ISJS Transactions 2018 07 To 09 Vol 02 No 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/034362/1

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ISSN : 2457-0583
ISJS - TRANSACTIONS
A Quarterly Refereed Online Research Journal on Jainism
VOL.2
No. 3 July - September, 2018
COL FOR
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International School for Jain Studies
D-28, Panchsheel Enclave

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INTE
SOLESTERN IS THE AUPREME AUSTERITY
स्वाध्याय परमं तपः •
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New Delhi - 110 017, India
www.isjs.in

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ISSN: 2457-0583
ISJS - TRANSACTIONS
A Quarterly Refereed Online Research Journal on Jainism
VOL.2
No.3 July - September, 2018
CHIEF EDITOR Prof. Prakash C Jain
Former Professor School for International Studies Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Email: pcjain jnu@yahoo.co.in
EDITOR Dr. Shrinetra Pandey
Joint Director International School for Jain Studies
New Delhi Email: dr.snpandey1981@gmail.com

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International School for Jan Studies
D-28, Panchsheel Enclave New Delhi - 110017, India
Ph: +91-11-4079 3387 Email: issjs india@yahoo.co.in
Website: www.isjs.in
ADVISORY BOARD Dr. Shugan Chand Jain, Chairman, International School for Jain Studies, New Delhi. Email: Shuganjain1941@gmail.com Prof. Kamal Chand Sogani, Director, Jain Vidya Sansthan, Jaipur. Email: jainapa@rediffmail.com Prof. Kusum Jain, Former Director, Center for Advance Philosophical Research, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Email: kusumonnet@yahoo.com Dr. Sulekh Chand Jain, Former President, JAINA, USA. Email: scjain@earthlink.net
EDITORIAL BOARD
Prof. Viney Kumar Jain, Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Yoga and Science of Living, Jain Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun-341306, Dist. Nagaur, Rajasthan, India. Email: vineykjain@yahoo.com Prof. Christopher Key Chapple, Director, Master of Arts in Yoga Studies, University Hall, Room 3763, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California-90045, USA. Email: christopherkeychapple@gmail.com Prof. Anne Vallely, Department of Classics and Religious Studies, University of Ottawa, 55, Laurier East, Ottawa, ON, Canada- KIN 6N5. Email: avallely@gmail.com Prof. Jayanti Lal Jain, Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Mangalayatan University, Mathura - Aligarh Highway, 33rd Milestone, Aligarh -202145. Email: jljain@mangalayatan.edu.in Dr. Priyadarshana Jain, Assistance Professor & Head i/c, Department of Jainology, University of Madras, Chennai - 600 005. Email: priyadarshanajain@yahoo.in
•
Articles can be sent in favour of International School for Jain Studies, New Delhi
ISSN: 2457-0583

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PUBLISHED BY Dr. Shugan Chand Jain for International School for Jain Studies, D-28, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi - 110 017. Email: issis.india@gmail.com
© International School for Jain Studies
Note: The facts and views expressed in the Journal are those of the authors only.
From the Desk of Chief Editor
It is my pleasure to present this third issue of the 2nd volume of “ISJS-Transactions". There are five papers in the issue - all written by participants of 6-Week Jain studies program (ISSJS.2018-6W) organised by International School for Jain Studies, New Delhi. These papers formed a part of their study program.
The first paper by Dr. Elisa Eastwood Pulido is on The Practice of Jain Women and Instruction of Religious Principles in Domestic Households. The paper is based on some personal interviews of Jain laywomen conducted by her. During the interview Dr. Elisa raised number of issues to the interviewees about Jain way of life. These interviews form the basis of her research to present the current social status of female Jain householders.
The second paper by Dr. John Thomas Mobley is on Ahimsä: A World-Wide Practice for the Modern Age. To prove how ahirsā is still relevant today, the author includes an overview (theory and practice) of ahimsic philosophy in Jainism and the four major religious traditions of the world (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism).
The third paper by Atmarpit Devang is on The Three Jewels. The author highlighted the importance of samyak-darśana while discussing the samyak-darśana, samyak-snāna and samyak-cāritra in the path of attaining Liberation. The author further discusses the role of satsanga (spiritual gathering) and the sadguru (awakened master) in the path.
The fourth paper by Atmarpit Shraddha is on The Celebration of the Soul: An Analysis of Dašalaksana Dharma with special reference to Uttama Ksamā. The paper begins with importance of the festivals in our life followed by highlighting the importance of Supreme Forbearance in the path of spiritual purification. The author tries to emphasize to correlate appreciation -pramoda bhāva, acceptance- sama bhāva, adaption-anekāntavāda), alertnessjāgrti and adorableness- maitrī bhāva as the tools for practice of forbearance.
The last paper by Ms. Neha Patel is on 'Are Aparigraha and Meditation mutually exclusive or inclusive in the path of self-realisation?" This paper discusses the basic concepts of aparigraha, meditation and self-realization. The paper starts with an overview of aparigraha and meditation in different schools of philosophy followed by analysis of their relevance. She also put forth viewpoints of her Guru Shri Rakeshbhai and Shrimad Rajchandra. She lays out the model of aparigraha for self-realisation as a tool and how mediation can be woven into it to practice and experience it.
This icona is the auteama of the initiative of our Chairman Dr Chontain Shrinatra

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11113 ISSUC is uit VULLIC VI LLIC HILL ALIVE VI Vui hallhan Di. Juugal Jan. Di Juicua Pandey did a superb job to ensure quality of the five papers by deep interactions with the authors. Our thanks are due to Mr. Sushil Jana and Ms. Jyoti Pandey for word processing. Because of the norm for our journal to publish five papers only, we could not include all the articles in this issue. We plan to publish remaining articles in forthcoming issues of ISJSTransactions.
This special issue intends to encourage budding scholars of Jainism and scholar-readers to enhance their scholarship and research in Jainism.
Prof. Prakash C Jain
CONTENTS
From the Chief Editor's Desk
The practice of Jain Women and Instructions of Religious Principles in Domestic Households
Dr. Elisa Eastwood Pulido
1-12
2
Ahimsā: A World-wide Practice for the Modern Age
Dr. John Thomas Mobley
13-20
3
The Three Jewels
Atmarpit Devang
21-29
4
The Celebration of the Soul: An Analysis of Daśalakşaņa Dharma with special reference to Supreme Forbearance
Atmarpit Shraddha
30-37
5
Are Aparigraha (Nonpossessiveness) and Meditation Mutually Exclusive or

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Inclusive in the Path of Selfrealization?
Neha Patel
38-49
The Practice of Jain Women and Instruction of Religious Principles in Domestic Households
Elisa Eastwood Pulido"
There has been a dramatic rise in the number of young Jain teens recently deciding to take ascetic vows. It would therefore appear that though numbers of Jains are not rising in the world, Jains do not lack in their ability to inspire an enthusiastic support for ascetic Jainism among many of their young sons and daughters. Jain youth who become ascetics and those who do not are generally both reared in Jain households where Jain principles are inculcated. This paper was written in response to the following questions: How are female Jain householders involved in the transmission of Jain doctrine and practice to children in their homes? What pedagogical techniques do they use as parents? What challenges do they face in transmitting Jainism to a new generation in the 21st century? While there has been some academic research/writing about the religious practices of female Jain householders, there is paucity of research about the domestic lives of Jain householders.
This brief paper will offer a modest beginning to this fascinating topic. My methodology has been ethnographic; I interviewed ten Jain female householders in my exploration. These women come from both Svetambara (60%) and Digambara (40%) households and range in age from their early twenties to their late sixties. This age range has allowed a view of householder religious pedagogy from the early 1900s into the current century. These histories were recorded in the Digambara Jain Nasiya Bhattarakji in Jaipur and the Vallabh Jain Smarak Mandir in Alipur, Delhi. All my interview subjects were women. However, if other family, including husbands, wished to take part in the interview, I allowed this participation. Names of the respondent have been changed to maintain the confidentiality. This policy may have inhibited the responses of wives, but could possibly have enhanced my study, as it allowed me to hear a few responses from male householders, as well. As a matter of expediency, I limited my focus to the teaching of Jainism's three pillars - ahimsā (nonviolence), aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and anekāntavāda (non-absolutism).
Thesis: This short treatment posits that. as in the past. spiritual nedagogy in Jain households

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is largely accomplished through example, story-telling, brief moments of instruction, and the help of local institutions/camps for the instruction of children; however, female Jain householders do report some difficulty transmitting Jain doctrine and praxis to Jain youth due to 1) the increasing materialism and rationalism in the surrounding society, and 2) the increasing number of inter-sect and inter-faith marriages within Jainism.
Mothers on Mothers and Mothering
The memories Jain female householders have regarding the piety of their own mothers and grandmothers echo the many stories within Jain scripture and legend recounting the virtue and selflessness of Jain female householders. For example, Ācārya Prabhachandra, in his commentary on Ratnakaranda Srāvakācāra narrates how Abhinanditā, wife of King Srīşeņa achieves a higher spiritual position due to her irreproachable conduct. Marudevī, mother of Rşabha, the first tirthankara, was so pious, she achieved moksa the moment she realized her
Adjunct Professor, Brigham Young University, Salt Lake Center, USA
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son had become a tirthankara. She is considered by Svetāmbara to be the first to achieve enlightenment during the time cycle in which she lived.
Modern reports of virtuous women can also be found. Gandhi's mother for example, was a model of piety - fasting, practicing non-violence with the tiniest creatures, visiting ācāryas and honoring householder vows." The fact that she reared a son dedicated to the service and elevation of humanity at the level of Gandhi underscores her gifts as a mother.
Teaching Ahimsā by Example and by Precept
In teaching the doctrine of ahimsā, subjects remember their mothers' instructions, as well as the examples they set practicing domestic rituals, caring for animals, and avoiding harm to the tiniest of creatures. An interview subject named Sunita responded:
You ask how these things were imbibed in my family? Because [of] my mother. She's not a sādhvi (nun), but she is more than that. Supposing she'd see a wounded animal, she'd bring that animal and drop, drop water with a little spoon, feeding. Then she'll go outside, if some cart will come to fetch the stray dogs about, she'll say you don't kill them, please don't take them from my street. We'll take care of them. Please, they won't bite. Then small, small puppies. She'll take milk and roți and she'll sit with them....With every human, every creature so compassionate. That has given us love and affection and happiness in our lives."
Jain women also remember the careful attention of their mothers to protect even the tiniest organisms:
In Jainism the first thing in the morning when the ladies go to the kitchen, they clean the stove-the hotplate....because even the minutest creature or microorganisms which [might] grow out of food [crumbs) should not be killed. That is the first ritual they follow. Even the water has so many micro organisms. so vou put a cloth on the water

