(Title page, Forward, Preface, and Contents are mistakenly not
computerized. It will be added later on.)

CHAPTER I

THE JAIN RELIGION

The religion which enjoins adoration and worship of Jinas or the religion
which is propounded by Jinas is knows as the Jain religion.

Jina means one who has conquered the internal enemies and impurities of the
soul like attachment (raga) and hatred (dwesha). He is known as Parmatma (the
great soul), Sarvajna (omniscient), and Savadarshee (omnipotent). Such Jinas
have been in existence from times immemorial. No beginning can be traced for
them, and the Jain Religion has also no beginning. It is a very ancient
religion. It teaches us to become Jina and those who follow it are called
Jains.

According to Jain conception the period of time consists of two cycles,
ascending (utsarpinee) and descending (avasarpini). In each of these two
cycles, twenty-four Tirthankaras (Jinas) came into existence. They are called
Tirthankaras because they are to become the propounders of the sacred order of
religion. The last Tirthankar was Lord Mahavir. Some say that Lord Mahavir
was the founder of Jainism, but this is incorrect. Twenty-three Tirthankaras
existed before Lord Mahavir flourished. In their times Jainism also
flourished and before that also Jainism existed. By their extraordinary
perception and knowledge, Tirthankaras who come from time to time, bring the
fundamental principles into light again. They preach them, propound them, and
also spread them.

The souls of Tirthankaras, from the very moment of their births, are gifted
with superb knowledge and are very highly meritorious. They renounce their
kingly status, cast aside their riches and worldly pleasures, and adopt
asceticism. By the performance of extremely severe penances, they destroy all
sins accumulated during their past births, burn all karmas, inculcate a spirit
of equanimity towards friends and foes both, attain the status of Vitaraga
i.e, where there is no attachment or hatred towards anyone, and gain
omniscient knowledge.

Those souls (atmas) who have thus become Parmatmas are of two kinds,
Jeevanmukta and Videhmukta. Those who have destroyed the four Ghati Karmas
are called Jeevanmukta.

Jnana-varaniya,
Darsana-varniya,
Mohaniya, and
Antaraya

Those who have destroyed the four further Karmas, known as Aghati Karmas are
called Videhmukta or Siddha.

Nama, Gotra, Ayushya, and Vedniya

Jeevanmukta Parmatmas, Arhats, or Arihants impart their rare and unprecedented
teachings to all to realize true happiness and ultimately attain the eternal
bliss of the final beatitude (Moksha). The principles of Jain religion having
been propounded by Veetraga (souls with no attachment or hatred) and Sarvajna
(Omniscient) are universally wide and based on truth and for that very reason
their universal beneficence can be said to be established and proved.

Ahimsa Parmo Dharma (nonviolence is the paramount religion) epitomize the true
essence of Jainism. This suggests that one should bear love towards all
living beings, as they are considered potentially divine in whatever form they
exist. All of them have the capacity to be liberated from the endless cycle
of birth and rebirth and attain eternal bliss. Attainment of the purity and
liberation of the soul are achieved by the means of Right Faith, the Right
Knowledge and the Right Conduct.

Jainism allows full freedom to all human beings to observe the vows and
practice self-discipline. The vows to be observed by monks and nuns are
stricter than those for lay people. The Jain religion preaches that even the
smallest of the small living beings (jivas) should be given protection and
should not be hurt. It is the teaching of Jainism that all living beings in
the world desire to live. Death is not desired by anyone. All beings desire
happiness, and dislike misery.

There is life (Jiva) even in earth, water, fire, air, and vegetables. The
soul in all worldly living beings is potentially like the soul in us. There
is no difference in the soul of an ant and that of an elephant, though the
very same soul (Atma) takes the form of an ant as well as that of an elephant.

Contraction and expansion are its characteristic attributes and due to the
bondage of karmas a soul finds itself born in any one of the eighty-four lack
of forms of existence.

If any living being is ill disposed towards us, even so we must love and give
protection to it, whether it is an animal or man. This is the magnanimity of
Jain Religion. What a height of eminence! What a noble sentiment for
universal welfare!

The Jain Religion preaches the Doctrines of Ahimsa (nonviolence), Satya
(truth), Asteya (nonstealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy) and Aparigraha
(nonattachment).

Anger, pride, deceit, greed, attachment, aversion all these are our terrible
foes. One should be away from them.

Avoid nocturnal meals, look the ground you tread upon lest any injury may be
done to any living being, filter water and other liquids and then use them.

Do not speak ill of anybody, nor feel jealous. Avoid strives and quarrels.
Maintain mutual good-will and do not do evil to anybody. Be delighted at the,
sight of virtuous. Be desirous of allaying the sufferings of the unhappy. Be
friendly towards all living beings. By giving pain to others, one will have
to experience bitter fruits. Therefore, one desiring happiness should make
others happy. Inculcate the spirit of equanimity towards others. Be
charitable, try to uplift the poor and the afflicted, observe the best moral
standards in your conduct i.e. make your character an ideal one, practice
austerities to the best of your abilities and lead a life of the pure and
noble thinking. This is the principal message of the Jain Religion. The
details will be found in the following pages.

It is extremely difficult to get this human existence. One should therefore
shake off idleness and indolence, instill and practice religion and, thereby,
enjoy the endless and unobstructed happiness of the final beatitude.

Anekantvada:

It is the doctrine of Jain Philosophy that the ultimate principle is always
logical and there can be no principle devoid of logic. The Jain mode of
explaining everything logically is very charming. One finds deliberative
exhortations on any subject in all its facts, may they be constructive or
obstructive, enlightening or destructive, consumptive, or nutritive. The main
reason for this is the exquisitely beautiful system of logic and reasoning
known as "Syadvad". The principles of Jain Philosophy are based on the theory
of Syadvad. It is the best means of arriving at the truth or of ascertaining
fundamental principles and it is because of this that the Jain Philosophy is
at the helm of all philosophies and the Jain Religion is the perfect religion.
The word Syadvad is composed of two words `Syat' and `Vada'. Syat means in a
sense or from a certain standpoint (Apeksha) and Vada points at Principle or
School. One thing from one standpoint or point of view appears to be of a
certain type while from another point of view the same thing appears to be of
a different type. Therefore, to comprehend the full aspect of a thing one
must take into account several points of view. This being the belief of
Syadvad, it is sometimes also known as "Anekantvada" as well (i.e. that
school of thought which takes into account more than one point of view).

To understand the true nature of Syadvad, Apekshavada or Anekantvada one must
properly follow the two parables viz, (1) The other side of the shield, and
(2) The story of Blind Men and the Elephant.

Parable-1 Other side of the Shield

On the outskirts of a village a statue was erected in honor of one of its
hero. It had a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. One side of the
shield was covered with gold while the other one was covered with silver. Two
unknown persons came there each from the opposite direction and began
expressing their views. One said that the statue was beautiful and more so
because its shield was covered with gold. The other said that the shield was
not covered with gold but was with silver. A quarrel ensued between them. A
wise man came from the village by that time and said that the shield was
covered with gold as well as silver. Let both of you just exchange your
places and see the other side of the shield. Both realized their error and
apologized to each other for fighting falsely.

Parable-2 Blind Men and Elephant

Once a royal retinue was stopping at a village to spend their afternoon. The
village folks came there and amongst them there were six blind men. All had
heard a lot about elephants but none had ever been able to see one. They
requested the care-taker to allow them to touch the elephant so that they may
be able to make out what the elephant could be like. They were permitted to
do so. The first who came across the ears stated that the elephant was like a
tusk weeding tool (Supada). The other caught hold of the trunk and stated
that the elephant was like a big wooden pestle. The third touched the tusks
and said it was like a big windpipe. The fourth touched the legs and said it
was like a big pillar. The fifth felt the stomach and said it looked like a
water-bag. The sixth had a tail in his hand and said it appeared to him like
a broom. Each thought that his version was right and others were wrong. The
care-taker said that none of them had ever seen the elephant fully. Each one
had merely seen one limb and from that data each one had given his surmises
about the whole elephant. This was, therefore, the cause of their quarrel.
He explained the whole position, and all the blind men became silent and
departed.

By these parables, one thing certainly becomes clear that the same thing can
be explained from different stand points and any description of a thing would
be true from one stand point but from this it cannot mean that the other
points of view cannot be right. From the above it follows that to comprehend
the real nature of any thing one must pay due regard to all points of view.
Viewing things in this light, one will have to admit that everything in this
world involves endless points of view and has endless characteristics.

Any one of the standpoints to which one has to resort for expounding a thing
is called Naya (standpoint). In Naya, there is only partial truth, but in
denying other characteristics that statement could result in falsehood.
Suppose there is an elderly person of 75 years and he has a son aged 45 and
the latter has a son aged 15. Now if the son who is aged 45 is only addressed
as "father," this form of address will result in falsehood because from the
standpoint of his 75 years old father he is also a son. If the 45-year-old
man is only styled a "son," that too would be wrong because from the
standpoint of his 15-year-old son, he is also a father. Similarly, one person
is known as "Arya" from standpoint of territory; or as "Vaishya" from
standpoint of Verna; or as "Oshwal" from standpoint of his sub-caste or say
"Nagori" from standpoint of the village or as a son, father, husband or
brother from the standpoints respectively of his father, son, wife or sister.
In this way, from various standpoints, it is possible to have different
characteristics in one and the same thing.

Syadvada if properly understood reveals the true nature of a thing. What is
the nature of this world? How many things have existed therein? What are
their attributes? etc. Perfect solution of all such quarries is obtained by
Syadvada. It is an unprecedented gift of the Jain Religion to the world. If
its secret is properly understood, all false schools of philosophy would end
and the earnest desires for universal brotherhood will shine to the fullest
extent.

CHAPTER II

THE THEORY OF KARMA
(LAW OF CAUSATION)

Everyone in this world desires happiness and dislikes misery, but we find that
one is a millionaire while another is a pauper; one is healthy while another
is diseased; one is white while another is black; one is handsome while
another is ugly; one is stout while another is lean; one is intelligent while
another is an idiot; one is a master while another is a slave. Similarly, we
find the high and the low, the mutilated and the lame, the blind and the deaf,
and many such oddities. What is the reason for all these conditions? People
would say that it is due to individual luck. What is that luck? Who made it?
Who governs it? How can you be free from all the above oddities and truly be
happy? The Jain religion shows us the correct path to follow and we shall see
in the following pages how to do it.

As said above there are many oddities in this world. It will have to be
admitted that behind all of this some powerful force is at work. This force
is called "karma". We are unable to perceive karma by our naked eyes, yet we
are able to know it from its actions.

The thrones of mighty monarchs are gone, the proud and the haughty have been
humiliated in a moment and reduced to ashes. What is the principal cause of
all this? It is karma. Even amongst the twins born of the same mother we
find one an idiot and another intelligent, one rich and another poor, one
black and another white. What is all of this due to? They could not have
done any deeds while they were in their mother's womb. Why then should such
oddities exist? We have then to infer that these disparities must be the
result of their deeds in their past births though they are born together at
one time.

In Jain philosophy the word karma has quite a different and unique
significance. The starting principle of Jainism is that there is an eternal
union between soul and matter. This union though without a beginning is not
without an end. Once the union is entirely broken, when the soul is free from
the slightest vestige of contact with matter, nothing can bind it again. It
is liberated.

The activity of soul which invites and enables matter of an exceptionally
subtle form to flow into it, as also the matter which actually does flow into
the soul, is technically called Karma. The thought activity is called
Bhava-Karma, and the actual matter flowing into the soul and binding it is
called Dravya Karma. It is a substance. It is in itself inert matter,
lifeless like a pebble, but in combination with jiva (life) its potency is
immense, beyond calculation and measure. It then keeps the jiva itself bound
and fettered. A prisoner, dancing constantly at karma's every beck and
gesture. At each step, the momentum for a new movement is gained. At each
embrace of matter, the delighted deluded soul throbs and vibrates for a fresh
embrace. Matter is ever ready to attack the soul and to flow into it with its
billion insinuations, to keep alive the vigorous bondage of the living by the
nonliving. It is so very fine and subtle, that it cannot be perceived,
recognized, discerned by any the most highly developed sensory organ, or by
the most perfected microscope. It eludes all efforts of the chemist and the
physicist to calculate, measure, graph, photograph, use, harness, or control
it. It is millions of times finer and subtler than the waves of sound, light,
or electricity, or the electrons and protons conceived by man. Yet this
matter is ever and anon surrounding us on all sides, and permeating through
and through every particle of our body and soul. There is no space where it
is not. It is perceivable, appreciable, and knowable by the omniscients. Its
workings, metamorphoses, make-ups, and changes are explained by Acharyas, who
have heard the voice of the omniscient, and who have transmitted the knowledge
thus directly acquired from the omniscient to others through the past
millenniums, by mouth and in writings.

Karma is the original cause, the first the ultimate, which keeps the universe
going. All phenomena, all changes, all manifestations are due to karmic
effects. Jain saints, the masters of wisdom, have analyzed the workings of
karma in the most minutest details in the Jain Shastras.

Karmic matter never remains in an isolated condition. As soon as it takes
form, it combines with the physical or fluid body, which stimulates it into
activity. The stimulation into activity is called asrava or inflow, and when
it combines is called bandha or bondage.

The karmic molecules produce their effect after a certain period. This
duration is called abadhakala or quiescence.

The action or effect is called udaya or operation.

The period for which it continues to operate is called sthiti, and this varies
with the mildness or intensity of passions.

The natural siddance, falling or shedding off, of karmic molecules in due
course during the period of duration is called nirjara or shedding. This can
also be effected earlier, and the operation and duration period can be
shortened, by austerities. The duration and effect or fruition of karmas can
be increased or decreased. A person is the maker and master of his destiny.
He can make himself happy or miserable, he can rise above circumstances, and
can make a hell of heaven and a heaven of hell. A karma bound in one life may
produce its effect in the same life, in the next, or in a life thereafter.

Just as gold is mixed with mud in the mines, the soul is covered with karmas
from the infinite past. Just as gold is purified by means of acids and other
processes, the soul is purified and freed from karmas by the process of mercy,
charity, penance, self control, etc. The soul then attains salvation.

The living souls (jivatmas) are infinitely infinite. Each has a distinct
entity. If these were parts and parcels of one soul we would have found every
one happy or miserable at the happiness or misery of any one of them.
However, what we see is entirely different. If one eats sweets he alone
enjoys sweetness. At the death of one, all do not die. From this we have to
conclude that though similar in nature the soul of each individual has a
distinct existence. The soul which gets absolved from karma becomes a
Parmatma. Such a soul is not affected by karmas again and is not born again.
There are no births and deaths for such a soul. It becomes Siddhatma.

The soul gets covered with karmas mainly due to attachment (raag) and hatred
(dwesha). The fruits of karmas i.e, actions would be good or bad according to
the nature of actions (good or bad) done. One who has self control and can
resist from acquiring karmas i.e. One who has no attachment or hatred is
called Jina and the religion which teaches us to become a Jina is known as
Jainism. Those who follow this religion are Jains. To follow the Path of
Liberation it is not necessary to be born a Jain. However one should lead a
life which is in accord with Jainism and conforms to the type and measure of
faith, knowledge, and conduct leading to the goal. If that be so the soul may
be sure that he or she is a liberal being and on a path to truth and freedom
from the miseries and limitations of embodied existence.

One would ask how many types of karmas exist? How do they bind the soul? How
are their fruits are realized, and how they wear away or get destroyed? All
of this is shown in detailed in the Jain Shastras. Karma can be divided into
eight main classes. They have 148 sub-classes.

The main classes are:

(1) Jnanavarniya:

Knowledge obscuring karma; it is matter which obscures the soul's attribute of
knowledge (5 subclasses).

(2) Darshanavarniya:

Conation obscuring karma; it is matter which obscures the soul's attribute of
conation, perception (9 sub-classes).

(3) Vedniya:

Feeling karma; it is karma which mundane souls (embodied souls) come in
contact with agreeable or disagreeable objects, which in their turn cause the
feelings of pleasure or pain in the soul, according to their various degrees
of attachment and aversion therein (2 sub-classes).

(4) Mohaniya:

Deluding karma; it is karma which obscures the attributes of right belief, and
right conduct of the soul (28 sub-classes).

(5) Ayushya:

Age karma; this keeps one in bondage of four forms of existence i.e. hellish,
sub-human, human, and celestial. It causes and determines the sojourn of a
soul into a particular body (4 sub-classes).

(6) Nama:

Body making karma; this gives the soul a distinguishing form of existence,
determines its classes. It causes condition of existence, formation of
different kinds of bodies, and the change from one to another condition of
existence (93 sub-classes).

