Jainas do not worship the stone, silver, gold or diamond of which the images of Jinas are made.  They worship the qualities of Total Renunciation of the World, the Acquisition of undisturbable harmony with the infinite, and the identity of the Liberated Soul with peace everlasting, which these images represent. The itinerary of any Jain Pilgrim includes places where the Jinas (Tirthankaras) attained Moksha and became Siddhas.  There are five such places associated with twenty-four Tirthankaras. Mt.  Kailas (Astapada) is associated with Rishabha the first Tirthankara. Sammeta Shikharji (Mt.  Parasnath), is associated with twenty other Jinas; Champapuri is associated with Vasupujya the twelfth Tirthankara, Mt.  Girnar is associated with Neminath the twenty-second Tirthankara, and Pawapuri is associated with Mahavira the last of the twenty-four Jinas or Tirthankaras.  Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana at Pawapuri in 527 B C. Pilgrims also visit places considered holy because of their association with various events in the lives of the Jinas. Rajagriha the Tirth of five Hills, is famous because Lord Mahavir's Samavasarana (the assemblage of celestials, men and beasts that heard the Preachings of Mahavira) was held there. Similarly, the Shatrunjaya Mountain in Saurashtra is holy because Rishabha the first Tirthankara had visited it.  It was also here that Bharat, the son of Rishabha, built a magnificent temple.  On the slopes of Shatrunjaya millions of Jain monks have come to meditate and seek Moksha.  The place is considered very sacred.  It has more than 800 shrines and 5000 images of the Tirthankaras. Like Shatrunjaya, the twin mountains of Mangi Tungi with their cave temples are revered because from there countless monks of the Digambara Sect have attained Moksha. In this category the Hill of Muktagiri can also be included.  On full moon day of Kartik, there is a big festival at this Tirtha. Near Muktagiri there is the Tirtha of Antariksha Parshvanatha.  It is claimed that here the image of Parshvanatha defies the law of gravitation.  It is suspended and does not touch its pedestal. At Sravanbelagola, Mysore on Doddabetta or Vindhyagiri there is a collossal image of Bahubali, the son of the first Jina Rishabha. Known as Gomateswara the image (57 feet high) is carved out of single rock aud was erected in the 10th, century. The Dilwara Jain Temples on Mt.  Abu are a great attraction for Jains.  The architecture is exquisite. Some Jain Tirthas are known as "Atishaya Kshetras," as, each of them has a certain miraculous event associated with it.  Among such places is the famous Kshetra of Shri Mahavirji in Rajasthan.  The temple of Rikhabdevji in the Aravallis, near Udaipur also known as the temple of Shri Kesariaji is also a great attraction for Jain Pilgrims.  To this deity everyday is offered Kesar (Saffron) and Chandan (Sandalwood), the exquisite fragrance of which engulfs the temple and forever lingers in the air. The temple of Ranakpur (Rajasthan) on the western fringe of the Aravallis breathes an atmosphere of sublime peace.  This Adinatha Temple was built in the 15th century.  It covers an area of over 40,000 Sq.  ft.  and the richly carved (1444) pillars are arranged in such a way that the image of Lord Adinath can be seen from any point.  There are no miracles associated with this shrine.  But the pious chanting, echoing within its spacious interior, awakens the pilgrim's deepest yearnings for contact with the Divine. The above are some prominent Jain Pilgrim centres.  Pilgrimage is good from the practical point of view but the real aim of a seeker to the Path of Liberation should be self absorption, which is the combination real Right Belief, Knowledge and Conduct.  CHAPTER VII CONCLUSION We have seen that the oddities which are found in this world are all due to the effects of different kinds of karmas.  We have seen the causes of inflow and bondage of eights kinds of karmas and their sub-classes.  We have seen how this inflow can be checked and how the shedding of karmas already bound can be done. The pure soul is free from all karmic matter and is full of the infinite attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, etc.  It is only when the soul forgets its own true self (Swabhava) and gets attracted towards material things due to Rag, Dwesha etc. (Vibhava) there is inflow and bondage of karmic matter with the soul and the cycle of mundane existence continues. It is the duty or Dharma of every mundane soul to get itself liberated from such existences (i.e.  from its condition of Vibhava) and bring  to its pure true self (i.e.  condition of Swabhava) with its natural and inherent attributes and thus achieve true happiness. The Fourteen Gunasthanas show us how the soul reaches higher and higher ladder of Spiritual Advancement from Wrong Belief to Right Belief, then to Vows, then to perfectly careful Vows, then to passionless, and then to a cessation of the Vibratory Activity of body, speech, and mind. A mundane Soul is beset with five kinds of innate evils or imperfections.  The Wrong Belief is shed at the end of the 1st,  Vowlessness at the end of the 4th,  Carelessness at the end of the 6th,  Passions at the end of the 10th, and  Vibratory Activity at the end of the 13th Spiritual Stage. The Three Jewels of Jainism, Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan, and Samyak Charitra, teach us how to tread the Path of Liberation and ultimately to achieve the desired goal--Moksha. The whole Drama of life is played or danced together by the living soul being in close grasp of lifeless matter.  Lifeless space is the stage, lifeless time is the duration and lifeless Dharma and Adharma the indispensable assistants for the dancers to move or to rest.  The exercise of dancing is their eternal movement in the cycle of mundane existences. Every pilgrim on the Path of Liberation (Moksha) must be constantly careful to avoid all passionate thought activities.  Every action of his will be performed with due care and caution and the commission of himsa would be avoided altogether. The acquisition of internal purification follows the practice of self control or conquest over the cravings of the body, and the ravings of the mind, a supreme subjection of sense desires, mastering of passions and governance of emotions.  The joys of yoga, of communion with the highest, are only known to those who have experienced them.  They are above all earthly pleasures, they lead to heavenly happiness, and ultimately to the realization, the attainment to Godhood, Siddhasthan, Parmatma Pada, the true happiness where the soul is identified with limitless, perfect, direct, completed knowledge, of all that is, that was, that shall be, simultaneous, in all their varying forms and conditions, is supremely self satisfied, is omniscient, and omnipotent, forever and ever, in the unending eternity of time and space. To achieve this condition requires supreme effort.  It is difficult for a layman at once to do so.  He has therefore to proceed gradually on the Path of Liberation.  He should at least aim that his next birth should be better circumstanced than the present one, not with regard to sense pleasures, but with regard to his spiritual advancement, and he should try to concentrate his efforts in that direction.  If such efforts are made and continued his soul is likely to rise higher and higher in spiritual advancement in subsequent births and ultimately after several births may reach the desired goal, the condition of Siddha.

JAY JINENDRA  

from Jainism: A Treatise on Jainism

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The Spiritual Bookstore Online World Religion Library

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