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tap [to] filter those micro organisms, which might come through the water. You don't hurt them... Ahimsā was taught giving such small, small examples. This also was taught that you have to be kind to animals and have compassion towards fellow creature[s]."
In teaching her own children the principle of ahimsā, Amrita of Alipur responded:
If somebody abuses you and if you do the same there is no difference between you and them.... You should have your own identity. You should not abuse....We should not say anything wrong which hurts the other person. That's what I taught my kids.
When asked how the practice of ahimsā in the home contributed to the peace between family members, respondent Arati, a recently married woman living in an extended family in Jagaduri agreed that the harmony of the home was influenced by this practice.
Yes....We have many people in our home. [30 people]
[At this point the subject's husband, Rahul, interjected]
Of course, we....become impatient with each other at times, but I can say our parents - it all belongs to our parents - They always try to keep us calm. They say-all this is
The Practice and Instruction of Jain principles... 13
happening because you are living in joint family. But of course, this will go away. You have to face the problems.
[Wife, continues]
I can say it all belongs to our elders, what behavior they do. They are very calm. His mother is calm especially. Father I cannot say much, but mother is really very calm, and they try keeping us calm.'
When asked if the responsibility for calm rests on the mother, Rahul immediately replied, "Yes, of course. Family starts from the woman only." Arati willingly echoed his sentiments: "Yes. Yes, it is."
Amrita, a tutor, described her restraint in her relationship with her sister-in-law:
I try to keep the kitchen very neat and clean, but my sister-in-law....makes a lot of mess. So sometimes I get aggressive, but I don't say her anything and I keep in my mind only....I have not ever uttered a bad word to her....my whole marri[ed] life. We have cold war (when I don't talk to her for a couple of days, as I feel like sometimes she purposely does the things which I don't like, so I ignore talking to her, but I never spit out any bad word.... If I feel like it, I'll clean it up, but if I don't, I won't utter a single word."
Prity, a professor of chemistry stated that the principle of ahinsä is applied by some couples to their own relationships, as evidenced by the following statements:
Ahimsa never hurts someone by words. Sav we plan for a movie and suddenly he

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has work and doesn't go. You are ready, and you planned for that and it is not happening and so you are aggressive, and you are cranky. He handles me. Normally our fighting [is] not more than five or ten minutes. If someone is cranky....[or] someone is aggressive, then someone is cooler. We are never aggressive at the same time. If he is angry then I am cooler and if I am angry he is cooler. So, we manage our temperament."
Like any husband and wife relationship, it can never exist without any arguments. Without differences of opinions, but there are ways of solving. And that would be again very individualistic. [For example), my husband would prefer to take 'mauna', which is silence, when he thinks there is going to be an argument. My mother-in-law says it is better to keep quiet when you have that intuitive feeling of some tension arising. So, these are some small things which people keep practicing in my house, which are all drawn from Jain tradition."
When you are committed to ahimsā, when tolerance and compassion are inculcated in any family it brings a lot of peace into the family, basically. Your relationship with mother, daughter, son, the other person or how you look at the other person. I'm not talking about violence, that is another part of the story, but I think it brings a breath of compassion towards each other.
According to one young academic householder living in a combined household, ahimsā also means not interfering with the dreams and goals of other family members:
Ahimsā is also living in equanimity.... We have given a lot of scope to every family member to [realize their own path. No one stops anyone. My father in law is in his
4 ISJS-Transactions, Vol.2, No.3, Jul-Sep, 2018
own business. He has never discouraged me or my husband not to....study, not to go out. He has never imposed anything. My mother-in-law is president, an executive member/treasurer, of several women's organizations....so she has all the ability to pursue what she wants. There are no hurdles for her.
It's a joint family and there is a generation gap. There are disagreements in our viewpoints, but we try to sit and sort out. It's never been that we have fought. Compared to Indian families where the tensions between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are quite intense, I'm very fortunate to say that in twenty-two years we have never had that kind of tension. We have a lot of differences in our viewpoints. [My mother-in-law] doesn't really like me living (out of town). She loves me so much that she wants me to come back to Jaipur to do my studies. Why stay away from your family? Why stay away from your home? But [though) that difference of opinion is there....that doesn't mean we have ever fought or that we have gone to bed without speaking to each other."
Teaching Aparigraha by Example and by Precept
The Jain precept aparigraha, or non-possessiveness was interpreted with more liberality by several householder than was their interpretation of ahimsā. Some householders interpreted aparigraha in terms of non-acquisitiveness - the refusal to buy new objects or to accept gifts, while others allowed themselves to purchase what they want, as long as they keep gifting their excess to those in need. Those who remember their own mother's behavior surrounding

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aparigrana remember simple living and self-restraint.
My mother is a person of simple living. She doesn't believe in stocking too much. She believes in giving it away to people. So aparigraha is basically not accumulating more than what you require. You may take as much as you need. So that I have taught my children, too.... You don't need to waste things. Resources should be for everyone.... They wouldn't understand the concept of accumulation of wealth, but they would understand that there are limited resources and they should be made available to everyone. That kind of thing would speak to them.
Another woman expresses her different view:
Actually, I don't think too much about aparigraha to be honest. I'm very fond of things. I'm fond of so many clothes. I've always preferred the latest and the best thing to be used. Yes, but I always prefer this-If I buy something new for myself, two clothes for myself, then I should give two clothes from my wardrobe to the person who requires it-not in a bad condition, but in a very good condition....That kind of aparigraha I can do, otherwise I don't teach that-don't use this much, only take this much, because [I] myself [am] not like this, so I cannot teach [it to my kids.
Her son nevertheless has learned to be generous:
If he sees any rickshaw wälä. He sees that he is asking for the ten rupees, he always tries to give 20 rupees. He never bargains with the rickshaw wālā. He never bargains with the poor people.
There were other examples mentioned in the process of limiting possessions, including the number of saris owned and the number of toys allowed to children. One family required four children to share only one toy. There were also extraordinary instances of self-sacrifice
The Practice and Instruction of Jain principles... 5
related. For example, an elder sister remained single and worked diligently to pay for the weddings of five younger sisters before getting married herself.
Aparigraha also is seen as applying to the relationship between husbands and wives, particularly in respect for each other's careers and in caring for home and family. One female householder reported that she had been invited to the United States to participate in an academic conference. As her son was still very young, she wrote a letter to the inviting university politely refusing the invitation. Her husband saw the letter on the table and asked why she would not go. When she explained she felt she needed to stay home with her child, her husband exclaimed, "What? So, I can leave my son with you, but you cannot leave your son with me!":17
Teaching Anekāntavāda-Non-absolutism—by Example and by Precept
Several householders were confused by the term 'anekantavāda'-a Jain philosophical term for the practice of non-absolutism or being open-minded to a multi-faceted perspective. When given the definition, the householder recognized it generally as a Jain principle and most were able to come up with several examples of how anekāntavāda is practiced in their homes, and were quite nhilosophical themselves in their responses:

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When I was growing up I came to university I had never heard of anekāntavāda. But living in a Jain family, (though] they never talked about it....they practiced certain things. My father would go to Hindu shrines and Muslims shrines. He was so open about going anywhere. Anything spiritual. He would go to a Jain temple if it came in his way. He never said, oh I'm a Jain I can't do that. There was a lot of respect for different religions and religious traditions. And we had friends from different backgrounds. Jains do this today. Jains also go to Hindu temples, because Jains have lived together culturally for centuries. In one building their might be one Jain and a hundred Hindu families. So, mixing with Hindu families is a very natural thing. Mixing with your neighbors, attending common festivals.
There are cases where anekāntavāda is more difficult to practice. One interviewee discussed the difficulties of living with a sister-in-law, who is not Jain and who does not follow Jain rules in the home. Nevertheless, she allowed her sister-in-law to have her own perspective: "I cannot force her to follow it because she's from other family and two sisters are not same from one mother, so how can we, two sisters-in-law, be the same from other mothers."
Not all the householders interviewed are able to apply the principle of anekāntavāda at home as well as they are with the rest of the world. One, pursuing a degree in Jain Studies said that anekāntavāda was a philosophical principle her family does not understand. "They don't use [this principle] to solve difficulties. They shout, I shout, everyone shouts. My grandmother [keeps) quiet. She just didn't get involved. I practice anekāntavāda, but when I'm with my family I forget anekāntavāda."
On occasion, a young householder needs to yield to the opinion of an older householder. For example, a new bride may need to acquiesce to the desires of her family about working after childbirth or after marriage. One such interview subject is taking care of her children and her sister-in-law's children, though she has an advanced degree in Chemistry. Her father-in-law is disabled and unable to work, so, for the time being, she has yielded to her mother-in law's desire that she not work. Yielding to the opinions of senior house members is a practice taught to young Jain women.
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Once I was arguing with/my grandmother. And my mom was cooking in the kitchen, and she heard me arguing with my grandmother which is impolite, which is disrespectful to argue with your grandmother. So, she came out of the kitchen and she told me, next time I don't want to hear you arguing with your grandmother. It's her point of view, just accept what she says. You have to be respectful to her. I was becoming aggressive. So, she stopped me.--
Another interview subject has a degree in computer science and would like to work; however, her husband has taken over the family business-manufacturing silverware-which necessitated a move to a rural area. Though she would like a job in her field of study, none is available in the vicinity. Out of respect for her father-in-law's desire that her husband run the family business, she is looking for a job in computing she can do from home.'S
Story Telling as a Pedagogical Tool