(7) Gotra:

Family determining karma; this imparts a high or low status in life i.e. by
which a soul is to take birth in a high or a low family (2 sub-classes).

(8) Antaraya:

Obstructive karma; this creates hindrance in the ways of the soul's giving of
gifts or achieving of things, in its abilities and in its use and enjoyment.
It obscures the infinite power of the soul (5 sub-classes).

Numbers 1, 2, 4 and 8 are called Ghatiya Karmas.

Numbers 3, 5, 6 and 7 are called Aghatiya Karmas.

Ghatiya karmas are called so because they destroy the manifestation of the
real and essential attributes of the soul. The manifestation of these
attributes in mundane souls varies inversely of the proportionate decrease of
the forces of these four destructive karmas.

The Aghatiya karmas are called so because they do not obscure the real
attributes of the soul, but affect only the external environments of the soul
and pertains to body.

As said above there are mainly eight kinds of classes (Prakrites) of karmic
matter and these eight classes have 148 sub-classes. The subclasses are:

(1) Jnanavarniya - knowledge obscuring karma (5).

1. Mati jnan - obscures sensory knowledge
2. Shruta jnan - obscures scriptural knowledge
3. Avadhi jnan - obscures visual knowledge
4. Manahparyaya jnan - obscures mental knowledge
5. Keval jnan - obscures perfect knowledge

(2) Darshnavarniya - conation obscuring karma (9).

6. Chakshu darshan - obscures ocular conation
7. Achakshu darshan - obscures nonocular conation
8. Avadhi darshan - obscures visual conation
9. Keval darshan - obscures perfect conation
10. Nidra darshan - obscures sleep conation
11. Nidra-Nidra darshan - obscures deep sleep conation
12. Prachala darshan - obscures drowsiness conation
13. Prachala-Prachala - obscures heavy drowsiness conation darshan
14. Styasagriddhi darshan - obscures somnambulism conation

(3) Vedaniya - feeling karma (2).

15. Sata - Pleasure
16. Asata - Pain

(4) Mohaniya - deluding karma

(A) Darshana Mohaniya - deludes right belief (3)

17. Mithyatva - wrong belief
18. Samyag mithyatva - right-wrong belief
19. Samyaktva Prakriti - right belief clouded by slight wrong belief

(B) Charitra Mohaniya - deludes right conduct (25)

Kashaya - Passions (16)

Anantanubandhi - right beleif preventing passions (4)

20. Krodha - anger
21. Mana - pride
22. Maya - deceit
23. Lobha - greed

Apratyakhyana varaniya - partial vow preventing passions (4)

24. Anger
25. Pride
26. Deceit
27. Greed

Pratyakhyana varaniya - total vow preventing passions (4)

28. Anger
29. Pride
30. Deceit
31. Greed

Samjvalana - prevents perfect conduct

This is the slightest degree of passion and coexists with self restraint of a
higher order. It relates to the four passions (4).

32. Anger
33. Pride
34. Deceit
35. Greed

Akashaya - quasi passions, slight or minor passions (9).

36. Hasya - laughter
37. Rati - indulgence
38. Arati - ennui; dissatisfaction
39. Shoka - sorrow
40. Bhaya - fear
41. Jugupsa - disgust; aversion; hiding one's own,
and publishing other people's shortcomings
42. Striveda - feminine inclination
43. Purusveda - masculine inclination
44. Napumsakaveda - common Sex

(5) Ayu - age karma (4)

45. Narakayu - hellish age
46. Tiryanchayu - sub-human age
47. Manushyayu - human age
48. Devayu - celestial age

(6) Nama - body making karma (93)

Gati - condition of existence (4)

49. Narak - hellish
50. Tiryanch - sub-human
51. Manushya - human
52. Deva - celestial

Jati - genus of beings (5)

53. Ekendriya - one-sensed
54. Dvindriya - two-sensed
55. Tendriya - three-sensed
56. Chaundriya - four-sensed
57. Panchendriya - five-sensed

Sharira - bodies (5)

58. Audarika - The physical body of all men and animals.

59. Vaikrjyika - The fluid body of hellish and celestial beings which they
can change at will.

60. Aharaka - Assimilative, the spiritual man like emanation from the head of
a saint in doubt, in the sixth spiritual stage.

61. Taijasa - Electric body of mundane souls which always accompanies the
Karmana.

62. Karmana - Karmic body found in all mundane souls.

Angopanga - major and minor limbs (3)

63. Audarika - physical

64. Vaikriyika - fluid

65. Aharaka - assimilative

66. Nirman - proper formation of limbs in relation to their situation
(sthana) and dimensions (pramana)

Bandhana - molecular bondage (5)

67. Audarika - physical
68. Vaikriyika - fluid
69. Aharaka - assimilative
70. Taijasa - electric
71. Karmana - karmic

Samghat - molecular interfusion (5)

72. Audarika - physical
73. Vaikriyika - fluid
74. Aharaka - assimilative
75. Taijasa - electric
76. Karmana - karmic

Samsthan - figure of the body (6)

77. Samachaturasra - Symmetrical; perfect symmetry all
around.
78. Nyagrodha - Banyan like; short in lower but large
parimandala in upper extremities like a banyan
tree
79. Svati - Tapering; like a snake-hole, broad in
lower but narrow in the upper
extremities, reverse of the last.
80. Kubjaka - Hunchback
81. Vamana - Dwarf
82. Hundaka - Unsymmetrical; disproportionate,
deformed

Samhanana - bones, muscle etc. (6)

83. Vajra rishabha aracha - adamantine, nerves, joints
samhanana and bones
84. Vajra narcha samhanana - adamantine joints and bones
85. Naracha samhanana - unbreakable joints and bones
86. Ardha naracha - semi-unbreakable joints and
samhanana bones
87. Kilita samhanana - riveted bones
88. Asamprapta sripatika - loosely jointed bones
samhanana

Sparsha - touch (8)

89. Kathora - hard
90. Komala - soft
91. Guru - heavy
92. Laghu - light
93. Ruksha - rough
94. Snigdha - smooth
95. Shita - cold
96. Ushna - hot

Rasa - tastes (5)

97. Tikta - pungent
98. Katuka - bitter
99. Kashaya - astringent (saline)
100. Amla - acid
101. Madhura - sweet

Gandha - smell (2)

102. Sugandha - sweet-smelling; fragrant
103. Durgandha - evil-smelling; malodorous

Varna - color (5)

104. Krishna - black
105. Nila - blue
106. Rakta - red
107. Pita - yellow
108. Shukla - white

Anupurvi - Migratory form; the power of retaining the form of
the last incarnation during transmigration, i.e. in the passage
from one to another condition of existence.

109. Naraka Anupurvi - hellish migratory form
110. Tiryanch Anupurvi - sub-human migratory form
111. Manushya Anupurvi - human migratory form
112. Deva Anupurvi - celestial migratory form

113. Agurulaghu - neither too heavy to move, nor too light
to have stability

114. Upaghata - having a self destructive limb or organ,
as a stag's horns

115. Paraghata - destructive; possessing a limb or organ
fatal to others, such as a lion's claws

116. Atapa - hot light; radiant heat; possesses a
brilliant body, which is hot to others but
not to the possessor, as the gross radiant
earth bodied beings in the sun

117. Udyota - cold light, phosphorescence

118. Uchchhvasa - respiration

Vihayogati - movement; capacity of moving in space (2)

119. Shubha - graceful
120. Ashubha - awkward

121. Pratyeka - individual body; a body enjoyable by one
Sharira soul only
122. Sadharana - common body; possessed and enjoyable by
many souls, e.g. a potato
123. Trasa - mobile, with bodies having 2, 3, 4, and 5 senses
124. Sthavara - immobile, with bodies having one sense only,
i.e. the sense of touch

125. Subhaga - amiable personality even though not beautiful
126. Durbhaga - unrepossessing even though beautiful

127. Susvara - sweet voiced; musical
128. Duhsvara - harsh voiced; noisy

129. Shubha - beautiful (body)
130. Ashubha - ugly (body)

131. Sukshma - fine (body) uncuttable and all pervasive
132. Badara - gross (body)

133. Paryapti - capable of developing the body fully
134. Aparyapti - incapable of developing the body fully

135. Sthira - steady (circulation of blood, bile, etc.)
136. Asthira - unsteady (circulation of blood, etc.)

137. Adeva - impressive appearance such as may affect others
138. Anadeya - nonimpressive, dull appearance

139. Yashah Kirti - bringing good name even if one does
not do good actions
140. Ayashah Kirti - notoriety; bringing bad name, even if one
does good actions

141. Tirthankara - a Tirthankara's career with all its grandeur
when he preaches and completes his ministry

(7) Gotra - family determining karma (2)

142. Uchcha Gotra - high family
143. Nicha Gotra - low family

(8) Antaraya - obstructive karma (5)

144. Dana Antaraya - charity obstructive
145. Labha Antaraya - gain obstructive
146. Bhoga Antaraya - obstruction of enjoyment, of
consumable things
147. Upabhoga Antaraya - obstruction of re-enjoyment of
nonconsumable things
148. Virya Antaraya - obstruction of power of exercise of
one's capacities.

Some Acharyas treat the 93 subclasses of the body, making karma
differently and the total of subclasses of all karmas is taken as 97,
107, 148, 158, or 168. Mainly in all Jain books the total of 148 is
considered for all purposes.

CHAPTER. III

THE SIX DRAVYAS (SUBSTANCES)

We now look at the Six Dravyas, or fundamental substances, their
attributes and modifications.

The universe consists mainly of two substances, living (jiva) and
nonliving (ajiva).

The living alone has consciousness, and the power to attend and to
know.

The nonliving has neither consciousness, attention, nor knowledge.
This nonliving is of five kinds:

(1) Matter (Pudgala) i.e. table, chair, brick, stone, etc. Matter is
of many kinds, but the most mighty kind is karmic matter, which the
mundane soul wears and which is the self wound matter to keep the soul
moving in "Samsara."

(2) Principle of Motion (Dharma) is an essential auxiliary of the
motion of souls and matter.

(3) Principle of Rest (Adharma) is a similar auxiliary of the
cessation of the movements of souls and matter.

(4) Time (Kala) in virtue of which things become old, new, or continue
in their existence.

(5) Space (Akasha) which gives their place or location to all
substances. Space consists of the universe (Loka) and the
non-universe (Aloka). Space and time are both extensive and infinite.

These six, Jiva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma, Kala, and Akasha, are
called the six substances or Dravyas.

Dravya literally means flowing, or continuing. It is called so
because it flows or continues the same through all its modifications.
It is called "sat" or existence also.

Existence or substance is a collective name for a trinity unity of
birth (utpada), decay (vyaya), and continuance (dhrauvya).

Further, a substance is a group of attributes (guna) and modifications
(paryaya).

Some attributes are general or common for all six substances, others
are special. Common attributes are necessary for the existence of the
group as a group or substance. These are infinite but six are
principal:

(1) Astitva - Indestructibility; permanence; the capacity by which a
substance cannot be destroyed.

(2) Vastutva - Functionality; capacity by which a substance has
function.

(3) Dravyatva - Changeability; capacity by which it is always changing
in modifications.

(4) Prameyatva - Knowability; capacity by which it is known by
someone, or of being the subject matter of knowledge.

(5) Agurulaghutva - Individuality; capacity by which one attribute or
substance does not become another and the substance does not lose the
attributes whose grouping forms the substance itself.

(6) Pradeshatva - Spatiality; capacity of having some kind of location
in space.

Chetanatva, consciousness, amurtavta, and immateriality - are common
attributes of the class of substance, or group of attributes, called
soul.

Achetanatva, unconsciousness, murtatva, and materiality - are common
to motion, rest, time and space.

Achetanatva, unconsciousness, amurtatva, and immaterially - are common
to matter.

Vishesha Gunas are special attributes of a particular substance.
These distinguish one group from the others, and are:

1. Jiva - Soul

(1) Knowledge. In its full form it arises only in the absence of
knowledge obscuring karma.

(2) Conation. In its full form it arises only in the absence of
conation obscuring karma.

(3) Bliss. In its full form it arises only in the absence of all the
four destructive karmas, etc.

(4) Power. In its full form it arises only in the absence of
obstructive karmas, etc.

(5) Right Belief. In its full form it arises only in the absence of
deluding karma.

(6) Right Conduct. In its full form it arises only in the absence of
deluding karma.

(7) Avyavadha. Undisturbable, due to the absence of Vedaniya or
feeling karma, neither pleasure nor pain.

(8) Avagaha. Penetrability, due to the absence of age karma.

(9) Agurulaghutva. Due to the absence of family determining karma.

(10) Sukshmatva. Fineness due to the absence of body making karma.

The first six are Anujivi attributes, which coexist in and constitute
the substance. They arise fully only on the destruction (kshya) of
the four destructive (ghatiya) karmas, i.e. Conation and
knowledge-obscuring, deluding and obstructive karmas.

The last four are pratijivi attributes, which merely indicate the
absence of their opposites. They arise fully on the destruction
(kshya) of the four nondestructive (aghatiya) karmas, i.e. feeling,
age, family determining, and body making karmas,

II. Pudgala matter has special attributes:

(1) touch (2) taste (3) smell (4) color

III. Dharma has for its special attribute the quality of being the
medium of motion.

IV. Adharma is the medium of rest.

V. Akasha or space's special attribute is to give place to all
substances.

VI. Kala or time's special attribute is to bring about modifications
(paryaya).

Modifications occur only with reference to attributes. This alone is
what is meant by birth and decay. Modifications or conditions change,
i.e. a new condition is born, i.e, comes into existence (utpada) and
the old one decays, i.e. goes out of existence (vyaya).

The essential attributes of the substance always persist through all
these modifications. It must be clearly understood and constantly
remembered that substance is one; the birth and decay in its
modifications, and the continuance of the substance (dhrauvya) itself
are only three aspects of viewing one and the same thing.

Also substance (dravya), attribute (guna), and modification (paryaya)
are three mutually interpervasive aspects of the trinity. Attribute
is nothing different from substance and modification. So for all the
three. When we talk or think of one, we necessarily talk or think of
the remaining two. The soul with omniscience sees the whole trinity
in its entirety at one and the same time.

In the universe, the jiva dravya or soul, is found mixed with
nonliving matter. Death is a most universal and eternal phenomenon.
The body is living; when death intervenes, the body becomes lifeless,
or dies. Life has left the body. This, life is the soul; the body
represents the grossest and most visible form of matter, with which
the life was clothed, and which was "living" only so long as life or
soul was united with it. The soul is a self existing entity and its
existence is well proved. Since it is formless, it is not perceptible
to our eyes. We do not see wind, but its effect is felt. Because of
the effect the cause exists. The effect (actions) of atma i.e. soul
is perceptible in a living man because a living man moves, walks,
plays, does work, and even thinks in various ways. All this is not
perceptible in a dead man.

A moment before death movements are perceptible in a living man but
the moment after death nothing is perceived in the dead body. Death
does not mean annihilation of anything, soul or matter. It is only a
separation of the outer body from the soul, which is still combined
with two material but fine bodies, i.e. electric and karmic. It is
only when the soul obtains liberation, that it becomes permanently
pure and completely rid of all combination with matter. By careful
comparison we can find a trace to the characteristic features of life
and its differences from lifelessness.

The first thing we notice in one, who was living but is dead now, is
that his senses do not act. He cannot touch, taste, smell, see, or
hear. He has no vitality of the senses. Also he is powerless. He
cannot act, speak, or think. He has no force, no vitality of body,
speech, or mind. Many of these things may be absent also in a living
man who is asleep, in a trance, or otherwise unconscious. Therefore,
all over the world we examine the man's respiration. If it is there,
we say, he still lives. If not, we say, "He has breathed his last."
This respiration is a sure sign of life.

To sum up the distinction between the living and nonliving substances
we may say that a nonliving substance does not have

(1) the vitality of the five senses,
(2) the power of body, speech, and mind,
(3) respiration, and
(4) age.

These four may be called the four (or with their sub-divisions ten)
vitalities of living beings. It is noticeable that all these four or
ten are also a manifestation of one underlying real fact, that of
consciousness.

In a dead body the sensory organs are there and the eye may be
impressed with color and form as before, but there is no consciousness
behind it which in life received, recorded, and responded to the
ocular stimulus. The four or ten vitalities are sure signs to
distinguish the living from the nonliving, but in reality it is
consciousness which distinguishes life from lifelessness. All this
goes to prove that body and soul are two different things. Body is
the abode of the soul.

When the duration of time of the existence of soul in the body comes
to an end, the body is left and the soul according to the Ayu Karma
(its deeds in this birth by which he earns the life span of the next
birth) goes away to another place, takes a new birth, and there lives
in a new body. When the duration in that birth comes to an end, it
goes away to a third birth. There he puts on a third body. In this
way from the eternal past, the line of births and deaths continues
according to karma (deeds of each soul).

The matter (pudgala) referred to above is of six kinds:

(1) Gross-gross matter (solid) e.g. a mountain, pillar of iron etc.

(2) Gross (liquid), e.g. water, oil etc.

(3) Gross-fine, e,g. shade, sunshine.

(4) Fine-gross, e.g. fragrance, sound, sweetness etc.

(5) Fine, matter capable of becoming karmic matter. It cannot be
perceived by the senses.

(6) Fine-fine, matter which has for its atoms the combinations of two
or more ultimate atoms (parmanu). According to some saints it is the
ultimate atom itself.

The inflow of the above said karmic matter towards the soul is caused
by the vibratory activity of mind, speech, and body. Colored by
passions (kashaya) of anger, pride, deceit, and greed mainly. The
inflow leads to bondage of soul by karmic matter. The vibrations
determine the kind (prakriti) and the quantity (pradesha) of the
karmic matter to be drawn towards and bound to the soul. The passions
determine the duration (sthiti) of the bondage, and the mild or
intense fruition (anubhaga) of the karma at its maturity.

CHAPTER IV

THE SEVEN TATVAS (PRINCIPLES)

The Tatvas or the Principles are seven:

(1) Jiva, soul,
(2) Ajiva, non-soul,
(3) Asrava, inflow,
(4) Bandh, bondage,
(5) Samvara, the check of inflow,
(6) Nirjara, the shedding of previously bound up karmas,
(7) Moksha, liberation from all karmic contact.

I & II. Jiva & Ajiva.

All that exists is included in one or other of the two principles, soul and
non-soul. While a man is alive, it is the soul in his body which perceives
and knows all objects. A body without soul is incapable of perceiving or
knowing anything. Material objects such as a pen, table or chair cannot feel
or know anything. They are unconscious or inanimate substances. The soul is
the only conscious substance. Looked at from the real point of view even a
mundane i.e. embodied soul is pure, peaceful, all knowing and all blissful.
It is potentially so. From the practical point of view such a soul
experiences various kinds of pain and pleasure in different conditions of
life. The universe teems with infinite living forms. How to observe,
analyse, and classify them? This may be done in three different ways:

(1) Soul-classes (Jiva Samasa). There are obvious differences of body, sense
and mind in different classes of souls. The body is primarily the basis of
this classification. This in Jainism is technically called soul classes (Jiva
Samasa).

(2) Soul-quest (Margana). It comprises other inner differences in species,
sex, passion, knowledge, conation, etc. In soul quest, the embodied condition
of the soul, i.e. the mixed living and non-living condition, is primarily the
basis.

(3) Spiritual Stages (Gunasthan). They concern the purely-inner progress of
the soul. In these spiritual stages, the progress of the soul from iguorance
and delusion to perfect self-absorption is traced.

Soul-classes (Jiva Samasa). From the protoplasm of the germ-cell to a full
blown human-being, there is an infinite number of mundane souls or living
beings in the universe. The protoplasm so far as is known at present has no
ears to hear, no eyes to see, no nose; to smell, no tongue to taste, it has
only the sense of touch. The human being has all the five senses fully
developed and distinct, and a mind also which is also a sort of additional and
higher sense (a quasi-sense), the organ of which sense is invisibie to us. In
Jainism, it is an organ which is made up of subtle matter called Manovargana
or mental matter and its form is like a lotus with eight petals near the
heart. We can divide mundane souls into six classes.

(1) With the sense of touch only
(2) With touch and taste
(3) With touch, taste and smell
(4) With touch, taste, smell, and sight
(5) With touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing
(6) With touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, and mind

One-sensed souls cannot be known by our senses. They can penetrate all
matter. They are everywhere in the universe. They are not obstructed by, and
they do not obstruct others. They die their own death.

Some of the above seven kinds are born with the capacity to develop, others
die before acquiring the capacjty to develop. Each one of the seven may,
therefore, be developable or non-developable. Thus, there may be said to be
fourteen soul-classes in all. A further distinction can be considered. Some
mundane souls can voluntarily change their place in space; others cannot.
Observation will show that all one-sensed souls are immobile and that all the
other souls are mobile. There are 406 soul classes of mundane souls as under:

(1) Sub-human, one to four-sensed - 81
One-sensed in earth, water, fire, air, vegetable, trunk,
creeper, plant, tree, root.

(2) Sub-human, five-sensed - 42
In work region, highest, middle, lowest enjoyment
regions.

(3) Human, five-sensed - 13
In work region Arva Khanda and Mlichha Khanda. In
highest, middle, lowest and distorted enjoyment regions.

(4) Celestial, five-sensed - 172
In 1st to l6th Heaven, 9 Graiveyaka, 9 Anudisha, 6 Anuttara.

(5) Hellish, five-sensed - 98
In 1st to 7th Hell

Total Soul classes 406

Soul quests (Marganas). There are 14 soul quests as under:

(1) Gati. Conditions of existence are 4: human, sub-human, hellish and
celestial. Margana is a condition in which a mundane soul is necessarily
found. There are four such sets, of existence.

(2) Indriya. Senses are 5: touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing.

(3) Kaya. Body is of 6 kinds: earth, water, fire, air, vegetable (all
immobile) and mobile bodies.

(4) Yoga. Soul's vibrations are of 15 kinds:

1 - 8 are mind and speech vibrations, each being true, false, mixed true and
false, and neutral i.e, neither true nor false;

9 - 15 are body vibratious.

9 - Body vibration physical.
10 - Body vibration physical mixed with karmic.
11 - Body vibration fluid.
12 - Body vibration fluid mixed with karmic.
13 - Body vibration assimilative.
14 - Body vibration assimilative mixed with physical.
15 - Body vibration karmic.

(5) Veda. Sex is of 3 kinds:
masculine, feminine, common.

(6) Kashaya. Passions are of 4 kinds:
anger, pride, deceit, greed.

(7) Jnana. Knowledge is of 8 kinds:
sensitive, scriptural, visual, mental, perfect and
wrong sensitive, wrong scriptural, wrong visual.

(8) Samyam. Restraint is of 7 kinds:
equanimity, recovery of equaninity after downfall,
pure and absolute non-injury, slightest delusion,
passionless, partial control, non-control.

(9) Darshana. Conation is of 4 kinds:
occular, non-occular, visual, perfect.

(10) Leshya. Thought paint is of 6 kinds:
black, blue, dove-gray, yellow, pink, white.

(11) Bhavya. It is of 2 kinds:
capacity or incapacity of being liberated.

(12) Samyaktva. Right Belief is of 6 kinds:
subsidential, destructive, destructive-subsidential,
wrong-belief, downfall, mixed right and wrong belief.

(13) Sanjna. It is of 2 kinds:
rational and irrational.

(14) Akaraka. It is of 2 kinds:
Taking or not taking, no karmas or assimilative matter.

All these divisions of soul quests are marked out with reference to
the results of the operation of different karmas. The pure soul has
perfect knowledge, perfect conation, right belief, and pure right
conduct. These have no reference to any operation of karmas. The
pure soul is free from all these distinctions of soul quests.

Spiritual Stages (Gunasthana). These are dealt with in a separate
chapter.

The non-soul comprises the other five real and independent substances
mentioned below, which, taken together with the soul, make up the six
substances (Dravyas) described previously.

(1) Pudgala, matter is the most prominent, and plays a very important
part in the amphitheatre of the universe. The special attribute of
matter-substance (Pudgala) are touch, taste, smell, and colour. It
exists either in the form of atoms or of molecules. Only gross
molecules are cognizable by the senses; fine, electric and karmic
molecules which compose the electric and the karmic bodies of all
mundane souls are not cognizable by the senses.

(2) Dharma Dravya, medium of motion is a single, immaterial substance,
pervading throughout the whole of the universe. It is essentially an
auxiliary cause of motion for soul and matter.

(3) Adharma Dravya, medium of rest is also a single, immaterial
substance, pervading throughout the whole universe. It is also an
essentially auxiliary cause of rest for soul and matter.

(4) Akasha Dravya, space is a single infinite immaterial substance.
Its function is to give place to all substances.

(5) Kala Dravya, time is an immaterial substance. It is an auxiliary
camse of bringing about modifications in all substances.

III & IV. Asrava and Bandha.

The most important combination of soul and matter is our body. It is
also manifest that this body is constantly changing, in virtue of our
activity of mind, speech and body.

A feeling of modesty in the mind of the maiden paints her cheeks with
blush. A sad thought gives one a long face. Criminal broodings breed
a criminal look in a man or woman. The pious chanting of a hymn or
prayer gilds one with the calm detachment and glory of the halo of a
priest or devotee. Our food, dress, play and work, all bring about
constant changes in the body. Matter attracts matter. Generally the
law of nature is "like to like". The matter of bad thoughts attracts
matter of bad thought, and ultimately becomes the father of a bad
habit. This attraction of good or bad matter by the soul in virtue of
its mental, vocal, or bodily activity, is called infow (Asrava).

Every mundane soul has a karmic body, formed of karmic molecules. The
universe is full of karmic molecules. Inflow of these molecules
towards the soul, caused by its ows vibratory activities, through
mind, speech, and body, is the third principle Asrava.

The mundane inflow is of 39 kinds, according to its causes:

5 caused by the activity of the 5 senses,

4 caused by the activity of the 4 passions,

5 caused by the activity of the 5 sins:
injury, lies, theft, unchastity, and worldly attachment,

25 caused by 25 kinds of activities which are the effects of
the 14 causes, viz., 5 senses, 4 passions, and 5 sins of vowlessness.

When these molecules are so attracted towards the soul, they are assimilated
in the existing karmic body. The causes of assimilation or bondage are the
soul's vibratory activities and passions. This process is known as Bandha
(bondage) the fourth principle. The process of inflow and bondage of karmic
matter go on simultaneously.

The main auxiliary causes of both of them are:
(a) wrong belief (Mithyatva),
(b) vowlessness (Avirati),
(c) passions (Kashaya), and
(d) soul's vibratory activities of mind, speech and body (Yoga).

If the vibratory activity is with passion, the inflow leads to
bondage of soul by karmic matter. It is called Samparayika or
mundane inflow.

If it is without passion, i.e. purely vibratory in the llth, l2th
and 13th spiritual stages and does not lead to bondage it is called
Iryapatha or transient or fleeting inflow.

The causes of inflow of the eight karmas are as under:

1 & 2. Knowledge and conation-obscuring karmas.

The inflow of knowledge and conation obscuring karmic matter
is caused by the following:

(1) Depreciation of those who are learned in the scriptures.
(2) Concealment of knowledge.
(3) Envy, jealousy, refusal to impart knowledge out of envy.
(4) Obstruction. Hindering the progress of knowledge.
(5) Denying the truth, proclaimed by another, by body and
speech.
(6) Refuting the truth, although it is known, to be such.

3. Feeling Karma, Vedaniya Karma.

The inflow of pain bringing feeling (Asata Vedaniya) karmic
matter is due, to the following feelings and acts:

(1) Dukha, pain
(2) Shoka, sorrow,
(3) Tapa, repentence, remorse
(4) Akrandana, weeping
(5) Badha, depriving of vitality
(6) Paridevana, piteous or pathetic moaning to attract
conpassion.

These 6 can be produced in one's own self, in another, or
both in one's self and another. Thus, there are 18 forms of
this inflow.

The following are the causes of inflow of pleasure bearing
feeling (Sata Vedaniya) karmic matter:

(1) Bhuta anukampa, compassion for all living beings
(2) Vraty anukampa, compassion for the vowers
(3) Dana, charity
(4) Saraga samyam, self-control with slight attachment
(5) Samyam asamyam, restraint by vows of some, but not of
others
(6) Akama nirjara, equanimous submission to the fruition of
karma
(7) Bala tapa, austerities not based upon right knowledge
(8) Yoga, contemplation
(9) Kshanti, forgiveness
(10) Shauch, contentment

4. Deluding Karma, Mohaniya Karma.

The inflow of Darshana Mohaniya, right belief deluding karmic
matter is caused by
Avarnavada,
defaming the Omsiscient Lord, Arhat Kevali;
the Scriptures Shruta;
the Saint's brotherhood,
Sangha;
the true relegion,
Dharma; and
the celestial beings, Deva,

e.g. saying that the celestial beings take meat or
wine, etc. and to offer these as sacrifices to them.

The inflow of Charitra Mohaniya, right conduct deluding
karmic matter is caused by the intense thought activity
produced by the rise of the passions and of the quasi
passions, no-kashaya, e.g. joking about truth, etc.,
disinclination to take vows, etc., including in evil society,
etc.

5. Age, Ayu Karma.

The inflow of Narakayu, Hellish Age Karma is caused by too
much worldly activity and by attachment to too many wordly
objects or by too much attachment e.g. committing breaches
of the first five vows of non-killing, truth, non-stealing,
chastity, non-attachment to worldly possessions. The point
to be noted is that it is not the possession or ownership of
worldly wealth which is sinful but it is the attachment to it
which is a sin. A man may be in the world; but he must not
be of it.

The infow of Tiryancha-ayu, Sub-human Age Karma is caused by
Maya, deceit, e.g, cheating others, preaching the false
doctrines, etc.

The infow of Manushya-ayu, Human Age Karma is caused by
slight worldly activity and by attachment to a few wordly
objects or by slight attachment. Natural humble disposition
is also the cause of Human Age Karma.

Vowlessness and sub-vowlessness with slight worldly activity
and slight attachment are causes of the inflow of all kinds
of Age Karmas. Not taking the vows of laymen and not
adopting the restrictions (Shila) but having slight
attachment to the world and activity in it, can be the cause
of the infow of Age-karmic matter of all four kinds.

The inflow of Deva Ayu, Celestial Age Karma is caused by the
following:

(1) Saraga Samyam, self-coutrol with slight attachment found
in monks only.

(2) Samyam Asamyam, restraint of some vows, but not of
others, found in laymen only.

(3) Akama Nirjara, equanimous submission to the fruition of
karma.

(4) Bala Tapa, austerities not based upon right-knowledge.

Right belief is also the cause of Celestial Age Karma, but
only of the heavenly order. It applies to human and
sub-human beings only. A celestial or hellish right believer
binds the human age karma. Note also that if a human or
sub-human being has bound a particular Age Karma before
gaining right belief, he must enjoy that.

6. Body making, Nama Karma.

The inflow of Ashubha Nama, a bad body making karma is caused
by a non-straightforward or deceitful working of the mind,
body or speech or by Visamvada, wrangling, etc., wrong
belief, envy, back-biting, self-praise, censuring others,
etc.

The inflow of Shubha-Nama, a good body making karma is caused
by the causes which are opposite of the above viz. by
straightforward dealings with body, mind and speech; by
avoiding disputes, etc., right belief, humility, admiring
praiseworthy people, etc.

The inflow of Tirthankara body making karma is caused by
meditation (Bhavana) of the following 16 matters:

(1) Darshana Vishuddhi, purity of right belief. Pure right
belief is with 8 Angas or the following 8 qualities:

(a) Nisshankita. Free from all doubt.
(b) Nishkankshita. Free from worldly desire.
(c) Nirvichikitsita. Free from repulsion from anything.
(d) Amudbadrishtitva. Free from superstitious belief.
(e) Upa-brimhana or more popularly, Upa-guhana.
Advancement in one's own attributes. Free from a
tendency to proclaim the faiths of others.
(f) Sthiti-karana. To help oneself or others to remain
steady in the path of truth.
(g) Vatsalya. Tender affection for one's brother on the
path of liberation.
(h) Prabhavana. Propagation of the path of liberation.

(2) Vinaya sampannata. Reverence for means of liberation and
for those who follow them.

(3) Shila vrateshnanatichara. Faultless observance of the 5
vows, and faultless subdual of the passions.

(4) Abhikshna jnanopayoga. Ceaseless pursuit of
right-knowledge.

(5) Samvega. Perpetual apprehension of mundane miseries.

(6) Shaktitas tyaga. Giving to others, gift of knowledge,
food, medicine etc., according to one's capacity.

(7) Shaktitas-tapa. The practice of austerities, according
to one's capacity.

(8) Sadhu samadhi. Protecting and reassuring to saints or
removing their troubles.

(9) Vaiyavrittya karana. Serving the meritorious.