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Story telling is a time-honored tradition in Jainism; ācārya and gurus have used the same didactic tales to teach Jain principles for millennia. My interview subjects remember being told Jain tales by grandmothers and reading Jain comic books as children. A 1975 imprint of AKC, relates the life of Mahāvīra, another recounts the tale of "Sahastramalla", a trickster and thief who steals from everyone, even the king, but is eventually brought to repentance through the teachings of a monk. The virtues extolled in this tale include: honesty, repentance, and forgiveness. Another, titled "The Magic Grove" tells about a young gopī, who protects a snake from snake charmers. The snake is a devī in disguise, who grants Vidyutaprabha a boon, which changes her life forever. The morals of this tale include protecting animals from himsā and avoiding jealousy.24 In recent years, cartoon videos for Jain children have appeared on the Internet, though this fact was not mentioned by any of the Jain householders I interviewed. Further research would need to be done to determine how often Jain children are exposed to this programming.
Extended Family Members as Preceptors
While I have been using the term "mothers" for most householders, some of the householders I interviewed are not mothers, though they do live in extended families where children are present. These householders are often involved in the teaching of children. Additionally, they report that on occasion extended family members and not their mothers were their main spiritual teachers during childhood.
My grandmother and aunts,...would visit every year. Whenever they would come they talk[ed] about Jain religion. Once a year we would visit Jain monks and nuns. I didn't have very strong Jain training as a child. I was mostly surrounded by Hindu communities, though my family members were Jains....I grew up in Calcutta - nuns would come for căturmāsa - for four months - rainy seasons - July through November. [1] went with grandmother or mother to visit these nuns. As children we hardly (ever did] any practices.
Oftentimes husbands, too, will share in the spiritual guidance of children, and several interview subjects reported that they were taught Jainism by their fathers and grandfathers.-- In one home, a homeless Hindu boy came to live with a Jain family in his youth. He was cared for and educated by the Jain family. He still lives with this family, cooking for and taking care of their needs. He is married, and his wife has also joined the extended family
The Practice and Instruction of Jain principles... 7
along with their two children. Though neither the man nor his wife have become Jains, they live Jain principles in this home and they attend a Jain temple and listen to the monks there with the rest of the family. The children are lovingly regarded by all members of the family, who demonstrate to them how to live Jain practices.
Community supports
Female householders did mention attending pathaśālā schools during summer vacation as children. There they learned about Jain principles. Jain householders participate in the running of some of these schools. Shivani Bothra is currently completing her dissertation on the participation of Jain female householders in religious schools and camps for children - a valuable study, which will shed more light on the pedagogical roles of female householders.

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Shrimad Rajchandra Mission runs schools teaching Jainism to Jain children ages four to sixteen in a program called “Divine Touch". Though none of my interview subjects mentioned sending their children to these schools, according to his website there are 230 centers worldwide. According to Neha Patel, a member of the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, householders can apply to be trained as teachers for this program, known as Divine Touch."
Jains seem to prefer to fall back on the strength and wisdom learned in their own childhood homes or the wisdom of matriarchs within the families into which they are married. No interview subject mentioned receiving parenting advice from a guru. It is possible that, like some Catholic critics, many Jains would be unwilling to take parenting advice from a spiritual guide, who has never had children him or herself. However, more research would need to be done before such a determination could be made.
Challenges
According to the interview subjects, teaching compassion and non-violence seem to be the easiest of the Jain principles to inculcate into the next generation. Children do not seem to question the necessity of incorporating these virtues into their lives. However, contemporary parents still find teaching children to follow the Jain principles they themselves were raised with challenging. Amisha, an architect with her own architectural firm, states: "We could not inculcate our practice as much as they did (her parents and her husband's parents). When asked which principles were the most difficult to teach, the householders gave a variety of responses generally fell into three categories: the influences of the surrounding society, 21 century rationalism, and gender issues within Jainism.
Societal Influences
Teen-aged Jains are particularly influenced by the global night culture adopted by many youth and young adults. This comes into conflict with the Jain rule that one must eat before sunset. This rule is also difficult for young persons attending university and working at the same time. Parents would rather see their children eat than not. One university students reported that she has made a year-round eight o'clock eating vow for herself. In the winter the sun has set by the time she eats, but in the summer it has not. This vow has allowed her to find a peaceful solution to navigating her work/study/eating schedule."
Young people also have difficulty finding Jain food to eat when out with their friends. One householder reported that her children find it impossible to find food without onions and garlic. Another householder has decided that this rule is antiquated and should no longer
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apply to Jains. She chooses to ignore its application. A third householder said that not eating root vegetables can cause problems for Hindu children eating alongside her own and that, in her opinion, it does violence to the self-esteem of the Hindu child to imply that she or he is killers over their lunch food."
Professor Prakash Jain, Emeritus fellow in Sociology at Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi claims that media watching has influenced Jain women in particular in their expectations for a future life. One householder confirmed this view by stating that her daughter has much larger wardrobes than she was allowed as a child." Another householder

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confirmed that when she visits Jain homes, there is usually one child in a bedroom and that this bedroom is stuffed with possessions."
One mother opined: "The hardest is teaching to go barefoot to the temple. When it's very hot, they can't. When it's very cold, they can't. That is the hardest thing." This mother feels that flexibility should be allowed in the teaching of Jainism to children. "They should love and enjoy it." And despite her misgivings about having children attend the temple barefoot in inclement weather, she successfully persisted in teaching her son to go to the temple. "He goes twice to the temple (daily). Then we do pūjā with clean clothes."
Rationalism
Another mother found rote learning of rituals difficult for her children:
The hardest Jain principle today is to follow rituals. Like to read the śloka? that would be one basic thing which my children won't know....Children today, don't want to learn things unless you give them a scientific....reasoning.... If you tell them something humanitarian they will understand. They will help with a sick animal or a sick person. They want to give something back to the society, but if you tell them to go to the temple and do ritual or do idol worship or something like that, or you read the sloka of the Jains [they won't do it)."
Well-educated children of equally well-educated householders tend to demand rational, scientific explanations for religious practices. While scientific explanations for bhakti worship may be more difficult to provide than faith-based practices, the Jain pillars themselves and many daily living practices can be shown to have logical, fact-based benefits:
With my parents it was like at six you stop eating. After sunset you can't eat, but we were not told the logic behind it as much. But today, science says that you need to rest the digestive system. So, when you eat earlier, and you don't eat later, you become healthier. So even the smaller things of Jainism, if they are actually taught with reasoning to the children today, then they will accept the principles more easily. So, I think that Jainism that is taught today needs to be taught with reasoning.
Gender Issues
Sociologist Prakash Jain reports that the results of a recent survey on gender issues finds a significant gap in the male to female ratio for Jains in India. This gap reflects biases favoring the birth of a male child in all religions throughout India, except Christianity. Dr. Jain attributes this imbalance to female feticide among Jains, which is surprising, as Jains protect even the life of one-sensed organisms. Obviously, not all Jains are practicing female feticide, but the practice continues among enough Jains to cause risk to Jainism as a whole. Reasons
The Practice and Instruction of Jain principles... 19
for this practice among Jains are similar to those used by other Indians, and include: the avoidance of dowry (though Jains are not said to support this practice), a rising number of female renunciants (3:1 ratio, women to men), and, prestige associated with the birth of a male child."