(10) Arhat bhakti. Devotion to Arhats or Omniscient Lords.

(11) Acharya bhakti. Devotion to Acharyas or heads of the
orders of saints.

(12) Bahu shruta bhakti. Devotion to Upadhyayas or teaching
saints.

(13) Pravachana bhakti. Devotion to Scriptures.

(14) Avashyaka parihari. Not neglecting one's six important
daily duties.

(15) Marga prabhavana. Propagation of the Path of Liberation.

(16) Pravachana vatsalatva. Tender affection for one's
brothers on the Path of Liberation.

Even one of these, if properly contemplated and with right
belief, brings about the inflow of Tirthankara body making
karma.

7. Family determining, Gotra Karma.

The inflow of low family determining karma is caused by the
following:

(1) Paraninda, speaking ill of others.
(2) Atma prashansa, praising oneself.
(3) Sadgunochchhadana, concealing the good qualities of others.
(4) Asad guna udbhavana, proclaiming in oneself the good
qualities which one does not possess.

The inflow of high family determining karma is caused by the
opposites of the above i.e.:

(1) Para prashansa, praising others.
(2) Atma ninda, denouncing oneself.
(3) Parsad gunandbhanana, proclaiming the good qualities of
others.
(4) Atmasad guna uchchhadana, not proclaiming one's own good
qualities.
(5) Nichaih Vritti, an attitude of humility towards one's
betters.
(6) Anutseka, not being proud of one's own achievements or
attainments.

8. Obstructive, Antraya Karma.

The inflow of Antaraya Karma is caused: by disturbing others
in charity, gain, enjoyment of consumable things, enjoyment
of non-consumable things, and making use of their powers.

Note that the inflow of 7 Karmas, i.e. of all except the age
karma, is going on always in souls influenced by the passions, and
of the age karma also on special occasions; but the predominance of
the above causes will determine the intensity of fruition
(anubhaga) of their particular inflow.

The special occasions of Age Karma are eight in one man's life, as
follows:

Suppose a man's life is to be 81 years long. The first
occasion for binding the age karma will be on his passing 2/3
of it, i.e. when he is 54. The second on his passing 2/3 of
the remainder i.e. when he is 72. The third on his passing
2/3 of the remainder, i.e. when he is 78. The fourth on his
passing 2/3 of the remainder, i.e. when he is 80. Similarly
the fifth when he is 80 years, 8 months. The sixth is at 80
years, 10 months and 20 days. The seventh at 80 years, 11
months, 16 days and 16 hours. The eighth at 80 years, 11
months, 25 days, 13 hours, and 20 minutes. If no age karma
is bound yet, the ninth is the last antar muhurta of his
life. The point is that the man is born with his particular
age karma already bound. Therefore, he must bind the age
karma of his next incarnation at the latest at the last
moment.

(1) Wrong Belief. It is of 5 kinds:

(a) Ekanta. Taking only one aspect of a many sided thing.
(b) Viparita. Perverse belief, e.g. animal sacrifices
lead to heaven. Injury to auyone cannot be a cause of
merit.
(c) Samshaya. Doubt, scepticism, hesitation, e.g. as to
Path of Liberation.
(d) Vinaya. Veneration. Taking all religions and Gods,
even the so-called religions which enjoin cruel or
immoral practices, to be equally worthy of pursuit.
(e) Ajnana. Wrong belief caused by ignorance.
Indiscrimination of good and bad. Wrong belief is
caused by Nisarga, inborn error; or by Adhigama,
preaching of another.

(2) Avirata. Vowlessness, Non-renunciation is of 12 kinds:
Lack of compassion for 6 classes of embodied souls; and
lack of restraint of 5 senses and 1 mind.

(3) Pramada. Carelessness is of 15 kinds:

(1) Food (bhojana katha)
(2) Women (stri katha)
(3) Politics (rajya katha)
(4) Scandal (desha katha)
(5-9) Senses
(10-13) Passions
(14) Affection
(15) Sleep

(4) Kashaya. Passions are four:
anger, pride, deceit and greed.

(5) Yoga. Vibrations in the soul, through mind, speech and
body, are of 15 kinds:

Mind: (1) Satya mana, true mind.
(2) Asatya mana, false mind.
(3) Ubhaya mana, mixed true and false mind.
(4) Anubhaya mana, neither true nor false.

Speech: (1) Satya Vachana, true.
(2) Asatya Vachana, false.
(3) Ubhaya Vachana, both.
(4) Anubhaya Vachana, none.

Body: (1) Audarika, physical.
(2) Audarika mishra, i,e. physical with karmic.
(3) Vakriyika, fluid.
(4) Vakriyika mishra, Fluid with karmic.
(5) Aharaka, Assimilative.
(6) Aharaka mishra, i.e. Assimilative with physical.
(7) Karmana, Karmic.

Note that the Taijasa, Electric Body, is always found with
the Karmic Body. It never has an independent yoga. The
electric molecules are drawn like the karmic molecules by the
vibrations set in the soul by yoga of any kind.

Karmic matter is bound to the soul by the vibrations (yoga)
of mind, speech and body, coloured by passions (Kashaya) of
anger, pride, deceit, and greed mainly. The vibrations
determine the kind (Prakriti) and the quantity (Pradesha) of
the Karmic matter to be drawn towards and bound to the soul.
The passions determine the duration (Sthiti) of the bondage
and the mind or intense fruition (Anubhaga) of the karma at
its maturity.

Kinds of Bondage:

There are eight kinds of Prakritis of Karmic matter and 148
sub-classes as already mentioned in Chapter II.

The Quantity of Bondage.

As to Pradesha, accoiding to the nature caused by their names
from all around, due to the differences is the vibrations
(yoga) in the soul-activty, not perceptible by the senses,
the karmic molecules enter and become one and stay with every
Pradesha of the soul. They come in infinite numbers, every
moment, to each soul. The particular number of the molecules
actually absorbed is called Pradesha-bandha.

Duration of Bondage.

The maximum durations are as under:

Knowledge and Conation obscuring karmas, Feeling Karmas and
Obstructive karmas
30 crore x crore Sagaras.

This is possible in a rational five sensed, fully developable
(Paryapta) soul, who has wrong belief (Mithyatva).

Deluding Karma:
70 crore x crore Sagaras.

Nama and Gotra Karmas:
33 crore x crore Sagaras for each.
This is also possible as above.

Ayu, Age Karma: 33 Sagaras.

The minimum durations are as under:

Feeling Karma: 12 Muhurtas
= 12 x 48 minutes
= 12 x 48/60 = 48/5 = 9hours, 36 minutes.

Gotra Karma: 8 Muhurtas.

Nama Karma: 8 Muhurtas.

Knowledge obscuring Karma
Conation obscuring Karma
Obstructive obscuring Karma
Deluding obscuring Karma
One Antar-muhurta which ranges from 1 Samaya and 1 Ava1i at
the lowest to 48 minutes minus one Samaya.

Fruition of Karma.
It is according to the name of the karma, e.g. knowledge
obscuring karma prevents the acquisition of knowledge and so
on.

V. Samvara.

Checking of inflow and bondage of karmic molecules is called
Samvara (stoppage). The main auxiliary causes of stopping the
inflow and bondage of karmic molecules are:
(a) right belief,
(b) observance of vows,
(c) passionlessness, and
(d) restraint of soul's vibratory activities.

The causes of inflow and bondage are given above.

Wrong belief (Mithya Darshan) is stopped (Samvara) in the 4th
Spiritual Stage (guuasthana),
vowlessness (Avirata) in the 5th and 6th,
carelessness (Pramada) in the 7th,
passion (Kashaya) in the 8th, 9th and 10th,
vibration (Yoga) in the 14th Stage.

Samvara or Stoppage of Inflow is produced by the following:

(A) 3 kinds of Gupti, preservation.
(B) 5 kinds of Samiti, carefulness.
(C) 10 kinds of Dharma, observances.
(D) 12 kinds of Anupreksha, meditation.
(E) 22 kinds of Parishaha Jaya, subdual of sufferings.
(F) 5 kinds of Charitra, conduct.

By austerities is caused the shedding of karmic matter, and also
stoppage of inflow.

(A) 3 preservations, Gupti,
proper control (Nigraha) over (1) mind, (2) speech, and
(3) body.

(B) 5 carefulness.

(1) Samyak Irya Samiti, Proper care in walking.
(2) Samyak Bhasha Samiti, Proper care in speaking.
(3) Samyak Eshna Samiti, Proper care in eating.
(4) Samyak Adana Nikshepa Samiti, Proper care in lifting and
laying.
(5) Samyak Utsarga Samiti, Proper care in excreting.

(C) 10 observances:

(1) Uttama kshama, supreme forgiveness.
(2) Uttama mardava, supreme humility.
(3) Uttama arjava, supreme straight forwardness (Honesty).
(4) Uttama shaucha, supreme contentment.
(5) Uttama satya, supreme truth.
(6) Uttama samyama, supreme restraint.
(7) Uttama tapa, supreme austerities.
(8) Uttama tyaga, supreme renunciation.
(9) Uttama akinchanya, supreme non-attachment, not taking
the non-self for one's own self.
(10) Uttama brahmacharya, supreme chastity.

(D) 12 Meditations:

(1) Anitya Anupreksha, Everything is subject; to change or
transitory but note that as substance everything is
permanent. Only condition is transitory.

(2) Asharana Auupreksha. Unprotectiveness, helplessness.
The soul is unprotected from the fruition of karmas,
death, pain, pleasure success, failure are the
necessary, results of our acts in this or past lives.

(3) Samsara Anupreksha, Mundaneness, soul, moves in the
cycle of existences and cannot attain true happiness
till he is out of it.

(4) Ekatva Anupreksha. Loneliness, I am alone the doer of
my actions and the enjoyer of the fruits of them.

(5) Anyatva Anupreksha. Separateness, otherness. The world,
my relatives and friends, my body and mind, they are
all distinct and separate from my real self.

(6) Ashuchi Anupreksha. Impurity, the body is impure and
dirty. Purity is of 2 kinds: of the Soul itself; and of
the body and other things. This last is of 8 kinds.

(7) Ashrava Anupreksha, Inflow. The inflow of Karma is the
cause of my mundane existence and it is the product of
passions, etc.

(8) Samvara Anupreksha, Stoppage. The inflow must be
stopped.

(9) Nirjara Anupreksha, Shedding. Karmic matter must be
shed from or shaken out of the soul.

(10) Loka Anupreksha, Universe. The nature of the Universe
and its constituent elements in all their vast variety
proving the insignificance and miserable nothingness of
man in time and space.

(11) Bodhi Durlabha Asupreksha. Rarity of Right Path. It is
diffcult to attain right belief, knowledge and conduct.

(12) Dharma svakhya tattva Anupreksha. Nature of Right Path
as said by the Conquerors. The true nature of Truth,
i.e., the three fold path to real Liberation. These
must be meditated again and again.

(E) 22 Sufferings.
For the sake of non-falling-off from the Path
of Liberation, and for the shedding of karmic matter,
whatever sufferings are undergone calmly and with religious
renunciation are called the Sufferings (Parishaha). They
are:

(1) Hunger
(2) Thirst
(3) Cold
(4) Heat
(5) Troubles from insect-bites, mosquitoes, etc.
(6) Nakedness, To bear calmly the troubles of climate,
unpopularity, etc., due to the vow of absolute
possessionlessness, i.e. nakedness
(7) Ennui, dissatisfaction, languor
(8) Women. Resisting temptations from and desire for women
(9) Walking too much, not to feel the fatigue, but to bear
it calmly
(10) Continuous sitting in one posture, not to disturb the
posture of meditation, even if there is danger from
lion, snakes, etc.
(11) Sleeping, resting on the hard earth
(12) Abuse
(13) Beating
(14) Begging. To resist the temptation of begging even when
there is great need of protection of body, mind, etc.
(15) Failure to get alms
(16) Disease
(17) Contact with thorny shrubs, etc.
(18) Dirt. Discomfort from dust, etc.
(19) Respect or disrespect by admirers or enemies
(20) To resist conceit of knowledge and to be full of
humility
(21) Lack of knowledge. Not to be pained, even though it is
felt that one does not know much
(22) Slack belief, e.g., on failure to attain supernatural
powers, even after great piety and austerities to begin
to doubt the truth of Jainism and its teachings.

(F) 5 Charitras. They are:

(1) Eqnanimity
(2) Recovery of equalimity after a fall from it
(3) Pure and absolute non-injury
(4) All but entire freedom from passion
(5) Ideal and passionless conduct (Parihar Vishuddhi)

VI. Nirjara.

The shedding of karmas already bound with a soul, at maturity, or
prematurely, is called Nirjara. The premature shedding of karmas
is caused by pure thought activities, brought about by the practice
of right kind of austerities. The shedding on maturity is a
natural and automatic process. But it is a long process.
Therefore a shorter method is adopted; deliberate activity may
hasten the ripening of a karma and the shedding of its matter.

To illustrate, we wish evil to our neighbour A : the thought
activity invites the karmic matter into the soul (ashrava), the
matter comes and binds the soul (bandha). This karma may take two
months to bear its full fruits; in the meantime it is an evil load
for the soul. To get lightness and to get rid of the karma, the
soul may deliberately feel an opposite kind of feeling towards
other neighbours B, C, and D, or towards A himself. A still surer
way is to practise austerity. By removing the mind from the
demands and impulses of the body, and by mortifying the physical
man through not listening to its greed and temptations, matter may
be overcome and the soul freed from the bondage.

The natural maturing of a Karma and its separation from the soul
is called Savipaka Nirjara. Inducing a karma to leave the soul
by means of a contrary karma, or by means of ascetic practices,
is called Avipaka Nirjara (Riddance without fruition).

The causes of stopping of inflow of karmic matter given
previously are also causes of the shedding of the karmas already
bound to the soul. In addition to these, austerities (tapa)
also cause the shedding before its time. Tapa, austerities are
external and internal.

External austerities are six:

(1) Anashana, Fasting.
(2) Avamodarya, Eating less than one's fill, or less than one
has appetite for.
(3) Vritti parisankhyana, Taking a mental vow to accept food
from a house-holder, only if a certain condition is
fulfilled, without letting anyone know about the vow.
(4) Rasa parityaga, Daily renunciation of one or more of 6 kinds
of delicacies: ghee (butter, clarified butter), milk, curd,
sugar, salt, oil.
(5) Vivikta shayyasana, sitting and sleeping in a lonely place,
devoid of animate beings.
(6) Kaya-Klesha, Mortification of the body, so long as the mind
is not disturbed.

Internal austerities are also six:

(1) Prayashchitta, Expiation.
(2) Vinava, Reverence.
(3) Vaiyavritya, Service of the saints or worthy people.
(4) Swadhyaya, Study.
(5) Vyutsarga, Giving up attachment to the body, etc.
(6) Dhyana, Concentration.

VII. Moksha,

Liberatiom is freedom from all karmic matter as a result of the
non-existence of the cause of bondage and the shedding off of all
karmas previously bound. The total separation of soul from the
bondage of all karmic matter is liberation (Moksha). It is the
state of a Siddha, the condition of perfection. Continuous
devotion to Apta (own soul), study of the scriptures, and
meditation of the seven principles, cause the subsidence of wrong
belief (Mithyatva) and of the four error feeding passions
(Anantanubandhi Kashaya) and as a cousequence the real Right
Belief, which is an attribute of the soul, shines forth in its true
splendour. At this stage the Right Believer is fully convinced of
the true amd pure nature of his own soul, and this is Real Right
Belief.

Punya (merit) and Papa (demerit):

Two more are added to the above said seven principles. These
are Punya (merit) and Papa (demerit). Know good karmas as merit
and bad karmas as demerit. Non-self, whether merit or demerit,
is not conducive to the freedom of the soul. People generally
love merit and hate demerit, because the latter brings pain and
the former pleasure. Really pleasure also is not beneficial,
because a mundane soul indulging in sense pleasures remains
aloof from the path of spiritual purity. Every gratification of
sense pleasure creates desire for further gratification. For
obtaining such gratifications one has to employ means, which may
be fair or foul, and, he inevitably binds bad karmas. He goes
on sinking deeper and deeper in the mire and his chances of
extricating himself become lesser and lesser. A wise man should
wean himself away from both merit and demerit, and concentrate
all attention to contemplation of pure soul. From the practical
point of view, people prefer merit to demerit, and therefore,
engage themselves in such acts and thoughts as bring in merit
for the following reasons:

(1) Cause of bondage of each is different; good thoughts bring
merit (Punya), and bad thoughts demerit (Papa).