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How does this impact householder teaching of religious values? As we have seen womenplay a significant role in the religious instruction of children. Jain men, unable to find a Jain wife may resort to inter-sect, inter-religious marriages. Dr. Prakash Jain says this situation has a deleterious effect on marriages. Within this small study of ten householder women, qualitative, if not quantitative evidence has corroborated this fact, at least in terms of the transmission of Jainism to future generations. A Jain householder reported that her Digambara mother, who married a Svetāmbara, gave up on much of the Jainism learned from her parents. As a result, many rituals and household practices were lost to the next generation, And, as previously noted, in a household with two wives, one Jain and one Hindu, no instruction in Jainism was given to the daughter of the Hindu wife and the Jain child was deprived of the spiritual guidance of an aunt. Although, according to Dr. Jain, some men are paying for Hindu wives to be trained in Jainism, it would be difficult to imagine that such training can replace generations of accumulated Jain householder practices learned over time at home.
There may be reason to hope, however. Despite the fact that the Jain Digambara gave up on much of her Digambara practice, her daughter reported that she still practiced much of a general Jain lifestyle, such as not eating potatoes and eggs and keeping the home clean and dry to discourage the breeding of insects:
[In my house) we took care of water, turned off [the] fan, tried to save electricity. My mother used minimum water and didn't use the shower. She didn't even wash in the wash basin. ... The fifth, eighth and fourteenth day [of the month we eat] no vegetables.... My mother never bought a sari, she just wore gifts.
Additionally, throughout history, other religions have survived despite having to replace female believers with non-practicing women, such as the Jewish slaves, who were sent to the German Rhineland by Roman officials, where they married German women, thus giving rise to two millennia of Ashkenazi Judaism. One has more sympathy with the Jewish slaves, as the loss of Jewish women was not due to female feticide.
There are prejudices against women throughout Indian society, and though Jains generally rejoice in the birth of a daughter and educate her well, there is still prestige associated with the birth of a son, who is seen as more able of supporting his parents than a daughter. One interview subject, the eldest of five sisters, felt this prejudice acutely.
I'm the eldest, but because we were six sisters and my father was an upper division clerk..., so many times, I used to listen to "if a boy would have been bom, he would have done like this and he would have done like this," I thought, Okay, I'm not a boy, it doesn't matter. But I can do what a boy would have done. So, I used to do the outer activity also. Supposing my younger sister was to be admitted in any school, so I took her to the school. Supposing somebody was ill, I'd take him or her, or even my grandfather to the hospital. And I stayed there with my grandfather.
In a lecture at the International Summer School for Jain Studies, sociologist Prakash Jain reported that a mere 12% of Jain women have entered the workforce. In my narrow pool of
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subjects, 80% of the women were working. Nevertheless, Jain women often exhaust themselves with the responsibilities of work and home and family. Sneha, a translator of

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Prakrit and Apabhramsa in Jaipur reported that, at sixty years of age, she still rises at five each day to make breakfast for her disabled husband, her sons and their families before she goes to work. At five she returns home to begin making dinner and do household chores, finally having a few moments to herself at eight o'clock in the evening, before going to bed. The next morning she begins it all again. Her two sons pay expenses of the family, but Sneha continues to work very hard to provide for her retirement and the retirement of her husband.
One wonders at the continued prejudice against women in Indian society, when they have contributed so much to so many. At a lecture at the International School for Jain Studies at the Jain temple in Jaipur, Professor Kusum Jain gave a lecture on anekāntavāda. "The biggest complaint in life that all of us have, the biggest source of suffering is - "nobody understands me" ....If I give the feeling that I understand you, this is the biggest gift you can give to anyone. Indian women will cook, take care of home and children and they are tired and the husband comes and if he simply says you must be tired, 90% will forget their tiredness. All they need is this....Anekāntavāda teaches this. This is the biggest non-violence." It could well be asked if the current influx of female renunciants is inspired by female householders who hope for their daughters to transcend to a better life than they themselves have led.
Conclusion
In this brief treatment, I have attempted to look at domestic pedagogies used by Jains in the transmission of Jain teachings to children. I have stated that Jain female householders rely on child training methods learned from the examples of mothers, grandmothers, and aunts, but they may also use storybooks, community courses for children and practical instructional moments to teach the Jain way of life. I have also stated that the transmission of Jainism to the next generation is challenged by materialism in the surrounding culture, global media, a desire on the part of younger Jains for rational, critical thought to be applied to the principles of Jainism, and a gender imbalance.
The educational level of the Jain women I communicated with is highly impressive. There can be no doubt of their ability to find rational, scientific reasons for the practice of Jainism in their homes, nor should observers despair that such a task must be undertaken, as all religions must reinterpret themselves each generation in order to remain relevant in a changing world. Given the Jain notion that only that which is real changes and given Jainism's history of survival for several thousand years, both as a religion and a people, Jains are clearly up to the task.
Of more concern is how Jains might elevate the status of females and also the status of householder women. (In this I do not mean to negate or disparage the contributions of female ascetics, this paper nonethe-less, has focused on the role of female householders.) It is evident that individual Jains honor their own mothers, but what about the status of female householders in general? Many Jain women have proven their academic prowess and their business acumen as well. In addition to their intellectual and occupational abilities, these women need to be collectively valued for their roles as householders. The future of Jainism may depend upon it.
Rabindranath Tagore's take on the renunciation of the Buddha provides an interesting metaphor for the plight of all female householders in India, whether Jain or not.
The Practice and Instruction of Jain principles... 11

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At the dead of night, the aspirant resolved "I must leave my home and seek my God. Who has beguiled me and kept me here?" God whispered, "I." But the would be ascetic heard it not. Seeing his wife fast asleep, her babe clasped to her breast, he muttered, "What are you if not a snare?" God whispered, "Naught else but I," but none was there to heed. Leaving his bed, he cried, "Where art thou, O Lord?" "Here," came the reply. He heeded not. The child wailed in [her] dreams pulling at [her] mother. God commanded, "Turn back". The ascetic ignored the behest. God sighed and said, "Alas where is my devotee straying, deserting me."
For a moment, can imagine of the wife of Siddhārtha Gautama as representative of all Indian female householders, and her child as India's infant daughters, and, we can also imagine the Buddha as the rest of society, undervaluing the role of India's females. With this understanding, Tagore's imagined voice of God makes utter sense; God is present in the form of the female householder and her daughter. Those who understand, elevate, and appreciate, this kind of householder "holiness" achieve a kind of "feminist" realization that ensures the future of their families and their faiths.
References
3
Sonraya, Pt. Vimal K Jain, Ed. Ratnakaranda Srāvakācāra with Sanskrit commentary and Hindi translation by Acārya Prabhachandra. Sailsagar, Tikamgarh: Vītarāga Vāni Trust, 2006: 250-51. Print. Johnson, Helen M. Trans. Trişastišalākāpuruşacaritra or The lives of sixty-three illustrious person, Vol. VI, (Book X-Mahāvīracaritra). Baroda: Oriental Institute, 1962: 193-197. Print. Jain. Shugan C. Gandhi and Jainism, New Delhi: International School for Jain Studies, 2017: XI. Print. Sunita, Personal Interview in Jaipur. 4 July 2018. Amisha. Personal Interview in Alipur, Delhi, 11 July 2018. Amrita. Personal Interview in Alipur, Delhi. 13 July 2018. Arati and Rahul. Personal Interview in Alipur, Delhi. 11 July 2018. Ibid. Amrita. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Prity. Personal Interview in Jaipur. 3 July 2018. Ibid. Amisha. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Shivangi. Personal Interview in Jaipur. 5 July 2018. Amrita. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Prity. op.cit. 3 July 2018, Sunita. op.cit. 4 July 2018. Ibid. Shivangi. op.cit. 5 July 2018. Amrita. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Mira. Personal Interview in Alipur, Delhi, 6 July 2018. Aryika. Personal Interview in Jaipur. 3 July 2018. Shivangi. op.cit. 5 July 2018. Arati and Rahul. op.cit. 11 July 2018, Pai, A. "Mahavira: Warrior of Virtue" in Jain Stories (5 in 1 series). Mumbai: Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd, 2014. Print. Sneha. Personal Interview in Jaipur. 1 July 2018; Jain, Aanchal. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Shivangi. op.cit. 5 July 2018. "Children Activities" Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. Web. 20 July 2018. Page #19

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Ibid.
34
Jain, Prakash C. Lecture on "Status of Jain Women" International Summer School for Jain Studies in Alipur, Delhi. 22 June 2018. Vijeta. op.cit. 30 June 2018. Shivangi. op.cit. 5 July 2018. Amrita. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Ibid. Amisha. op.cit. 11 July 2018. Ibid. Jain, Prakash C. op. cit. 22 June 2018. Mira, op.cit. 6 July 2018. Jain, Kusum, lecture on "Anekantevada" International Summer School for Jain Studies in Jaipur. 3 July 2018. Tagore, Ravindranath. "The Gardener: 75." poeticous. Web. 20 July 2018. https://www.poeticous.com/rabindranath-tagore/the-gardener-lxxv-at-midnight>

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Ahiṁsā: A World-Wide Practice for the Modern Age
John Thomas Mobley
Introduction
When we look around the world, we can see that all is not well: inequality, social issues, terrorism, and moral depravity. These problems were also there in the past, yet they have become intensified in modern times. The current global strategy is obviously not working; there must be an alternative paradigm, an alternative scheme. Many great spiritual traditions, spiritual masters, and progressive leaders have proposed an alternative way of living through ahrsā in Action.
In Jainism, the understanding (principle) and implementation (practice) of ahrsā is more comprehensive than in any other religion. The entire essence of the Jain teachings can be condensed into three cardinal principles (ahmsā, anekānta and aparigraha), and at an even more fundamental level, all three can be understood through ahrsā in itself. It is both the central tenant of the philosophical aspects of Jainism, as well as the core practice. Although non-Jains often correlate ahrnsä with avoiding only the grossest forms of physical harm such as murder or physical violence, the scope of ahmsā is actually so much more.
In the Ācārānga Sūtra, the oldest Jain scripture, the 24th and last tirthankara Mahāvīra, asserted that:
The arhats and bhagavatas [Omniscients) of the past, present, and future, all say thus, speak thus, declare thus, and explain thus: all breathing, existing living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven
away.
That which you consider worth destroying is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth disciplining is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth subjugating is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth killing is (like) yourself. The result of actions by you has to be borne by you, so do not destroy anything.
These lines by the great tīrthankaras convey the quintessence of the practice of non-violence. To fully understand ahirsā, it is helpful to view the principle from the perspectives of both ourselves and others. What we value as good and important for ourselves should be extended to others. I value myself; likewise, all other beings value themselves. I don't want violence upon myself; likewise, others do not want violence upon themselves. I have a right to live, and others have a right to live. I have a right to evolve, and thus others have a right to evolve. This broad perspectival view is the foundation for the broader ahinsic principle and sets the tone for the religion preached by the Jain tirthankaras.
Ahimsa in the Major Religious Traditions
In addition to Jainism, most religious traditions around the world have recommended a nonviolent approach towards life and living, albeit at varying degrees. To fully understand the relevance of ahimsā in the modern world, it is helpful to understand how and to what extent

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Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur
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ahimsā fits into the belief systems of the four major world religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Christianity and Non-violence
As the Israelites approached the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, hundreds of years before Jesus, their leaders advocated a law of retribution as a way to punish evil-doers. 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot became the law of the land." The ancient leaders of the Israeli nation did not advise these measures to advocate violence per se, but instead, these laws were provided as a reduction mechanism, a way to control the violence of the mobs.
Centuries later, Jesus ushered in a new paradigm of non-violence. His new interpretations of the ancient laws were not to oppose the Laws of the Old Testament, but rather to present the path to Salvation. One important focus of his teachings was on reducing inter-human violence. A telling example of this is given in his 'Sermon on the Mount':
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles."
This depth of non-violence showed his immense compassion for all mankind. Even after his ascension into Heaven, Jesus' moral precepts of non-violence and compassion were extended through the Missionary work of his Disciples. Some examples include: • Excerpts from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, guiding the gentiles to Salvation: "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If
it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." • A letter from Paul to the Thessalonians was written to encourage and reassure the
Christians there: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to
do what is good for each other and for everyone else." • And a letter from the Apostle Peter, by then a Bishop, was written to various churches in
Asia Minor which were suffering religious persecution at the time: "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it."
These scriptural references exhibit the substantial emphasis that Jesus and his disciples laid on inter-human non-violence, which has continued into modern times. In modern history, there are pacifistic movements in Christianity who refuse to go to war, such as the Quakers, Amish, Mennonites, and the Church of the Brethren. In the Catholic tradition, the Popes have traditionally upheld peace and non-violence, as evidenced throughout history. The present Pope Francis recently made the appeal to all Christians for peace:
"Our world is being torn apart by wars and violence... In various countries, conflicts and

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old divisions from the past are re-emerging. I especially ask Christians in communities throughout the world to offer a radiant and attractive witness of fraternal communion. Let everyone admire how you care for one another, and how you encourage and accompany one another.
Ahimsā: A World-Wide Practice ..... 15
However, from a purely scriptural perspective, the practice of non-violence is limited to only human interactions. Killing an animal or other living being for consumption is not viewed as a sin in itself. In 'Genesis,' God grants humanity 'dominion' over the Earth: 'God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground". This verse comprises what is called the Cultural Mandate,' the divine injunction in which God - after having created the world and all beings within it - bestows upon mankind the task of filling, subduing, and ruling over the earth. In this conventional interpretation, non-violence does not extend to animals or other living beings. Alternatively, though rarely discussed, the Cultural Mandate could be interpreted as 'to protect' or a responsibility to preserve these beings, rather than to use and consume them. This is a question worth pursuing further.
It can also be noted that in addition to ahimsā, Christ also speaks to the other jewels of Jainism. About aparigraha (non-possessiveness), he said: "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." Through this verse, Jesus addresses the inverse relationship between possessiveness and spiritual potential, implying that those who live simply and eschew money and possessions beyond their basic requirements will be much more in tune with spirituality and it's Heavenly rewards.
Anekāntavāda (the multi-faceted reality, or the concept of relativity) can also be found in Jesus' key teachings, such as in the verse which has become the modern 'Golden Rule': "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." In essence, this verse guides the seeker to themselves determine what is morally right by sympathizing with others. The seeker understands what is right by opening their heart to the other being, not by consulting religious scripture or some expert. Thus, this teaching is relativist rather than objectivist, and places the seeker himself at the center of his own reality and understanding.
Islam and Non-violence
Like Christianity, Islam is another of the Abrahamic religions originating in the Middle East. Both trace their descent from the practices of the ancient Israelites and worship of the God of Abraham. Through its core teachings, the Islamic tradition also respects the sanctity of life. In the Quran, it is stated: “We decreed...that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done) in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely."! The Prophet Muhammad discouraged violence whenever was possible and often suffered personal physical harm rather than retaliating against his oppressors.16

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An interesting example of the legacy of non-violence in Islam is that of Abdul Ghaffar Khan (nicknamed Bacha Khan), a dear friend of Gandhi and a Pashtun Muslim. Inspired by ahimsic principles, Khan founded a nonviolent resistance organization for Muslims called the Khudai Khidmatagāra ("Servants of God'). He told his more than 100,000 followers, "I am going to give you such a weapon that the police and the army will not be able to stand against it. It is the weapon of the Prophet, but you are not aware of it. That weapon is patience and righteousness. No power on earth can stand against it."! Inspired by the Indian National
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Congress and the charismatic spiritual-political leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, The Servants of God organization blossomed during the non-violent civil disobedience movement and were essential to the Mahatma's early efforts to oppose the British Raj in India with a nonviolent, multi-faith, unified front.18
In contemporary culture, the Arabic word "Jihad" is often understood as "holy war,' but in a purely linguistic sense, the word translates as 'struggle.' Amongst many Islamic scholars and practitioners, it is often divided into the lesser Jihad and the greater Jihad. The lesser Jihad reflects the context of physical fighting, yet is seen as inferior to the greater Jihad, which has been defined by the Prophet Muhammad as 'jihad an-nafs' (the war against the soul): the inner struggle or unremitting combat against inner voices and the devil within." Unfortunately, the superiority of greater Jihad over lesser Jihad seems to have been forgotten or discarded by the fanatical terrorist cells who have twisted the message of Islam for their own agendas.
Like Christianity, non-violence in Islam is mostly limited to inter-human relationships. However, some consideration has been provided to the animal kingdom. One verse in the Quran tells the story of the Prophet Solomon marching with his army: in devotion, he thanked God for the faculty to appreciate nature and ordered his soldiers to avoid harming any of the small ant upon the ground.
With regards to animal cruelty in eating habits, one purpose of slaughtering meat in the Islamic 'dhabiha' manner is to minimize the animal's suffering as much as possible. According to his studies at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Professor Wilhelm Schulze concluded that the Islamic way of slaughtering is the most humane method of slaughter. However, in recent studies, brain signals have shown that calves do appear to feel significant pain when slaughtered according to Muslim religious law..."
Vedic Traditions and Non-violence
In the ancient philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent, there are two main groupings: those who uphold the authority of the ancient wisdom teachings called the Vedas (the Vedic traditions) and those who do not uphold the authority of the Vedas (the Sramaņic traditions). The Vedic traditions, often called the Orthodox schools of Hinduism, consist of six major schools of thought: namely Sāmkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaiseșika, Pūrva Mimāṁsā and Vedānta. These six schools all uphold that the Vedas are a valid source of knowledge, that atmā/brahma (the single spiritual reality) exist, and that life after death does exist. In spite of their differences, the Vedic and Sramanic traditions share many of the same concepts, such as dharma, karma and reincarnation, samsāra and duhkha (suffering), renunciation and Liberation, and importantly, a set of basic moral pre-requisites for practicing religion.

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Ahimsā is understood as the foundational moral practice in the Vedic tradition, just as in Jainism. In the "Mahābhārata," the great Vedic epic, ahimsā is called the highest ethical virtue:
Ahinsa paramo dharmas tathāhimsā paro damah/ Ahimsā paramam dānam ahimsā paramas tapah// Ahimsā paramo yajñas tathāhismā param balam/ Ahimsā paramam mitram ahimsā paramam sukham/ Ahirsā paramar satyam ahimsā paraman sarutam/
Ahiṁsā: A World-Wide Practice ......17
The above passage emphasizes the cardinal importance of ahinsa in Hinduism, and literally means: "Ahimsa is the highest virtue, Ahimsa is the highest self-control, Ahimsa is the greatest gift, Ahimsa is the best suffering, Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice, Ahimsa is the finest strength, Ahimsa is the greatest friend, Ahimsa is the greatest happiness, Ahimsa is the highest truth, and Ahimsa is the greatest teaching."
The Vedic tradition is replete with other praises of ahimsā. Approximately 500-300 BC, the great yogi (contemplative saint) Patanjali de-emphasized the importance of yajñas (sacrificial fires) and instead named ahimsā as the supreme virtue in his Yoga Sūtra, and hundreds of years later (~450 CE), Sage Vyāsa explained that all of the other yamas (moral precepts) and niyamas (social contracts) in the Yoga Sūtra are rooted in ahimsā, and that they are expounded upon only for the purpose of promoting ahinsa. Two thousand years ago, the "weaver saint' of South India, Tiruvalluvar, discouraged the use of violence by the logic of karmic retribution: "Sorrow will come upon those who cause pain to others; therefore those, who desire to be free from sorrow, give no pen to others. Modern leaders of Hinduism have also upheld the significance of ahimsā. - Swami Vivekananda (Ramakrishna Mission) has declared that 'Oneness' includes all animals, and AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (ISKON) has extended the biblical ideal of 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' to all animals. 30
At a practical level, the application of ahimsā by followers of the Vedic traditions vary from tradition to tradition. However, most devout followers of the Vedas (called Hindus) practice a vegetarian lifestyle and avoid killing. The understanding of karmic retribution and recompense is a driving force in their practice, and learned Hindus know that those of the lower nature will slowly, eventually, over an experiential period of time, come into the higher nature, and that those of the higher nature, who have worked so hard to get there, should avoid the lower nature and not allow themselves to be caught up in it again. Thus, as much as possible, Hindus believe that it is unadvisable to harm beings at any stage of their journey.
Buddhism and Non-violence
Also a product of the Indian subcontinent, Buddhism is the most philosophically similar to Jainism out of the major world religions. Buddhism and Jainism both belong to the Sramanic traditions, which are also called the heterodox schools. Both uphold the beliefs of karma, samsāra, free will, māyā, and practices of asceticism." There is also similarity in the view that there is no Creator God or Godhead, but rather seekers follow the teachings of enlightened Spiritual Masters to reach the final goal of Liberation, called mokṣa in Jainism -- - - ! D. 1.11 . T. L 1 L. 1 1 .1 La L. 1.1.2: --- 10. 1 !.