(2) Nature of each is different. Good karmas are pleasure
bearing feeling karma, high family, good body-making, good
age karma classes; while bad karma are pain bearing feeling
karma, low family, bad body-making, bad age karma, and the
four destructive karmas, knowledge obscuring, conation
obscuring, delusion and obstructive karmas.

(3) Fruition of each is different. Merit (Punya) result in
pleasure and demerit (Papa) in pain.

(4) The result in each is different. Merit (Punya) leads on to
the Path of Liberation ultimately and demerit (Papa) to the
path of bondage.

From the real point of view, however, both merit and demerit
lead the soul further into the vortex of transmigration because:

(1) Both are caused by impure thought activity of the soul
(2) Both have got material karmic nature
(3) Fruition of both is harmful to real happiness of soul
(4) Both lead towards the path of bondage.

Passionate thought activity and soul vibration cause inflow and
bondage of karma, good or bad. Both are bondages, hindering the
purity and freedom of soul. Merit bondage is like fetters made
of gold and the demerit bondage is like iron fetters, causing
the soul to wander in the cycle of existences because fruits of
good or bad karmas have to be enjoyed. A wise Right Believer
should, therefore, see that merit and demerit both are
derogatory to the Path of Liberation, and true peace and
happiness. Thus he should have regard and liking only for
self-absorption, based on Right Belief, Right Knowledge and
Right conduct of Soul in its own true nature, as the true Path
of Liberation. Although in the lower Spiritual Stages, when
long-continued self-absorption is not possible, one is obliged
to take resort to good deeds, such as, worship of Arhats and
Saints, devotion to and services of the Acharyas, charity, and
study of scriptures in order to keep away Pramada or lines of
thoughts and deeds not beneficial for soul advancement. Such
good deeds are performed with the object of self improvement and
not for the gratification of sense desire. There is, however, a
constant effort for attaining the high status of
self-absorption.

CHAPTER V

THE FOURTEEN GUNASTHANAS
(SPIRITUAL STAGES)

According to Jain Philosophy there are 14 Spiritual Stages
(Gunasthanas) of thought activities, which a soul, desirous of
being liberated and of attaining perfection has to pass through.
The 14 Spiritual Stages which trace the progress of the soul
from delusion to a condition of perfection are useful as a
practical preliminary. In its highest essence the soul neither
needs nor is capable of any divisions or stages; it is always
itself infinite. The 14 Spiritual Stages are:

(1) Mithyatva, Wrong Belief, Delusion.

The thoght activity of the soul due to the operation of the
Right Belief Deluding Karmas. In this, the soul does not
believe in the right path to liberation. All 28 sub-classes
of Mohaniya i.e. deluding karma may be present in this first
and lowest stage. From here the soul always goes to the 4th
Gunasthana.

(2) Sasadana, Downfall.

The second and third stages are the intervening progressive
stages of thought activities between wrong belief and right
belief of the 4th stage. In the 2nd stage the three kinds of
right belief deluding karmas are existent, but in an
inoperative condition. The remaining 25 are operative. The
duration of this stage is the shortest, viz. at the most 6
Avalis, or winks or twinklings of an eye. This is a stage,
which is not touched by the soul in its progress. It is only
one of the possible 3 stages, which the soul occupies if it
suffers a downfall from the 4th stage. These 3 downward
stages are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. When there is operation in
the 4th stage of one of the four Anantanubandhi Kashayas,
error feeding passions, the soul falls down to the 1st stage
through the 2nd and the thought activity in the passage
through, is called Sasadana.

(3) Mishra, mixed right and wrong belief.

Operation of Samyak mithyatva mohaniya karmas or Mishra
Mohaniya. Belief in right and wrong at one and the same time.
This is reached on falling down from the 4th stage. From the
3rd, the soul may come down straight to the 1st or rise to the
4th stage. But the operation of the error feeding passions
without operation of wrong belief brings about the downfall of
the soul from the 4th to the 2nd stage. In the 3rd stage,
only 22 causes delusion are operative, namely, 21, i.e., all
except the 4 error feeding passions of right conduct deluding
karma, and only 1, i.e. mixed right and wrong belief of the
right belief deluding karma.

(4) Avirata Samyaktva, Vowless Right-Belief.

A soul which enters the 4th stage is said to have reached the
threshold of Liberation. At this stage the soul has got only
right belief. The soul here has belief in the Path of
Liberation, but cannot observe the rules of conduct for
attaining Liberation. Here only 21 causes of delusion are
operative. There is no right belief deluding karma except of
the 3rd kind i.e. when the right belief is clouded by wrong
belief.

(5) Desha Virata, partial vows, i.e. taking the partial vows.

All the 11 Pratimas or stages of a layman's life come in
this stage. As soon as the soul begins to follow the
practical vows of a layman, it is said to enter the 5th
stage. Here only 17 causes of delusion are operative. The
four partial vow preventing passions become quiescent here.

(6) Pramata Virata, imperfect vows.

After renunciation of all worldly objects, still occasionally
to turn the mind to the service or needs of the body. This is
Pramattabhava, careless slackness in concentration.
Henceforth, the stages are all in the life of a muni, saint.
Here only 13 causes of delusion operate. The 4 total vow
preventing passions become quiescent. The 6th stage is also a
retrogressive one. It is reached by a soul which is going
down from the 7th stage. But such a downfallen soul may
regain the 7th stage from the 6th. Indeed this can go on for
a long, long time.

(7) Apramata Virata, Perfect vows.

Renouncing the careless slackness of the 6th Gunasthana, and
being absorbed in spiritual contemplation (righteous
contemplation of tbe highest type). From here there are 2
Shrenis, or ways of ascent,
(1) Upashama Shreni in which the right conduct deluding
karma subsides,

(2) Kshapaka Shreni in which it is being destroyed. This
last is the necessary way to Moksha, liberation.

(8) Apurva Karana, New thought activity.

Karana or thought activity which the sain't soul had never yet
acquired. This is the beginning of the first Shukladhyana,
pure concentration on the pure Atma or Self. In the 7th and
8th stages 13 causes of delusion operate but their operation
is mild.

(9) Anivritta Karana, Advanced thought activity,

Special thought activity of a still greater purity. A stage
of Pratham Shukladhyan. Here 7 causes of delusion operate, 6
slight passions no-kashyas subside or are destroyed.

(10) Suksma Samparaya, Slightest delusion.

All passions are destroyed or have subsided, except very
slight nominal greed. This is also, first Shukladhyana.

(11) Upashanta moha or Upashanta kashaya subsided delusion.

A thought activity which is produced by the subsidence of the
entire right conduct deluding karmas. This is also first
Shukladhyana. A saint must fall down from here, but if strong
enough, he can resume his ascent from the Kshapaka mode of
ascent in the 8th stage. Here all 28 causes of delusion
subside. Here the soul can stay at the most for one antar
muhurt. After falling down to any of the lower stages up to
7th, the soul can go up the destructive ladder to the 8th and
higher stages, skipping the 11th or the highest point of the
subsidential ladder on its way from the 10th to the 12th
stage, the highest point of the destructive ladder, where
delusion does not subside but is entirely destroyed.

(12) Kshina moha, delusionless.

The entire right conduct deluding karmas are destroyed, in
this stage, and the thought activity produced belongs to the
2nd Shukladhyana. The saint attaining this, does so directly
from the 10th stage without passing through the 11th stage.

(13) Sayoga Kevali, Vibrating Perfect Soul.

Before commencing this, the soul must have destroyed the three
remaining destructive karmas knowledge obscuring, conation
obscuring, and obstructive karmas. The soul is subject to
mundane vibratory activity due to body making karma. A saint
after destroying all the four Ghati karmas by dint of
meditation and self-realisation enters the 13th stage of
Vibratory Omniscient (Sayoga-Jina), when he is known as Arhat
or the Worshipful Lord. The Soul becomes Arhat or Perfect
Soul in human body with vibrations in it. Preaching and
peregritnations belong to this stage. The Worshipful Lord
proclaims Truth to the world.

(14) Ayoga Kevali, Vibrationless Perfect soul.

When the same soul or the Worshipful Lord is about to be
entirely freed from karmas and his vibratory activity has
ceased, the soul is said to have entered the 14th stage of
Non-vibrating Omniscient Lord (Ayoga Jina). During the very
short period of this stage the soul destroys the remaining
four Aghati karmas i.e. Vedniya, Nama, Gotra and Ayu karmas.
Then the soul leaving the body goes to Siddhalaya at the top
of the universe, is finally free from all the karmas and has
accomplished all that was to be accomplished, liberation
Moksha. Such a soul is known as a Perfect Soul (Siddha). The
soul is a pure soul substance full of the infinite attributes
of omniscience, omnipotence, etc. In one word the soul is
itself God.

Thus, it will be seen that all these 14 Spiritual Stages are due
to wrong belief, vowlessness, carelessness, passions and
vibratory activity. Carelessness (Pramada) in intensity or
mildness lasts from the 1st to the 6th stage of imperfect vow.
Therefore, the first six stages are referred to by the word
"Pramatta". All the other eight stages are meditation and free
from carelessness in pursuing the Path of Self-realisation, and
are described as "Apramatta". The stages are indices of degrees
of progressing thought activities. They are mere steps of
ladder to reach the abode of Liberation. When the top is
reached, the ladder is left behind. Thus the soul in its
essence is devoid of any distinction of stages.

While a saint remains in the 6th and the 7th stages and improves
his qualifications, so that he has the capacity of controlling
the whole order of saints and supervises their general conduct,
he is said to be head of the order of saints or an Acharya, and
as such he follows and practises the five kinds of conduct.
They are as follows:

(a) Darshanachara, Conduct of right belief.
Performance of all those duties which keep right belief firm.

(b) Jnanachara, Conduct of knowledge.
Minute and detailed study of the scriptures, with the view of
increasing right knowledge.

(c) Charitrachara, Conduct of observing saintly character.
Thirteen kinds of rules of conduct are to be observed as
under:

Five vows:
(1) non-injury
(2) truth
(3) non-stealing
(4) chastity
(5) possessionlessness

The saints have to observe these rules fully, without any
blemish or transgression

Carefulness in:
(6) walking
(7) speaking
(8) eating
(9) lifting up and laying down
(10) excreting

Control of:
(11) Mind
(12) Speech
(13) Body

Observing these rules regularly and flawlessly with the idea
of realising the self is called Charitrachara.

(d) Tapachara,
Conduct of austerities is the proper and regular observance of
12 kinds of austerities (tapas) as fasting, etc.

(e) Viryachara,
Conduct of soul force means the development of soul force and
repulsion of the karmic forces with the view of attaining
liberation.

An Acharya, as defined above, himself practises and observes all
the above mentioned five kinds of conduct, and instructs the
saints of his order to do the same.

Any saint of the order who is in the 6th and the 7th stages, is
well versed in Jain scriptures and is capable of teaching and
instructing other saints of the order, is called the preceptor
(Upadhaya),

All other saints who are neither Acharyas nor Upadhyas are known as
Sadhus. They may be in any spiritual stage from the 6th to the
12th stages, when delusion is absolutely destroyed. From the 8th
to the 12th, all are the progressive stages of meditation. In
these stages a saint is deeply absorbed in meditation and self
realisation.

From the above, we note that a soul when it observes and follows
the 13 rules of conduct, remains either in the condition of an
Acharya, Upadhyaya or a Sadhu and the attainment of the condition
of being an Arhat or a Siddha is an outcome of the observance of
the rules of right conduct. The Arhat or Arihant and the Acharya,
Upadhyaya and Sadhu are said to be Mahan Atmas (great souls). All
the above five i.e. the Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas,
and Sadhus are called five Supreme Dignitaries (Pancha Parmeshthi).
It is only these five Dignitaries, who are worshipped by the Jainas
in general. The most miraculous benedictory hymn (Navakar Mantra)
which every Jain usually recites everyday consists of Namaskar to
this Panch Parmeshthi. This Mantra comprises an adoration of
qualities. In it, we have the praise of the highest souls
(Siddhas) who have completely realised all the natural and inherent
qualities of the soul and of those qualified persons who are on
their way to realization.

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

Ten Virtues Of Monks (G40) 01/19/93 10VIRTUE.A01
Complied by Pravin K. Shah, Jain Study Center of North Carolina

Ten Virtues Of Monks
---------------------
Along with the five great vows, monks strive after the ten-fold
virtues of a self controlled ascetic. The layperson follows these
virtues partially.

Kshamaa Forbearance, Forgiveness
Maardava Modesty, Humility
Aarjava Straightforwardness, Candor
Saucha Contentment
Satya Truthfullness
Samyam Self-restraint, Control of Senses
Tapa Austerity, Penance
Tyaga Renunciation
Akinchanya Non-attachment
Brahmacharya Celibacy, Chastity

Monks are required to bear equanimity towards all living beings,
friends and foes alike.

In addition to the ten fold virtues Monks live on alms, do not eat
food at night, do not use any kind of conveyance, and do not
possess any property.

Jain Dashlakshni parva which begins from Bhaadaravo Sud 5, and
ends, Bhaadravo Sud 14, Ananta-chaturdashi, is the celebration of
ten virtues, Each day is dedicated to one virtue.

Bhaadaravo Vad 1, is called Kshamaavaanee day. This is the day of
forgiving and asking forgiveness.


.

Twelve Bhavnas (Reflections or Thoughts)
========================================

Jain religion puts a significant emphasis on the thought process of
a human being. A person's behavior and his actions are the
reflection of his internal thoughts, day in and day out. It is not
the action but intention behind the action results in the
accumulation of Karma.

One should be very careful about his thoughts, how he thinks, and
the subject matter of his thought.

To make room for pure thoughts, and to drive out the evil ones,
Jainism recommends to meditate the following twelve thoughts or
Bhavnas.

The twelve Bhavnas described here are the subject matters of one's
meditation, and how to occupy one's mind with useful, religious,
beneficial, peaceful, harmless, spiritually advancing, Karma
preventing thoughts. They cover a wide field of teachings of
Jainism. They are designed to serve as aids to spiritual progress,
produce detachment, and lead the aspirants from the realm of desire
to the path of renunciation. They are reflections upon the
fundamental facts of life, intended to develop purity of thought
and sincerity in the practice of religion.

The reflections are also called Anuprekshas, longings, thoughts,
aspirations, or Bhavnas.

1. Anitya Bhavna - Impermanence of the world
2. Asarana Bhavna - No one provides protection
3. Samsara Bhavna - No permanent relationship in universe
4. Ekatva Bhavna - Solitude of the soul
5. Anyatva Bhavna - Separateness
6. Asuci Bhavna - Impureness of the body
7. Asrava Bhavna - Influx of karma
8. Samvara Bhavna - Stoppage of influx of karma
9. Nirjara Bhavna - Shedding of karma
10. Loka Bhavna - Transitory of universe
11. Bodhi-durlabha - Unattainability of right faith,
Bhavna knowledge, and conduct
12. Dharma Bhavna - Unattainability of true preceptor,
scriptures, and religion

1. Anitya Bhavna - Impermanence of the world
---------------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks that in this world every thing
such as life, youth, wealth, property, etc. are transient or
subject to alteration. Nothing in the universe is permanent, even
though the whole universe is constant. Spiritual values are
therefore worth striving for as soul's ultimate freedom and
stability. This will help to break all earthly attachments.

2. Asarana Bhavna - No one provides protection
----------------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks that he is helpless against
death, old age, and disease. The only way he can conquer death and
disease is by destroying all his karma. The soul is his own
savior, and to achieve total freedom and enlightenment, one takes
refuge to the true path and to the five best personalities. They
are Arihanta, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyay and Sadhus. The
refuge to others are due to delusion, and must be avoided.

3. Samsara Bhavna - No permanent relationship in universe
---------------------------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks that the soul transmigrates from
one life to the other in any of the four forms, human, animal,
hellish, and heavenly.

The continual cycle of birth, life, and death is full of pain and
miseries, and has not yet ended. There are no permanent worldly
relations like father, mother, friend, foe, etc. It is we who
establish these relations and live accordingly.

This kind of thought will help minimize or stop any attachments to
anybody, other living beings, or objects. The soul must achieve
ultimate freedom from it, which is liberation or Moksha.

4. Ekatva Bhavna - Solitude of the soul
----------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks that the soul is solitaire, and
lonely in existence. The soul assumes birth alone, and departs
alone from the life form. The soul is responsible for its own
actions and karmas. The soul will enjoy the fruits, and suffer bad
consequences of its own action alone. Such thoughts will stimulate
his efforts to get rid of karmas by his own initiative and will
lead religious life.