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ana nirvana in Buganism. It snould be noted, thougn, that the pener in arman (Soul) is different amongst the two, with Jainism affirming ātman, and Buddhism denying it.
Both Jainism and Buddhism also share similar ethical and moral precepts, called sīla in Buddhism. The basic training rules observed by practicing lay Buddhists are called the pancasila (Five Precepts), which can be found in all Buddhist schools. In Buddhism, the first and primary precept states, 'I undertake to observe the rule to abstain from taking life. The fifth century Indian Theravada Buddhist commentator and scholar, Buddhaghosa, defines 'taking life as the will to kill anything that one perceives as having life, to act so as to terminate the life-force in it, in so far as the will finds expression in bodily action or in speech." Therefore, at a philosophical level, the importance of Ahimsa in body, speech, and mind is the same in both the Buddhist and Jain traditions.
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Practically, however, the extent of ahimsic practice does vary between the two schools. The Buddhists take a more moderate approach in the treatment of the principle of ahimsā in actual performance. The killing or murder of humans is unacceptable in all schools of Buddhism, but the practice of killing animals for food varies amongst the different Buddhist communities and practitioners. The contemporary Buddhist doctrine limits the practice of non-violence to the actions of the practitioner himself. It does not admonish ‘killing by proxy.'"* For instance, a Buddhist practitioner might not directly kill an animal for food, but if an animal had died by natural or accidental death, then it seems that it would be acceptable to eat its flesh. In many ways, vegetarianism has been deemed as a personal choice, based on the practitioner's development of compassion and concern for others. 56
Ahimsā broadened
The Jains take a much stronger stance towards non-violence than the major world religions as discussed. Jainism not only considers the principle of ahimsā in all its aspects, but also makes it obligatory on its followers to abstain from committing violence in nine possible ways: specifically, it is expected that a devout Jain should not commit violence through manas (mind), vacana (speech) and kāya (body) and each through the manner of krta (personally enacted), kārita (commissioned through others) and anumodita (giving consent for enactment by others)."
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation and leader of non-violent civil disobedience, explored ahimsā within the full range of religious doctrines and practices, and was quoted as saying: "Nonviolence is common to all religions, but it has found the highest expression and application in Hinduism (I do not regard Jainism or Buddhism as separate from Hinduism)."
Later, he went on to praise Jainism in particular as the pinnacle of ahimsic philosophy and practice, saying: "No religion of the world has explained the principles of Ahimsa so deeply and systematically as discussed with the applicability in life as Jainism. As and when this benevolent principle of Ahimsa will be sought for practice by the people of the world to achieve their ends of life in this world and beyond, Jainism is sure to have the uppermost status and Bhagwan Mahavir is sure to be respected as the greatest authority on Ahimsa."39

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Ahimsā is often used synonymously with 'non-violence in the physical sense, and although this is correct, ahirsā has an even broader connotation from the Jain perspective. The Jain concept of ahimsā suggests that every being in the cosmos has its own intrinsic nature and a specific function with regard to it. If we restrict its function, we are committing violence and hurting its unique nature as well. Therefore, every being's unique nature and function should be respected and preserved.
All living beings have a physical dimension, intellectual dimension, emotional dimension, and spiritual dimension. It is the responsibility of conscious beings (e.g., humans) to develop each of these dimensions fully at the scales of family, community, nation, world, and universe. This forms the inter-dependent nature of life. If we do not protect this interdependence, this is also violence. If we don't care for family identity, social harmony, and national peace, then we are practicing violence. Therefore, ahimsā is a broad and most important concept, and it must be understood in this vast perspective.
Ahimsā: A World-Wide Practice ..... 19
Ahimsā for the Future
In contemporary society, we find that we are living in an imperfect world, with lots of limitations. Thus, we have to strive hard, and this requires constant human enterprise. Thus, to be educated is a primary requirement in the pursuit of ahinsā. If we are not educated and educating others, then we are also doing violence. This includes culturing ourselves, and creating a virtuous person within ourselves. To a practitioner of ahimsā, the outward manifestation of education and culture is virtue.
Furthermore, the right to live is a basic requirement of ahirnsä, and we should extend the right to live to nature. Nature nurtures us and nourishes us. Every object of nature is valuable, serviceable, and usable. Only when nature is self-guarded, then it too can be helpful to us. And when we help nature, it helps us as well. The opposite is to destroy and exploit nature, and unfortunately, we as a society have this perverted view: dominance over nature. Out of ignorance, we try to exploit nature rather than helping it. If we destroy it, all life becomes a disaster. Therefore, not matter the cultural and religious background, citizens of modern society should make best use of nature's resources without straining nature.
Ahimsā is an idealistic idea, to be implemented globally. The practitioner of ahimsā will not interfere in the freedom of any living beings who are searching for happiness, in whatever form happiness takes for that individual. When practiced with great awareness and intention, ahirsā then manifests itself internally as bliss and externally as love, which can be seen as personal upliftment, a feeling of protecting all life, and friendship and compassion without condition. This is ahimsā in action, non-violence in living, a way of life.
References
Jacobi, Hermann. Trans. Jaina Sutras, Part-1 [Ācārānga Sutra: 4/1/1]. Delhi: Low Price Publications, 1996: 36. Print. Tumam si nānam tam ceva jam hantavvam ti mannasi,

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tumam si nanam tam ceva jam ajavetavvam ti mannasi, tuman si nānam tam ceva jam paritāvetavvan ti mannasi, tumam si nānam tam ceva jam parighetavvam ti mannasi, evan tan ceva jam uddavetavvari ti mannasi Anji ceyam padibuddhajīvī/ tamhā na hanta, na vighātae anusarveyanamappānenam, je hantavvam nabhipatthae / caranga Sutra: 5/5/5, Note: Followers of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism constitute 31.2%, 24.1%, 15.1%, and 6.9% of the world's population, respectively. "The Changing Global Religious Landscape." Pew Research Center. 5 April 2017. Web. 10 June 2018. The Bible. New International Standerd Version. Exodus 21:24-25, Leviticus 24:20-21, Deuteronomy 19:21. Alla, Father Stanislaus. Lecture on "Non-violence: A Christian Perspective," in International Summer School for Jain Studies at Vallabh Jain Smarak, Delhi. 13 July 2018. Matthew 5:38-41. New International Version. Romans 12:17-18. New International Version. 1 Thessalonians 5:15. New International Version, 1 Peter 3:9-11. New International Version. See Benedict XVI, Pope. "Caritas in Veritate." Vatican.va. 12 July 2018, Web. 29 June 2009. ! Francis, Pope. The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortation, Vol. 1. Hotre Dame, Indiana:
Ave Maria Press, 2016: 103. Print. 12 Genesis 1:28. New International Version
Matthew. op. cit. 19:23-24.
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Ibid, 7:12. Qur'an. Surah 5:32. Hussain, Aamir. "Jainism and Islam: More Similar Than You Might Think." Huffpost, 7 August 2014. Blog, 15 July 2018. Waraich, Omar. "Malala, Obama, socialism: Nobel laureate's political views are complex." Aljazeera America, 23 December 2014. Web. 16 July 2018. Kurtz, Lester. "The Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) Movement: Badshah Khan and the Northwest Frontier in British India (1933-1937)." ICNC. International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, July 2009. Web. 16 July 2018. 19 Shah-Kazemi, Reza. "From the Spirituality of Jihad to the Ideology of Jihadism." Seasons: Semiannual
Journal of Zaytuna Institute. 2.2 (2005): 44 68. Print. 20 Qur'an. Surah 27:18-19.
Hussain, Aamir. "Jainism and Islam: More Similar Than You Might Think." Huffpost Blog, 8 July 2014. Web. 15 July 2018. , Hasan, Rohaizad. "Why Halal Slaughtering is humane?" The Halal Industry Quest. 1 December 2016.
Web. 14 July 2018. 24 Mahābhārata. 13/117/37-38. 25 Chapple, Chris. "Ecological Nonviolence and the Hindu Tradition." Perspectives on Nonviolence. New
York: Springer, 1990. 168-177. Print. "Ahimsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahā yamāl" Pātañjala Yoga Sūtra. 2/30. Bhārati, Swami Veda. Trans. & Comm. Yoga Sūtrās of Patañjali with the Exposition of Vyāsa, Volume II - Sadhana - Pāda. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2015: 474. Print. Pope, G. U. et al. Trans. Thirukkural of Thiruvalluvar, 320. Tinnevelly, Madras: The South India Saiva Siddhantha Works Publishing Society, 1982. Print.
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waiters, Kerry S. and Lisa Portmess, Eas. Kengious vegetarianism: From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama. New York: State University of New York Press, 2001: 50-52. Print.
Prabhupad, A. C. Bhaktivedant Swami. "Thou Shalt Not Kill or Thou Shalt not Murder?" in The Science of Self Realization. New York: Bhaktivedant Book Trust, 1981: 137-141. Print.
Subramaniyaswami, Satguru Sivaya. "Ahimsa: To Do No Harm." Hinduism Today. January-March (2007). Web. 12 July 2018. . Collins, Randall. The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global theory of Intellectual Change. London: Harvard University Press, 2000: 199-200. Print.
Conze, Edward. Trans. "Five Precepts of Buddhism Explained: A list of Buddhist abstinences by Buddhaghosa." Tricycle. Web. 16 July 2018. .
O'Brien, Barbara. "Buddhism and Vegetarianism." Thought Co. 13 June 2018. Web. 15 July 2018. .
Obeyesekera, Gananath. "Buddhism, Vegetarianism And Ahimsa." Colombo Telegraph, 17 June 2013. Web. 15 July 2018. .
Venerable S. Dhammika. Good Question Good Answer. Singapore: Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., 2005: 40. Print.
"Jainism and Other Religions." Jainworld.com. Web. 15 July 2018.
.
Prabhu. R. K. and U. R. Rao. Ed. The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi: Encyclopedia of Gandhi's Thoughts. Ahmedabad: Navajivan Mudranalaya, 1966: 120. Print.
Pandey, Janardan. Ed. Gandhi and 21st Century. New Delhi: Concept Publishing, 1998: 50. Print.
Introduction
The Three Jewels
Atmarpit Devang
There are three jewels in Jainism: samyak-darśana (Right Belief), samyak-jñāna (Right Knowledge) and samyak-caritra (Right Conduct), and the main obstructions to the manifestation of the above three jewels are mithyatva (a deluded world view), avirati (a vowless life), pramada (laxity of conduct), kaṣaya (passions) and yoga (activities of mind, speech and body). Mithyātva obstructs right belief and right knowledge, and the other four are reasons for the obstruction of right conduct.
In modern times, we see that there is confusion regarding the order of the three jewels; it is because of the wrong interpretation of scriptures or preachings of the false spiritual masters. Jainism preaches that without right belief and right knowledge, right conduct cannot be possible. "The journey to mokṣa [liberation] begins with attainment of right faith. Understanding this is very important because it is regarded as a first step to the path of Dharma and mokṣa....This is also a concept which is most commonly misunderstood by many Jains....Some think that to be a Jain or follow basic Jain conduct is having samyak darśana, while some others believe that to follow a particular Guru, sect, certain religious practices or read certain scriptures automatically mean samyak darśana. In brief, every follower of lain Religion hac one's own view about right helief It is a can which everyone

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TURIU WUI VI JAM IUNGILI HAS HY O UWII VIU W avuut ligu VURUL.... IL 1a a cap wuICHIUVU YOLU wants to wear without knowing what it really means."! Tirtharkaras (absolute knowledgeable and virtuous beings) preached that liberation belongs to the ātmā (soul) and not the body, so there is no place for acrimonious debates regarding particular sect, caste, or religious practices. The essence of Jain path is to know yourself and continue to abide in self alone (samyak-darśana, samyak-jñāna and samyak-cāritra). That's why Acārya Umāsvāti says that samyak-darśana, samyak-jñāna and samyak-căritra together consist the path of liberation.
In Jain tradition, samyak-darsana is being placed before samyak-căritra. However, in the soul these three jewels are together, we cannot separate one virtue from another. But in practice, to achieve the state of samyak-cāritra, one needs to have the samyak-darśana first. Samyak-darsana is a first awakening. It is very important to know about these three jewels, described as follows. Having complete faith in substances ascertained as they are, is samyakdarśana, knowing all entities (like jīva, matter etc.) exactly as they are, free from doubt or contradiction is samyak-jñāna; and practicing fundamental truths which are helpful for salvation (upādeya) is called samyak-căritra. Samyak-darśana, samyak-jñāna and samyakcāritra cannot exist exclusively of each other in pure form of the soul. Samyak-darśana, is to perceive the true nature of substance, and to do that, one must have faith in the words of a tirtharkara. Only with this right faith, one can understand the true nature of tattvas (substances) and accept that is right and reject that is wrong to get rid of their karmas and aim for mokşa.
"Interest in the soul, distinctly different from interest in substances including other living beings is known as right perspective. As the bondage of water and milk, gold and stones containing gold or husk and seed is found, so is the bondage of the soul with karmic matter.
Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, Dharampur
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But the soul and matter, even besides their being in an intermingled state, both the substances are separate because of different attributes."* Mistakenly the people in this universe continue to believe the intermingled state of self and body as to be one's own. Samyak-drsti in the midst of worldly responsibilities, never ever considers soul and body as one element. When time comes to leave the body, he/she can peacefully let it go. Samyak-drsti never considers the body as integral part of existence so they remain in equanimity (samadhi) at the time of death also. It is a great fruit of self-realization, that while living they stay in samādhi and at the time of death also they remain in samādhi because of their right belief that body is not part of the existence. They remain totally unaffected with any changes at the body level.
In this paper I am trying to highlight the importance of samyak-darsana but it does not mean that right conduct is not necessary, it is necessary to attain mokṣa but its fruitfulness is after having the right perception. Jainism realises the direct comprehension of truth as a landmark in the life of an aspirant. But it is only the beginning of the journey, not the end. Our conviction must compel us to act accordingly. Hence right faith, from which the ethics begins, can lead to perfection only when followed by right conduct. At the same time one should understand that mere conduct is impotent without right faith. It means that all moral virtues should be deeply rooted in the spiritual realisation.
Definition of Samvak-darśana in Jain Canons

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One of the great scriptures in Jain tradition, uttarādhyayana sūtra defines samyaktva as belief in nine fundamental truths. Ācārya Kundakunda in his darśana-pāhuda, defines samyakdarśana as a firm belief in the six substances and nine fundamental truths. He expresses the same principle in different words (ways) in mokṣa pāhuda by defining samyak-darśana as belief in the dharma devoid of violence, in pure deity devoid of 18 faults and in the way of life, preached by the omniscient. In Niyamasāra, samyak-darsana is explained as a belief in liberated souls, Jain scriptures and principles. In Ratnakaranda Srāvakācāra, Acārya Samantabhadra defines samyak-darśana as a belief in true deities, true scriptures and true teachers (deva, śāstra and guru).' He also preaches the eight essentials of right faith and the necessity of freedom from eight types of pride for a right believer. Upādhyāya Yasovijaya says that he, who is attached with the body, is not samyak-drsti, and who firmly believes that I am a soul, devoid of body, modifications and karma is samyak-drsti." The Bhagavad Gitā says that a person having a right faith in mokṣa märga (path of liberation) attains knowledge."
Process and importance of Samyak-darsana
Tīrthankaras have given great explanations on the ladder of spiritual progress. This ladder is mainly divided into fourteen stages (called gunasthānas). The stage of deluded believer (mithyādisti) is at the first gunasthāna. At this stage, if the seeker has unswerving faith on the preaching of the guru (Enlightened Master), deva (the lord) and the śāstra (scriptures), and if one continues to follow preaching of the Enlightened Master, one can get glimpses of true nature of the soul. Though the faith in deva, Guru and Sāstra is not absolute samyak-darśana (niscayasamyak-darśana), but it makes the base for niscayasamyak-darśana to manifest; that's why it's also called a relative samyak-darśana (vyavahārasamyak-darśana). Such a soul will set aside all his religious and other prejudices and will follow sincerely and completely his Guru's preachings and teachings. As a result he himself realizes the nature of pure self. This is called niscayasamyak-darśana or correct world view and after this experience one moves to fourth gunasthāna.
The Three Jewels 23
Ācārya Bhadrabāhu reveals the fact that the amount of karma destroyed by a mithya-drsti muni in 1 crore lives are less than amount of karma sheds by samyak-drsti soul in one breath." Pandit Daulatram explains the same philosophy and further adds that we all have been ascetics (munis) in our previous lives and also went to the 9th heaven (graivaka) and lived for a period of many sāgaropams (very long time as per Jain tradition). But we couldn't experience the true happiness as we weren't samyak-drsti.
When a light of right belief and right knowledge (samyak-darśana and samyak-jñāna) dawns in the soul, that soul becomes samyak-drsti. One who has experienced the soul, has tremendous value of inner world, so at the same time, the valuation of outer world diminishes. For a samyak-drsti, outer world is an illusion or like a dream."
Ācārya Haribhadra Sūri explains this exalted state by defining that samyak-drsti finds this world as an imaginary or fake city created by Indra (King of all deities). Samyak-drsti keeps only one direction open; inward, and with great efforts (puruşārtha) of inward journey,