5. Anyatva Bhavna - Separateness
--------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks that soul is separate from any
other objects or living beings of the world. Even his body is not
his. At the time of death, soul leaves the body behind. The body
is matter, while the soul is all consciousness.

The soul therefore should not develop attachment for worldly
objects, and other living beings. He should not allow himself to
be controlled by desires, greed, and urges of the body.

6. Asuci Bhavna - Impureness of the body
----------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks about the constituent element of
one's body. It is made of impure things like blood, bones, flesh,
etc. It also generates impure things like perspiration, urine,
stool, etc.

The soul, which resides within the body, is unattached to the body.
It is alone and pure. The body ultimately becomes nonexistent,
but the soul is eternal.

Therefore emotional attachments to the body is useless.

7. Asrava Bhavna - Influx of karma
----------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks about karma streaming into the
soul. Every time he enjoys or suffers through the senses (touch,
taste, smell, sight, and hearing) he makes his karma increase.
This thought will make him more careful, and will try to stop the
influx of karmas.

8. Samvara Bhavna - Stoppage of influx of karma
-----------------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks about stopping evil thoughts,
and becomes absorbed in achieving spiritual knowledge, meditation,
etc. This prevents the influx of karma.

9. Nirjara Bhavna - Shedding of karma
--------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks about the evil consequences of
karma, and striving to destroy the previously acquired karma by
austerity and meditation.

10. Loka Bhavna - Transitory of universe
----------------------------------------
Under this reflection, one thinks about the real nature of this
universe. Judging from the standpoint of substance, it is eternal
but from the standpoint of modification it is transitory.

Thus all objects of the world come into existence and perish. This
thought makes him understand the true nature of reality, which is
necessary for right knowledge.

11. Bodhi-durlabha Bhavna - Unattainability of right faith,
------------------------- knowledge, and conduct

Under this reflection, one thinks that it is very difficult for the
transmigrating soul to acquire right faith, right knowledge, and
right conduct in this world. Therefore, when one's has the
opportunity to be a religious person, take the advantage of it to
develop right religious talent. This thought will strengthen one's
effort to attain them, and live accordingly.

12. Dharma Bhavna - Unattainability of true preceptor,
------------------ scriptures, and religion

Under this reflection, one thinks that the true preceptor,
scriptures, and religion are excellent shelters in this world full
of agony. All other things lead to misery and suffering.

Four Bhavnas or Virtues
-----------------------
Besides the twelve Bhavnas described above Jainism has laid great
importance on the following four Bhavnas or virtues. They are
mentioned here for clarification.

Amity, love, and friendship - Maitri
Appreciation, respect and joy - Pramoda
Compassion - Karuna
Equanimity and tolerance - Madhyastha

.

Jain Ethics

Twelve Vows Of Layperson
-------------------------
The five great vows (Maha-vratas) can be adopted by monks who are
very keen about the uplift of their souls and ready to sacrifice
all worldly enjoyments and family ties.

For those who want to remain in family life and for whom complete
avoidance of five principle sins are difficult, Jain ethics
specifies the following twelve vows to be carried out by the
householder.

Of this twelve vows, the first five are main vows of limited nature
(Anuvratas). They are somewhat easier in comparison with great vows
(Maha-vratas). The great vows are for the monks.

The next three vows are known as merit vows (Guna-vratas), so called
because they enhance and purify the effect of the five main vows
and raise their value manifold. It also governs the external
conduct of an individual.

The last four are called disciplinary vows (Shikhsa-vratas). They
are intended to encourage the person in the performance of their
religious duties. They reflect the purity of one's heart. They
govern one's internal life and are expressed in a life that is
marked by charity. They are preparatory to the discipline of an
ascetic's life.

Three merit vows (Gunavrats) and four disciplinary vows
(Shikhsa-vratas) together are known as Seven vows of virtuous conduct
(Shilas).

A person may adopt these vows, according to his individual capacity
and circumstances with the intent to adopt ultimately as a great vows.

The layperson should be very careful while observing and following
these limited vows. These vows being limited or restricted vows
may still leave great scope for the commitment of sins and
possession of property.

The twelve vows are described as follows:

Five Main Vows of Limited Nature (Anuvratas):
-----------------------------------------------
1. Non-violence Anuvrat - Ahimsa Anuvrat
(Sthula Pranatipat Viraman)
2. Truthfulness Anuvrat - Satya Anuvrat
(Sthula Mrisavada Viraman)
3. Non-stealing Anuvrat - Achaurya Anuvrat
(Sthula Adattadana Viraman)
4. Chastity Anuvrat - Bhramacharya Anuvrat
(Sthula Maithuna Viraman)
5. Non-attachment Anuvrat- Aparigraha Anuvrat
(Sthula Parigraha Viraman)

Three Merit Vows (Guna-vrats):
------------------------------
6. Dik Vrata - Limited area of activity vow
7. Bhoga-Upbhoga Vrata - Limited use of consumable and
non-consumable items vow
8. Anartha-danda Vrata - Avoidance of purposeless sins vow

Four Disciplinary Vows (Siksha-vratas):
---------------------------------------
9. Samayik Vrata - Meditation vow of limited
duration
10. Desavakasika Vrata - Activity vow of limiting space
11. Pausadha Vrata - Ascetic's life Vow of limited
duration
12. Atithi Samvibhaga Vrata - Limited charity vow

1. Non-violence Anuvrat (Ahimsa Anuvrat):
-----------------------------------------
In this vow, a person must not intentionally hurt any living being
(plants,animals,humans etc.) or their feeling either by thought,
word or deed, himself, or through others, or by approving such an
act committed by somebody else.

Intention in this case applies selfish motive, sheer pleasure and
even avoidable negligence.

He may use force, if necessary, in the defense of his country,
society, family, life, property, religious institute.

His agricultural, industrial, occupational living activities do
also involve injury to life, but it should be as minimum as
possible, through carefulness and due precaution.

Four stages of violence are described:

Premeditated Violence
to attack someone knowingly
Defensive Violence
to commit intentional violence in defense of one's own life
Vocational Violence
to incur violence in the execution of one's means of
livelihood
Common Violence
to commit violence in the performance of daily activities

Premeditated violence is prohibited for all. A householder is
permitted to incur violence defensively and vocationally provided
he maintains complete detachment. Common violence is accepted for
survival, but even here, one should be careful in preparing food,
cleaning house, etc. This explains the Jain's practices of
filtering drinking water, vegetarianism, not eating meals at night,
and abstinence from alcohol.

Nonviolence is the foundation of Jain ethics. Lord Mahavir says:
`one should not injure, subjugate, enslave, torture or kill any
living being including animals, insects, plants, and vegetables.'
This is the essence of religion. It embraces the welfare of all
animals. It is the basis of all stages of knowledge and the source
of all rules of conduct. The scriptures analyze the spiritual and
practical aspects of nonviolence and discuss the subject negatively
and positively.

2. Truthfulness Anuvrat (Satya Anuvrat):
----------------------------------------

The second of the five limited vows is Truth. It is more than
abstaining from falsehood. It is seeing the world in its real
form and adapting to that reality. The vow of truth puts a
person in touch with his inner strength and inner capacities.

In this vow, a person avoids lies, such as giving false evidence,
denying the property of others entrusted to him, avoid cheating
others etc. The vow is to be followed in thought, action, and
speech, and by doing it himself or by getting it done through
others.

He should not speak the truth, if it harms others or hurts their
feelings. He should, under these circumstances, keep silence.

3. Non-stealing (Achaurya / Asteya) Anuvrat:
--------------------------------------------
In this vow, a person must not steal, rob, or misappropriate others
goods and property. He also must not cheat and use illegal means
in acquiring worldly things, nor through others or by approving
such an act committed by others.

4. Chastity (Bhramacharya) Anuvrat:
------------------------------------
The basic intent of this vow is to conquer passion and to prevent
the waste of energy. Positively stated, the vow is meant to impart
the sense of serenity to the soul.

In this vow, the house holder must not have a sensual relationship
with anybody but one's own lawfully wedded spouse. Even with one's
own spouse, excessive indulgence of all kinds of sensual pleasure
need be avoided.

5. Non-possession / Non-attachment (Aparigraha) Anuvrat:
---------------------------------------------------------
Non-possession is the fifth limited vow. As long as a person does
not know the richness of joy and peace that comes from within, he
tries to fill his empty and insecure existence with the clutter of
material acquisitions.

Lord Mahavir said, security born of material things is a delusion.
To remove this delusion, one takes the vow of non-possession and
realizes the perfection of the soul.

One must impose a limit on one's needs, acquisitions, and
possessions such as land, real estate, goods, other valuables,
animals, money, etc. The surplus should be used for the
common good. One must also limit the every day usage of number of
food items, or articles and their quantity.

This Jain principle of limited possession for householders helps in
equitable distribution of wealth, comforts, etc., in the society.
Thus Jainism helps in establishing socialism, economic stability, and
welfare in the world.

Non-possession, like non-violence, affirms the oneness of all life
and is beneficial to an individual in his spiritual growth and to
the society for the redistribution of wealth.

6. Dik Vrata - Limited Area of Activity Vow
---------------------------------------------
This vow limits one's worldly activities to certain area in all the
ten directions; north, south, east, west, north-east, north-west,
south-east, south-west, above and below. He gives up committing
sins in any place outside the limited areas. This vow provides a
space limit to the commitments of sins not restricted by the
limited vows of non-violence. Thus outside the limited area, the
limited vows assumes the status of full vow (Maha-vratas).

7. Bhoga-Upbhoga Vrata - Limited use of Consumable/
Non-consumable items vow
------------------------------------------------------
Generally one commits the sin by one's use or enjoyment of
consumable (Bhoga) and non-consumable (Upbhoga) things.

Consumable (Bhoga) means enjoyment of an object which can only be
used once, such as food, drink, fruits and flowers.

Non-consumable (Upabhoga) means enjoyment of an object which can be
used several times, such as furniture, cloths, ornaments,
buildings etc.

One should, therefore, limit the use of these two items in
accordance with his own need and capacity by taking this vows.

This vow provides the time limit to the commitments of sins not
restricted by Aparigraha Anuvrata.

8. Anartha-danda Vrata - Avoidance of Purposeless Sins Vow
-----------------------------------------------------------
One must not commit unnecessary or purposeless sin or moral
offense as defined below.

Thinking, talking, or preaching evil or ill of others.

Doing inconsiderate or useless acts such as walking on the grass
unnecessarily.

Manufacturing or supplying arms for attack.

Reading or listening, improper literature, or carelessness in
ordinary behavior.

Thus this vow is of great practical importance. It makes life more
vigilant and sin-proof.

9. Samayik Vrata - Limited Meditation Vow
-------------------------------------------
Meditation of the soul and its relationship with nature is known as
Samayik.

By giving up affection and aversion (Rag and Dvesha), observing
equanimity in all objects, thinking evil of no one, and being at
peace with the world, one should practice this vow of meditation
(Samayik).

This vow consists in sitting down at one place for at least 48
minutes concentrating one's mind on religious activities like
reading religious books, praying, or meditating. This vow may be
repeated many times in a day. It is to be observed by mind, body,
and speech.

The meditation of 48 minutes makes a person realize the importance
of a life long vow to avoid all sinful activities and is a stepping
stone to a life of full renunciation.

10. Desavakasika Vrata - Limited Duration of Activity Vow
---------------------------------------------------------
This vow sets the new limit within the limitations already set by
Dik Vrata and Bhoga-Upbhoga Vrata. The general life long
limitation of doing business in certain areas and the use of
articles are further restricted for a particular days time of the
week.

This means that one shall not, during a certain period of time, do
any activity, business, or travel beyond a certain city, street,
house or have anything to do with the enjoyment of objects beyond
that limit.

11. Pausadha Vrata - Limited Ascetic's Life Vow
------------------------------------------------
This vow requires to live the life of a monk for a day. During
this time one should retire to a secluded place, renounce all
sinful activities, abstain in seeking pleasure from all objects of
the senses, observe due restraint of body, speech and mind. A
person follows five great vows (Maha-vratas) completely during this
time. He passes his time in spiritual contemplation, perform
meditation (Samayik), engage in self study, and worship Gods
(Arihants and Siddhas).

This vow promotes and nourishes one's religious life and provides
training for ascetic life.

12. Atithi Samvibhaga Vrata - Limited Charity Vow
--------------------------------------------------
One should give food, clothes, medicine, and other articles of its
own possession to monks, nuns, and a pious person. The food
offered should be pure and with reverence.

One should not prepare any foods specially for monks because monks
are not allowed to have such foods. Donating of one's own food and
articles to monks and others, provides an inner satisfaction and
raises one's consciousness to higher level. It also saves him from
acquiring of more sins if he would have used the same for his
nourishment, comfort and pleasure.

Peaceful Death:
---------------
In the final days of life, a householder observes peaceful death.

The house-holder can attain a peaceful death (Sallekhana) if he
truly follows the above twelve vows. The peaceful death is
characterized by non-attachment to the worldly objects and by a
suppression of the passions at the time of death. The last thought
should be of a calm renunciation of the body, and this thought
should ever be present long before death supervenes.

Conclusion:
----------
By performing these twelve vows, a lay follower may live a
righteous life and advance towards a fuller and more perfect life,
and conquer desire.

While earning wealth, supporting family, and taking up arms to
protect himself, his family, his country, etc. against intruder,
he is taught self restraint, love and enmity.

On one hand, he is debarred from doing any harm to himself, to his
family, to his country, or to humanity by his reckless conduct. On
the other hand, by giving up attachments he gradually prepares
himself for the life of ascetics.

If one goes deeper into the rules laid down, he will find that
practice of limiting the number of things to be kept or enjoyed by
himself eliminates the danger of concentration of wealth at one
point, which will help to minimize poverty and crime in the
society. Thus limiting the desires of individuals, results in a
ideal society.


.

Fourteen Auspicious Dreams of Mother Trishala
==============================================

Queen Trishala, mother of Lord Mahavir at midnight saw fourteen
beautiful and auspicious dreams after conception.
They were:

1. Elephant
2. Bull
3. Lion
4. Goddess Laxmi
5. Garland of Flowers
6. Full Moon
7. Sun
8. Large Flag
9. Silver Urn
10. Lotus-Lake
11. Milky-Sea
12. Celestial Air-plane
13. Heap of Gems
14. Smokeless Fire

1. Elephant
-----------
The first dream Queen Trishala saw was of an elephant. She saw a
big, tall, and impetuous elephant. It had two pairs of tusks.
The color of the elephant was white and its whiteness was superior
to the color of marble. It was an auspicious elephant, and was
endowed with all the desirable marks of excellence.

This dream indicates that her son will guide the spiritual
chariot, and save human beings from misery, greed, and attraction
of life.

2. Bull
-------
The second dream Queen Trishala saw was of a bull. The color of
the bull was also white, but it was brighter than white lotuses.
It glowed with beauty and radiated a light all around. It was
noble, grand, and had a majestic hump. It had fine, bright, and
soft hair on his body. Its horns were superb and sharply-pointed.

This dream indicates that her son will be a spiritual teacher of
great ascetics, kings, and other great personalities.

3. Lion
--------
The third dream Queen Trishala saw was of a magnificent lion. Its
claws were beautiful and well-poised. The lion had a large
well-rounded head and extremely sharp teeth. Its lips were
perfect, its color was red, and its eyes were sharp and glowing.
Its tail was impressively long and well-shaped. Queen Trishala saw
this lion descending towards her and entering her mouth.

This dream indicates that her son will be as powerful and strong as
a lion. He will be fearless, almighty, and capable of ruling over
the world.

4. Goddess Laxmi
----------------
The fourth dream Queen Trishala saw was of the Goddess Laxmi, the
Goddess of wealth, prosperity and power. She was seated at the top
of mountain Himalaya. Her feet had a sheen of golden turtle. She
had a delicate and soft fingers. Her black hair was tiny, soft,
and delicate. She wore rows of pearls interlaced with emeralds and
a garland of gold. A pair of earring hung over her shoulders with
dazzling beauty. She held a pair of bright lotuses.

This dream indicates that her son will attain great wealth,
power, prosperity.

5. Garland of Flowers
---------------------
The fifth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a celestial garland of
flowers descending from the sky. It smelled of mixed fragrances of
different flowers. The whole universe was filled with fragrance.
The flowers were white and woven into the garland. They bloomed
during all different seasons. A swarm of bees flocked to it and
they made a humming sound around the region.

This dream indicates that the fragrance of her son's preaching will
spread over the entire universe.

6. Full Moon
------------
The sixth dream queen Trishala saw was of a full moon. It
presented an auspicious sight. The moon was at its full glory. It
awoke the lilies to bloom fully. It was bright like a well
polished mirror. The moon radiated whiteness like a swan. It
inspired the oceans to surge skyward. The beautiful moon looked
like a radiant beauty-mark in the sky.

This dream indicates that her son will have a great physical
structure, and be pleasing to all living beings of the universe.

7. Sun
------
The seventh dream Queen Trishala saw was of a huge disc of sun.
The sun was shining, and destroying darkness. It was red like the
flame of the forest. Lotuses bloomed at its touch. The sun is the
lamp of the sky and the lord of planets. The sun rose and an put
to end the evil activities of the creatures who thrive at night.

This dream indicates that the teaching of her son will destroy
anger, greed, ego, lust, pride, etc. from the life of the people.

8. Large Flag
-------------
The eighth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a very large flag flying
on a golden stick. The flag fluttered softly and auspiciously in
the gentle breeze. It attracted the eyes of all. Peacock feathers
decorated its crown. A radiant white lion was on it.

This dream indicates that her son will be great, noble, and a well
respected leader of the family.

9. Silver Urn
-------------
The ninth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a silver urn (kalash)
full of crystal-clear water. It was a magnificent, beautiful, and
bright pot. It shone like gold and was a joy to behold. It was
garlanded with strings of lotuses and other flowers. The pot was
holy and untouched by anything sinful.

This dream indicates that her son will be perfect in all virtues.

10. Lotus-Lake
--------------
The tenth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a lotus lake
(padma-sagar). Thousands of lotuses were floating on the lake
which opened at the touch of the sun's rays. The lotuses imparted
a sweet fragrance. There were swarms of fish in the lake. Its
water glowed like flames of fire. The lily-leaves were floating on
the water.

This dream indicates that her son will help to liberate the human
beings who are tangled in the cycle of birth, death, and misery.

11. Milky-sea
-------------
The eleventh dream Queen Trishala saw was of a milky sea. Its
water swelled out in all directions, rising to great heights with
turbulent motions. Winds blew and created waves. A great
commotion was created in the sea by huge sea animals. Great rivers
fell into the sea, producing huge whirlpools.

This dream indicates that her son will navigate through life on an
ocean of birth, death, and misery leading to Moksha or liberation.

12. Celestial air-plane
------------------------
The twelfth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a celestial airplane.
The airplane had eight thousands magnificent gold pillars
studded with gems. The plane was framed with sheets of gold and
garlands of pearls. It was decorated with rows of murals depicting
bulls, horses, men, crocodiles, birds, children, deers, elephants,
wild animals, and lotus flowers. The plane resounded with
celestial music. It was saturated with an intoxicating aroma of
incense fumes. It was illuminated with a bright silvery light.

This dream indicates that all Gods and Goddesses in heaven will
respect and salute to his spiritual teaching and will obey him.

13. Heap of Gems
----------------
The thirteenth dream Queen Trishala saw was of a great heap of
gems, as high as Mount Meru. There were gems and precious stones of
all types and kinds. These gems were heaped over the earth and they
illuminated the entire sky.

This dream indicates that her son will have infinite virtues and
wisdom.

14. Smokeless Fire
-------------------
The fourteenth dream queen Trishala saw was of a smokeless fire.
The fire burned with great intensity and emitted a radiant glow.
Great quantities of pure ghee and honey were being poured on the
fire. It burned with numerous flames.

This dream indicates that the wisdom of her son will excel the
wisdom of all other great people.

After having such fourteen wonderful dreams, Queen Trishala woke
up. Her dreams filled her with wonder. She never had such dreams
before. She narrated her dreams to King Siddharth.

The king called the soothsayers for the interpretation of dreams
and they unanimously said, "Sir, her Highness will be blessed with
a noble son. The dream augur the vast spiritual realm, the child
shall command. Her Highness will become the Universal Mother."

After nine months and fourteen days, Queen Trishala delivered a
baby boy. The boy was named Vardhaman meaning ever increasing.

Immediately after the birth of prince Vardhaman, Indra, the King of
Heaven, arrived with other gods and goddesses. He hypnotized the
whole city including mother Trishala and King Siddharth.

He took baby Vardhaman to Mount Meru and bathed him. He proclaimed
peace and harmony by reciting Bruhat Shanti during the first
bathing ceremony of the new born Tirthankara.

After renunciation and realization of Absolute Self Knowledge,
Prince Vardhaman became Lord Mahavir, the twenty fourth and the
last Tirthankara of Jain religion.


.

Five Bodies and Eight Vargnas
==============================

A liberated soul does not have a material body, mind, speech, and
does not breathe. The soul is totally free from all karmas. It
merely exists in Moksha in the permanent blissful state.

As far as a worldly soul is concerned it possesses a material body
along with some other types of bodies. These bodies are made up
from different types of varganas (matters). Jainism explains that
eight types of vargana exist in the universe. Every space in the
universe is filled with these vargana. When five of the eight
vargana when attach to the worldly soul they create five different
bodies. The remaining three vargana provide three different
functions to the material body.

The eight Vargnas (matters) are:
--------------------------------

Audaric vargana - creates the physical body of the living being

Tejas vargana - creates the Tejas body to the living being
which provides heat and digestion power to
the audaric body.

Karman vargana - creates Karmic or Causal body

Aharac vargana - creates Aharac body, which is very small in
size and is possessed by some unique soul

Vaikriya vargana - creates Vaikriya body, which can be converted
into very small or large in size

Breathing vargana- provides breathing

Mind vargana - provides mind for thinking

Speech vargana - provides speech

The five bodies are:
-------------------

Audaric body -

The body that we see from the outside (Bahya Sthula Sharira)
is called Audaric body. It is made up of Audaric vargna. A
person can not be liberated without the help of this body. Hence
it is the most important body of the human being. At the time of
death, the soul leaves this body behind.

Tejas body -

This body is made up of Tejas vargna. This body is responsible
for digestion, heat, etc. in the Audaric body. At the time of
death, it accompanies the soul and helps to create a new Audaric
body for the soul.

Karmic/Causal Body (Karmana Sharira)

The karmic matter that covers the soul is called karmic body.
It changes every moment because new karma is continuously
attached to the soul due to activities of body, mind, and
speech. At the time of death, the soul is accompanied by this
body for the next birth. It leaves the present physical
(Audaric) body behind. The karmic body along with tejas body
forms the basis of the other newly produced audaric body. It
also provides the fruits of living being's past action when due.

Aharac body -

This body is possessed by some special souls. Aharac body is
very small in size. These souls put on this body to travel far
distant places. Sometimes monks who possess this body can
travel to the other part of the universe (ex. Mahavideha
Kshetra) to visit a Tirthankara to remove their doubts about
soul, karma etc.

It is said that Achaurya Shri Kunda Kunda possessed Aharac body.
With this body he visited Shri Srimandhar Swami, the present
Tirthankara of the Mahavideha Kshetra. He removed his doubt
about soul and matter substances.

Vaikriya body -

This body can be obtained by human being by practicing yoga,
meditation, etc. With this body one can transform his body into
a very small or a large size. The heavenly beings and hellish
beings possess this body by birth.

All worldly souls possess three bodies (Audaric, Tejas, and
Karmic) and some unique soul may possess additional one or two
bodies.


.

Five Great Vows (Maha-vratas)
-----------------------------
Right knowledge, right faith, and right conduct are the three
most essentials for attaining liberation.

In order to acquire these, one must observe the five great vows:

1. Non-violence - Ahimsa
2. Truth - Satya
3. Non-stealing - Achaurya or Asteya
4. Celibacy/Chastity - Brahmacharya
5. Non-attachment/Non-possession - Aparigraha

Non-violence (Ahimsa):
---------------------
Among these five vows, non-violence (Ahimsa) is the cardinal
principle of Jainism and hence it is called the highest religious
principle, or the cornerstone of Jainism.

Non-violence is the supreme religion (Ahimsa parmo dharma)

It is repeatedly said by all Tirthankaras in Jain literature,

"Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment,
torture, or kill any creature or living being."

According to Jainism all living beings, irrespective of their
size, shape, or different spiritual developments are equal. No
living being has a right to harm, injure, or kill any other living
being, including animals, insects, and plants. Every living being has
a right to exist and it is necessary to live with every other living
being in perfect harmony and peace.

Nonviolence is based on love and kindness for all living beings.
Nonviolence in Jainism is not a negative virtue. It is based upon
the positive quality of universal love and compassion. One who is
actuated by this ideal cannot be indifferent to the suffering of
others.

Violence of every type should be completely forbidden. Mental
tortures by way of harsh words, actions, and any type of bodily
injuries should also be avoided. Even thinking evil of some one is
considered violence in Jainism.

Practically, it is impossible to survive without killing or injuring
some of the smallest living beings. Some lives are killed even
when we breathe, drink water, or eat food. Therefore, Jainism
says that minimum killing of the lowest form of life should be our
ideal for survival.

In the universe, there are different forms of life, such as,
human beings, animals, insects, plants, bacteria, and
even smaller lives which cannot be seen even through the most
powerful microscopes. Jainism has classified all the living
beings according to their senses as follows:

five senses - human, animals, birds, heavenly, hellish beings
four senses - flies, bees, etc.
three senses - ants, lice, etc.
two senses - worms, leaches, etc.
one sense - vegetables, water, air, earth, fire etc.

The five sense are, touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

It is more painful if a life of the higher forms (more than one sense)
are killed. All non-vegetarian food is made by killing a living
being with two or more senses. Therefore, Jainism preaches strict
vegetarianism, and prohibits non-vegetarian foods.

Jainism explains that violence is not defined by actual harm, for
this may be unintentional. It is the intention to harm, the
absence of compassion, and the ignorance that makes an action
violent. Without violent thought there can be no violent actions.

Non-violence is to be observed in action, speech, and thought.
One should not be violent, ask others to do so, or approve of such
an activity.

Truth (Satya):
---------------
Anger, greed, fear, jokes, etc. are the breeding grounds of
untruth. To speak the truth requires moral courage. Only those
who have conquered greed, fear, anger, jealousy, ego, frivolity,
etc., can speak the truth. Jainism insists that one should not
only refrain from falsehood, but should always speak the truth
which should be wholesome and pleasant.

One should remain silent if the truth causes pain, hurt, anger, or
death of any living being.

Truth is to be observed in speech, mind, and deed. One should not
utter an untruth, ask others to do so, or approve of such
activities.

Non-stealing (Achaurya or Asteya):
----------------------------------
Stealing consists of taking another's property without his consent,
or by unjust or immoral methods. Further, one should not take
anything which does not belong to him. It does not entitle one to
take away a thing which may be lying unattended or unclaimed. One
should observe this vow very strictly, and should not touch even a
worthless thing which does not belong to him.

When accepting alms, help, or aid one should not take more then
what is minimum needed. To take more than one's need is also
considered theft in Jainism.

The vow of non-stealing insists that one should be totally honest
in action, thought, and speech. One should not steal, ask others
to do so, or approve of such activities.

Celibacy / Chastity (Brahmacharya):
-----------------------------------
Total abstinence from sensual pleasure is called celibacy. Sensual
pleasure is an infatuating force which sets aside all virtues and
reason at the time of indulgence. This vow of controlling sensuality
is very difficult to observe in its subtle form. One may refrain
from physical indulgence but may still think of the pleasures of
sensualism, which is prohibited in Jainism.

Monks are required to observe this vow strictly and completely.
They should not enjoy sensual pleasures, ask others to do the
same, nor approve of it. There are several rules laid down for
observing this vow for householders.

Non-attachment / Non-possession (Aparigraha):
---------------------------------------------
Jainism believes that the more worldly wealth a person possesses,
the more he is likely to commit sin to acquire the possession, and
in a long run he may be more unhappy. The worldly wealth creates
attachments which will continuously result in greed, jealousy,
selfishness, ego, hatred, violence, etc. Lord Mahavir has said
that wants and desires have no end, and only the sky is the limit
for them.

Attachments to worldly objects results in the bondage to the
cycle of birth and death. Therefore, one who desires of spiritual
liberation should withdraw from all attachments to pleasing
objects of all the five senses.

Monks observe this vow by giving up attachments to all things such
as:

Material things:
Wealth, property, grains, house, books, clothes, etc.

Relationships:
Father, mother, spouse, sons, daughters, friends, enemies,
other monks, disciples, etc.

Feelings:
Pleasure and painful feelings towards touch, taste, smell,
sight, and hearing objects. They have the equanimity towards
music and noise, good and bad smells, soft and hard objects
for touch, beautiful and dirty sights, etc.

They do not eat food for taste but for survival with the
intention to destroy his karma with the help of this body.

Non-possession and non-attachment are to be observed in speech,
mind, and deed. One should not possess, ask others to do so, or
approve of such activities.

Jainism has laid down and described in much detail these five
great vows for the path of liberation. These are to be observed
strictly and entirely by the monks and nuns. Partial observance
is laid down for the householders with an additional seven vows.


.

Six Universal Entities (Substances or Dravyas)
==============================================

Structural View Of The Universe
--------------------------------
Jain Philosophy does not give credence to the theory that the God
is a creator, survivor, or destroyer of the universe. On the
contrary, it asserts that the universe has always existed and will
always exist in exact adherence to the laws of the cosmos. There
is nothing but infinity both in the past and in the future.

The world of reality or universe consists of two classes of
objects:

Living beings (conscious, chetan, jiva) and
Non-living objects (unconscious, achetan, ajiva)

Non-living objects are further classified into five categories
matter (Pudgal)
space (Akas)
medium of motion (Dharmastikay)
medium of rest (Adharmastikay)
time (Kaal or Samay)

The five nonliving entities together with the living beings,
totaling six are aspects of reality in Jainism. They are also known
as six universal entities, substances or dravyas.

These six entities of the universe however do undergo countless changes,
but nothing is lost or destroyed. Everything is recycled in
another form.

The Concept of Reality or Entity or Substance (Dravya):
------------------------------------------------------
A reality is defined to have an existence (Sat).

Each reality or entity continuously undergoes countless changes
known as origination and destruction. This is known as Paryaya of
a substance.

In the midst of changes its qualities remain unchanged which is
called permanence. This is also known as Gunas of the substance.

Hence every entity (substance or object) in the universe has three
aspects:

Origination - Utpada (continuous changes)
Destruction - Vyaya (continuous changes)
Permanence - Dhrauvya (permanent)

Both attributes (Gunas) and modes (Paryayas) are inseparable from
an entity.

The same principle can be explained differently as follows:

An entity is permanent (nitya) from the stand point of its
attributes or qualities (Guna). This is known as substancial
stand point (dravyarthik naya).

An entity is transient (anitya) from the stand point of its
forms or modifications (Paryaya). This is known as modal
stand point (Paryayarthik Naya).

A natural description of reality takes into consideration these
three aspects:

- permanence in the midst of change
- identity in the midst of diversity
- unity in the midst of multiplicity

The modifications that an entity undergoes refer to the various
shapes and forms into which a substance is transformed, either
naturally or artificially.

Examples:

A living being through the process of growth, undergoes various
changes, such as childhood, youth, and old age. These changes
are the natural modifications of the living being.

Childhood, youth, and old age are transient forms (Paryaya)
of a living being. The soul of a living being is permanent
(Dravya).

Clay is molded by a potter into various shapes. Gold is
crafted by a goldsmith into various ornaments. These changes
are artificial modifications of the nonliving being.

- ornaments and clay shapes are transient (paryaya)
- gold and clay are permanent (dravya)

While undergoing various modifications, either natural or
artificial, the basic substance remains unchanged and is permanent,
while the forms change and are transient.

The six universal substances:
-----------------------------
As explained above Jainism believes that the universe is made from
the combination of the six universal substances. All of the six
substances are indestructible, imperishable, immortal, eternal and
continuously go through countless changes.

Soul/Consciousness - Jiva (Living being)
Matter - Pudgala (Nonliving being)
Medium of motion - Dharma (Nonliving being)
Medium of rest - Adharma (Nonliving being)
Space - Akasa (Nonliving being)
Time - Kaal (Nonliving being)

Soul (Jiva):
------------
Its essential characteristic is consciousness. This is the only
knowing substance. It possesses perfect knowledge, perfect vision,
perfect power, and perfect bliss. It also possesses the property
of contraction and expansion like that of light. They are of
innumerable numbers. Living being can not be created or can not be
destroyed. The total number of living beings remain same in the
entire universe at all the time.

There are two types of Souls (Living beings):

Free (Mukta) Soul
-----------------
Free soul is defined as a pure consciousness, a soul that has
completely exhausted all of its karma. It is a liberated soul. It
is also known as Siddha. All siddhas are defined as Gods in
Jainism.

Liberated souls or Gods do not possess a body.

They possess perfect knowledge, vision, power, and bliss.

They live in Moksha, which is located on the top of Lokakas.

They never return again into the cycle of life, death, pain, and
pleasure.

There are an innumerable number of liberated souls.

All Tirthankaras and other Keval-jnanis become siddhas at the end
of their life (death).

Worldly (Samsari) Soul
----------------------
It possesses a body (plants, naraki, tiryanch, human, or angel) and
wanders into the cycle of life and death.

It is covered with karma particles.

It possesses limited knowledge, vision, power, and bliss.

It suffers from birth, death, pain, and pleasure.

There are a innumerable number of worldly souls.

It is the doer of all kinds of karmas (actions), and enjoyer of the
fruit of the karmas.

It is capable of becoming free from worldly life.

Worldly souls are divided according to the number of senses they
possess.

There are total five senses a living being may possess.
touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

One sense (Ekendria)
- possesses one sense - touch only
- it cannot move own its own accord
- they are subdivided into five categories

Soul possesses earth as its body - Prithvikaya
Soul possesses water as its body - Apakaya
Soul possesses fire as its body - Agnikaya
Soul possesses air as its body - Vayukaya
Soul possesses vegetable as its body - Vanaspatikaya

Two senses (Be-indriya)
A living being possesses two senses - touch and taste
ex. worms, leeches.

Three senses (Tre-indriya)
A living being possesses three senses - touch, taste, and
smell ex. ants, lice.

Four senses (Chau-indriya)
A living being possesses four senses - touch, taste, smell,
and sight ex. flies, bees.

Five senses (Panch-indriya)
A living being possesses five senses - touch, taste, smell,
sight, and hearing ex. animals, birds, human, heavenly, and
hellish beings, etc.

A soul with one to four senses does not a possess mind.
A soul with five senses may possess a mind.

Matter (Pudgala)
----------------
It is matter or body.
It has senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing).
They are of infinite number
It possesses color
It does not have consciousness or knowledge.
The smallest particle of matter is known as Parmanu (atom).
A paramanu occupies only one pradesa (unit of space)

There are four divisions of matter:

Skandha (whole-matter):
Any object which has a mass of matter can be called skandha.
ex. stick, stone, knife, a particle of sand

Skandha-desa (portion of matter):
Desa means a part, portion, or division. An undetached
portion of skandha is called skandha-desa When a part of the
skandha (skandha-desa) is separated from the whole, it also
becomes another skandha. A hand of a statue when undetached
is known as a skandha-desa but when separated from the statue
is known as Skandha.

Skandha-pradesa (smallest particle of matter):
The smallest undetached portion of skandha, which cannot be
further divided is called skandha-pradesa.

Paramanu or Anu (atom):
When the smallest portion of the matter is separated from its
skandha, it is called paramanu or anu. Parmanu matter can
not be further sub-divided, cut, or pierced.

Karmic Matter (Karma Pudgala):
-------------------------------
Karma is one of the categories of matter. It is known as
karmic matter (karma pudgala). Karma particles are of very
fine matter not perceptible to the senses. The entire
universe is filled with such karmic matter.

Every living being is covered by karmic matter from the
beginning of time. It is the karmic matter that keeps the
soul away from realization of its true nature or liberation.

Medium of Motion (Dharma)
----------------------------
Medium of motion helps in the movement of soul and matter.
ex. water provides medium for fish to move
It does not possess senses, color, or body.
It does not have a consciousness or knowledge.
It exists in Lokakas.

Medium of Rest (Adharma)
---------------------------
Medium of rest helps to rest soul and matter.
ex. People rest in the shade of a tree
It does not possess senses, color, or body.
It does not have consciousness or knowledge.
It exists in Lokakas.

Space (Akasa)
-------------
Space provides room to soul, matter, dharma, adharma, and time.
It pervades everywhere (infinite).
It is the support of everything and thus it is self supported.
It has no form, color, taste, smell, and touch.
It does not perform any action (inactive), however it does
give accommodation to soul and matter of their actions.
It is one and whole.
Where medium of motion and rest substances exist, it is called
Lokakas.
The remaining space is empty and is called Alokakas.

Time (Kaal)
------------
There are two views exist in Jainism with regards to time.

One view: Time is an imaginary thing, it has no real
existence.

Another view: Time has a real existence consisting of
innumerable time atoms.

The changes in living being and non-living being substances
are measured in the units of time. However time is not the
cause of the changes to living being and non-living
substances.

The smallest indivisible portion of time is called Samaya.

Combination of samayas are: moment, second, minute, hour,
day, month, year, etc.

innumerable samayas = one avali
(time required to blink a eye)
16,777,216 avalis = one muhurt (48 minutes)
30 muhurts = one day
15 days = one fortnight
2 fortnights = one month
12 months = one year
innumerable years = one palyopama
1,000,000,000,000,000 palyopamas = one sagaropama


.

Meaning Of Ashta Prakari Puja (N10) 01/19/93 8PUJA.A01
Complied by Pravin K. Shah, Jain Study Center of North Carolina

Meaning Of Ashta Prakari Puja
===============================
Generally Jains use the following eight items to perform puja of a
Tirthankara in the temple. Symbolically each item represents a
specific religious virtue and one should reflect on it while
performing puja.

1. Jala Puja: Water
2. Chandan Puja: Sandal-wood
3. Pushpa Puja: Flower
4. Dhup Puja: Incense
5. Dipak Puja: Candle
6. Akshat Puja: Rice
7. Naivedya Puja: Sweet food
8. Fal Puja: Fruit

1. Jala Puja: (Water)
---------------------
Water symbolizes the ocean. Every living being continuously
travels through life's ocean of birth, death, and misery. This
puja reminds that one should live his life with honesty,
truthfulness, love, and compassion towards all living beings. This
way one will be able to cross life's ocean and attain liberation
(Moksha). This is known as samyak-darshana, samyak-jnana, and
samyak-charitrya in the Jain religion.

2. Chandan Puja: (Sandal-wood)
------------------------------
Chandan symbolizes knowledge (jnana). By doing this puja, one
should thrive for right knowledge. Jainism believes that the path
of knowledge is the main path to attain Moksha or liberation.
Bhakti or devotion helps in the early stages of one's effort for
liberation.

3. Pushpa Puja: (Flower)
------------------------
The flower symbolizes conduct. Our conduct should be like a
flower, which provides fragrance and beauty to all living beings
without discrimination. We should live our life like flowers full
of love and compassion towards all living beings.

4. Dhup Puja: (Incense)
-----------------------
Dhup symbolizes monkhood life. While burning itself, incense
provides fragrance to others. Similarly, true monks and nuns spend
their entire life selflessly for the benefit of all living beings.
This puja reminds that one should thrive for a ascetic life.

5. Dipak Puja: (Candle)
------------------------
The flame of dipak represents a pure consciousness, i.e. a soul
without any bondage of a karma or a liberated soul. In Jainism,
such a soul is called a Siddha or God. The ultimate goal of every
living being is to become liberated. By doing this puja one should
thrive to follow five great vows; non-violence, truthfulness,
non-stealing, chastity, and non-possession. Ultimately these vows
will lead to liberation.

6. Akshat Puja: (Rice)
----------------------
Rice is a kind of grain which is nonfertile. One cannot grow rice
plants by seeding rice. Symbolically, it means that rice is the
last birth. By doing this puja one should thrive to put all the
efforts in life in such a way that this life becomes one's last
life, and after the end of this life one will not be reborn again.

7. Naivedya Puja: (Sweet food)
--------------------------
Naivedya symbolizes tasty food. By doing this puja, one should
thrive to reduce or eliminate attachment to tasty food. Healthy
food is essential for survival, however one should not live for
tasty food. Ultimate aim in one's life is to attain a life where
no food is essential for survival. That is the life of a liberated
soul who lives in Moksha for ever in ultimate blissful state.

8. Fal Puja: (Fruit)
--------------------
Fruit is a symbol of Moksha or liberation. If we live our life
without any attachment to worldly affairs, continue to perform our
duty without any expectation and reward, be a witness to all the
incidents that occur surrounding us, truly follow monkhood life,
and have a love and compassion to all living beings, we will attain
the fruit of liberation. This is the last puja symbolizing the
ultimate achievement of our life.


.

Nine Tattvas (Principles) (E00) 01/19/93 9TATTVAS.A01
Complied by Pravin K. Shah, Jain Study Center of North Carolina

Nine Tattvas (Principles)
==========================

The nine tattvas, or principles, are the single most important
subject of Jain philosophy. It deals with the karma theory of
Jainism, which provides the basis for the path of liberation.
Without the proper knowledge of this subject, a person can not
progress spiritually. The true faith and understanding of this
subject brings about right faith (samyak-darshana), right
knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct in an individual.

Nine Tattvas (Principles):
--------------------------
1. Jiva - soul or living being (Consciousness)
2. Ajiva - non-living substances
3. Asrava - cause of the influx of karma
4. Bandh - bondage of karma
5.*Punya - virtue
6.*Papa - sin
7. Samvara - arrest of the influx of karma
8. Nirjara - exhaustion of the accumulated karma
9. Moksha - total liberation from karma

* Punya and Papa are the diverse results of Asrava and Bandh. Some
exponents of Jains do not treat them as separate tattvas.
According to them, there are only seven principles instead of
nine.

1. Jiva (soul) Substance:
--------------------------
Explained in The Six Universal Substances chapter.

2. Ajiva (Non-living) Substances:
----------------------------------
Explained in The Six Universal Substances chapter.

3. Asrava (Cause of the influx of karma) -
-----------------------------------------
Asrava is the cause which leads to the influx of good and evil
karma which lead to the bondage of the soul.

Asrava may be described as attraction in the soul toward sense
objects.

The following are causes of influx of good and evil karma:

Mithyatva - ignorance
Avirati - lack of self restraint
Kasaya - passions like anger, conceit, deceit, and lust
Pramada - unawareness or unmindfulness
Yoga - activities of mind, speech, and body

In addition to the above causes, the five great sins; violence,
untruth, stealing, sensual indulgence, and attachment to worldly
objects are also the cause of the influx of karmas.

4. Bandha (Bondage of karma)-
-----------------------------
Bandha is the attachment of karmic matter (karma pudgala) to the
soul. The soul has had this karmic matter bondage from eternity.
This karmic body is known as the karmana body or causal body.

Karmic matter is a particular type of matter which is attracted to
the soul because of its ignorance, lack of self restraint,
passions, unmindfulness, activities of body, mind, and speech.

The soul, which is covered by karmic matter, continues acquiring
new karma from the universe and exhausting old karma into the
universe through the above mentioned actions at every moment.

Because of this continual process of acquiring and exhausting karma
particles, the soul has to pass through the cycles of births and
deaths, and experiencing pleasure and pain. So under normal
circumstances the soul can not attain freedom from karma, and hence
liberation.

Karmic matter attaching to the soul assumes four forms:

Prakriti bandha - Type of karma
Sthiti bandha - Duration of karma
Anubhava bandha - Intensity of attachment of karma
Pradesa bandha - Quantity of karma

Prakriti Bandha:
----------------
When karmic matter attaches to the soul, karma will obscure its
essential nature of:
perfect knowledge, vision, bliss, power, eternal existence,
non-corporeal, and equanimity.

Prakriti bandha is classified into eight categories, according to
the particular attribute of the soul that it obscures.

Jnana-varaniya
It covers the soul's power of perfect knowledge.

Darasna-varaniya
It covers the soul's power of perfect visions.

Vedniya
It obscures the blissful nature of the soul, and thereby
produces pleasure and pain.

Mohniya
It generates delusion in the soul in regard to its own true
nature, and makes it identify itself with other substances.

Ayu
It determines the span of life in one birth, thus obscuring
its nature of eternal existence.

Nama
It obscures the non-corporeal existence of the soul, and
produces the body with its limitations, qualities, faculties,
etc.

Gotra
It obscures the souls characteristics of equanimity, and
determines the caste, family, social standing, etc.

Antaraya
It obstructs the natural energy of the soul and prevents it
from attaining liberation. It also prevents a living being
from doing something good and enjoyable.

Ghati and Aghati karmas:
------------------------
The above eight karmas are also categorized into two groups,
known as ghati and aghati karmas.

Ghati Karmas
Jnana-varaniya, Darasna-varaniya, Mohaniya, and Antaraya
karmas are called Ghati karmas (dangerous karmas) because
they obscure the true nature of the soul.

Aghati Karmas
Ayu, Nama, Gotra, and Vedniya karmas are called Aghati
karmas. They do not obscure the original nature of
the soul. However, they associate with the body of the
soul. Hence they can not destroyed by the soul so long as
it possesses a body.

When a person destroys all of his ghati karmas, at that time he
attains keval-jnana. However, he continues to live as a human
being because none of his aghati karmas are destroyed. He can
only attain liberation after all of his aghati karmas are
destroyed. Hence he attains liberation after his death.

When a person attains keval-jnana, he is known as an Arihant.
If an Arihant establishes the four fold order of Monks, Nuns,
Sravaka, (male layperson), and Sravika (female layperson) then
the Arihant is called a Tirthankara. Other Arihantas are known
as ordinary Kevali. After Nirvana (death) both Tirthankaras and
ordinary Kevalis are called Siddhas.

All Siddhas are unique individuals, but they all possess perfect
knowledge, vision, power, and bliss. Hence from the qualities
and attributes point of view all Siddhas are same.

Sthiti Bandha
--------------
When karmic matter attaches to the soul the duration of the
attachment is determined at that time according to the intensity
or dullness of the soul's passions.

Anubhava Bandha or Rasa Bandha
------------------------------
What fruits the karmic matter will produce is determined at the
time of attachment by varying degrees of passions.

Pradesa Bandha
--------------
The quantum of karmic matter that is drawn towards the soul for
attachment is determined by the intensity or dullness of the
soul's action.

5. Punya (Virtue)
------------------
The influx of karmic matter due to good activities of the mind,
body, and speech with the potential of producing pleasant
sensations is called punya or virtue.

Activities such as offering food, drink, shelter, purifying
thought, physical and mental happiness, etc. result in
producing punya karmic matter.

6. PAPA (Sin)
--------------
The influx of karmic matter due to evil activities of the mind,
body, and speech with the potential of producing unpleasant
sensations is called papa or sin.

Activities such as violence, untruth, theft, unchastity,
attachment to objects, anger, conceit, deceit, lust, etc.
result in producing papa karmic matter.

7. Samvara (Arrest of Karma)
-----------------------------
The method which arrests fresh karma from coming into the soul
is samvara. This process is a reverse of asrava.

It can be accomplished by constant practice of:
- restraint of mind, body, and speech
- religious meditation
- conquest of desire
- forgiveness, tenderness, purity, truth, austerity,
renunciation, unattachment, and chastity

8. Nirjara -
-------------
Nirjara is the exhaustion of karmic matter already acquired.

- The karmas exhaust themselves by producing their results when
it is time for them to do so.

- Unless they are exhausted before they are mature and
start producing results, it becomes difficult to be free.
By that time, new karmic matter begins to pour in.

- Therefore, it becomes necessary for one who desires final
liberation to exhaust all karmas before maturity. This is
called nirjara.

Nirjara is to be done by rigorous austerities.

External Nirjara:
-----------------
Anasan - complete abstinence of eating and drinking

Alpahara - reduction in the quantity of food one
normally eats

Ichhanirodha - control of desire for food and material things

Rasatyaga - complete abstinence of eating or drinking juicy
and tasty foods such as honey, alcohol,
butter, milk, tea, sweets, juice etc.
(no attachments to the taste of the foods)

Kayaklesa - control of passions by discipline

Samlinata - sitting in a lonely place in due posture
with senses withdrawn

Internal Nirjara:
-----------------
Prayaschita - repentance for the breach of vows

Vinaya - appropriate behavior towards a teacher

Vaiyavrata - selfless service to the suffering and
deserving

Svadhyaya - studying/listening of religious scriptures

Bhutsarga - non-attachment to the body

Subha-dhyana - religious meditation

9. Moksha -
-----------
Moksha is the liberation of the living being (soul) after
complete exhaustion or elimination of all karmas.

A liberated soul regains totally its original attributes of
perfect knowledge, vision, power, and bliss. It climbs to the
top of Lokakas and remains there forever in its blissful and
unconditional existence.

It never returns again into the cycles of birth, life, and death.

This state of the soul is the liberated or perfect state, and
this is called "Nirvana."


.