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eventually abides in the selt for longer period of time, that is called samyak-caritra, without knowing the self (samyak-darśana), one cannot free from attachments of worldly things/beings hence cannot proceed for samyak-cäritra. Mere information does not lead to liberation (moksa) and thus, it can be said that his knowledge is of no use." He may be wellversed in scriptural knowledge, but his cycle of births and deaths will continue.20
Ācārya Kundakunda compares samyak-darśana with pure water. He preaches that like a stream of water washes away all dirts, samyak-darsana also purifies soul from bad karmas. Samyak-drsti may be involved in worldly activities and responsibilities but influx of karmas are very limited because of samyak-darsana. Furthermore, Kundakunda says that it is samyak-darśana by which knowledge becomes pure (samyak-jñāna), and with right knowledge one can discriminate good and bad for the soul and it helps to remain steadfast in moksa mārga.22 Ācārya Pujyapāda says that it is true that right conduct is the direct means of liberation, but right conduct with right faith and right knowledge only can lead to liberation24
Samyak-darśana: First step towards Liberation
Faith (samyak-darśana) marks the start of the journey towards the ultimate goal. Right faith acts like a pilot in mokṣa mārga," it indicates that the right conduct will follow soon. This text says that a householder with right faith is better than a monk without it. Faith has been praised as a great moral virtue for all spiritual progress by all sects of Indian culture. In Jain scriptures, it says that virati means conduct is fruit of knowledge. Without right knowledge, it is impossible to have right conduct; and for right knowledge, right perception is required. Jain saint Pandita Daulatram says that samyak-darśana is the first step towards liberation (mokşa) and without it, knowledge and conduct are wrong (mithyā) and will not lead to liberation (nirvāna). Right faith precedes right conduct. Without right faith (samyak-darśana) no religious conduct or scriptures' knowledge would be right. Ācārya Kundakunda preaches the same thing elaborately that it is possible to stay on mokṣa mārga if one slips from right conduct, but it is not possible to stay on mokṣa mārga if one slips from right faith/knowledge. In short, He conveys that without samyak-darśana, samyak-căritra is not at all possible." After gaining right faith, one needs to aspire for right knowledge, though right faith and right knowledge emerge simultaneously on the removal of mithyātva. Without knowledge, there is no virtuous conduct.
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Samyak-căritra is not only following certain rules or changing clothes, but it mainly focuses on how long one can stay absorbed/ tuned to one's own self. Samyak-darśana clears the belief about bliss and happiness. Mithyā-drsti, because of wrong deluded view, believes that happiness lies outside, so for him/her there is no strong purpose to turn within. Thus, first belief changing is utmost necessary for spiritual advancement on the path of liberation called moksa mārga. If one is able to change his/her belief, then cäritra or right conduct becomes very easy
Many Jain saints have told that samyak-darśana is before samyak-căritra, and for samyakdarśana, contemplation of fundamental truths are necessary. With the right contemplation on the nature of the Self comes the knowledge of one's Self and by such knowledge the soul's deep-rooted infatuation and ignorance are removed and the soul attains Salvation."

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Same sequence for attaining liberation is preached by Acārya Kundakunda." Same chronological order is described in samana-suttam, it says that without samyak-darśana, samyak-jñāna is not possible. Without samyak-jñāna, samyak-caritra is not possible. Without samyak-cāritra, zeroing of Karmas (mokşa) is not possible. Without moksa, Bliss (nirvāna) is not possible. Acārya Amrtacandra writes that by any means you must listen to fundamental truths. As a result, firm determination of soul's nature that is different than body will be perceived by you (samyak-darśana)." Once samyak-darśana is there then samyak-cāritra will easily follow.
Approach to shed Karmas
According to Jain philosophy, the causes of bandha or the karmic bondage in the order they are required to be eliminated by a soul for spiritual progress are:
1. Mithyātva (a deluded world view): The deluded worldview is the misunderstanding
as to how this world really functions or deluded thinking. 2. Avirati (a vowless life): Avirati is the inability to refrain voluntarily from the evil
actions that harms oneself and others. The state of avirati can only be overcome by
observing the minor vows of a layman. 3. Pramāda (laxity of conduct): This third cause of bondage consists of absent
mindedness, lack of enthusiasm towards acquiring merit and spiritual growth, and
improper actions of mind, body and speech without any regard to oneself or others. 4. Kaşāya (passions): The four passions - anger, pride, deceit and greed - are the
primary reason for the attachment of the karmas to the soul. They keep the soul immersed in the darkness of delusion leading to deluded conduct and unending cycles
of reincarnations. 5. Yoga: Activities of mind, speech and body.
This is the order in which we need to remove karmas. First our main focus should be to eradicate deluded view and achieve samyak-darśana (Right perception). Ācārya Amrtacandra says that "Out of three constituents of the path to liberation (samyak-darsana, samyak-jñāna and samyak-căritra), sincere efforts should be made to first acquire right faith (samyakdarśana). Only on the acquisition of right faith can knowledge and conduct become right knowledge (samyak-jñāna) and right conduct (samyak-cāritra)." Once deluded view is replaced with right perception, then remaining four becomes powerless, and it becomes so easy to remove them also. This philosophy also expounded by Ācārya Umāsvāti." It can be well understood by following example. Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai (a renowned Jain preacher
The Three Jewels 25
and follower of Shrimad Rajchandra) used to give this example to explain the order of shedding karmas.
Suppose person 'A' owes person 'B' $99999 and 'A' wants to pay back. 'A' has decided to pay the exact amount by removing one by one 9 so first 'A' has to pay a big chunk of 90,000 to remove first 9. Now it remained 9999. To remove second 9, 'A' has to pay 9000. Now remained 999. To remove third 9, 'A' has to pay 900. Now remained 99. To remove fourth 9, A has to pay 90 and at last 'A' has to pay 9 to complete the payment.
As explained in the above example, paving 90.000 off makes one so much debt free similarly

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•••••••••••p
vv .
removal of mithyātva makes one worthy to trade the path of liberation. Now after removal of delusion, second is avirati. It takes 9000 (much lesser than mithyātva), then pramāda takes 900, Kaşaya takes 90 and yoga takes only 9.
Importance of Satsanga (Spiritual Gathering)
Up till now, we have discussed that first we strive for samyak-darśana. But how to correct our beliefs? Means how to get rid of our mithyātva. Enlightened being says that spiritual gathering (satsanga) is the mean to eradicate our false beliefs. In every religion, religious gathering (satsanga) by an enlightened being has been applauded. Satsanga works on our belief system, as it nourishes our divine instinct and helps us eradicate our old bad habits. Therefore, it is called divine instinct building process. Discourses given by an Enlightened Master has the power to remove our deluded state. Shrimad Rajchandra expounds in his magnum opus called Atmasiddhi Sāstra that there are two types of deluding karmas 1. Darsana Mohanīya: the action which clouds soul's faith in its nature and 2. Căritra Mohanīya: which hinder the Soul from renouncing the world and which disturb and obstruct the Soul's abidance in its true nature. For a right knowledge of the nature of the self, results from following the experienced advises of a true and enlightened teacher. When the disciple after a clear conviction of the true nature of the Self acts on the advice of his Master, his attachments to the world gets removed and he strongly makes efforts for abiding in his true nature. Once the first type of delusion (darśana-mohanīya) is removed, the seeker is assured to get rid of the second type (căritra-mohanīva). In every walk of faith, satsanga is highly applauded. Acārya Sankara writes that 'It is the satsanga by which we attain detachment from worldly things, freedom from deluded mind state, and ultimately "jīvanmukti" means liberation." Tulasi Dāsa also says that half a moment spent with Enlightened being has the power to shed your sins of one crore births." Kabīraji" also says the same thing
Importance of Sadguru (the enlightened master):
Shrimad Rajchandra, preaches that follow the religion propounded by self-realized beings (ātmajñānī or satpuruşa ) to attain samyak-darśana or salvation. Just to elaborate that while religion is eternal, what is most helpful for the seekers upliftment is the primary aim of an Enlightened Being. The Enlightened Master might modify the seekers rites and rituals of the religion depending on the seekers inclination/situation at the time. In short, the Enlightened Master may give the seeker personalized dharma for the seekers spiritual advancement. Additionally, Rajchandra says that the seekers should not be foolish and compare with any scriptures as the master's word is essence of the scriptures. Acārya Haribhadra Sūri says the same thing. Sadguru throws light on light means He shows right way to understand scriptures." He can give religion less religion, which is above cast and creed but have
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potential to uplift seeker and guides towards liberation. ācārya Haribhadra Sūri preaches the same thing. 46
One also tends to advocate absolutism saying that one not require guru as truth is pathless land, and also potentially everyone is like liberated one. Their belief is, instead of taking refuge under a guru, good thing is to make efforts by one own self as all the scriptures are

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easily accessible for me. More detailed information regarding guru is required for such type of misunderstandings. A guru is not a mere or just substitute for scriptural knowledge or books, just as having little knowledge of few diseases does not exclude the need for a doctor. Doctor is must for your chronic illness, treating with your over-wisdom may worsen the disease. A guru is an experienced and learned, who imparts skillful knowledge, which is very much different and unique from the books. Externally, both may appear to be the same, but the knowledge which arises from the guru's mind or say from his valuable wisdom, is pervaded with the light of his own experience or a whole lineage of his prior masters. It has the power to cleanse and transform you.
Misinterpretation of Scriptures and Misleading Guru
Sometimes one interprets scriptures as per our whims and reaches to a wrong conclusion or sometimes you meet to a false spiritual master and follow his guidance. So ultimately one may mislead. Acārya Amṛtacandra writes: "Those teachers who understands both the empirical point of view (vyavahāranaya) as well as transcendental point of view (niścayanaya), and remove the misapprehensions of the disciples by espousing the absolute as well as the relative standpoints, promulgate the teachings of the Omniscient Lord in this world." Guru is such an important existence, who explains the characteristics of right deity (right deva) and right scripture (sastra). If one comes across false guru, whose faith is not in right deva and sastra, he will surely mislead. Faith in right guru, dharma and sastra is called samyak-darśana.
47
It is very important that one finds right guru, but how to find the true guru. To which Shrimad Rajchandra gives these five qualities a sadguru must possess.*
1. Atmajñāna (Enlightenment): He firmly possesses the knowledge of his self.
2. Samadarśită: He is indifferent to worldly opposites like friend and foe, pleasure and suffering, respect and humiliation.
3. Vicara Udayaprayoga: He simply continues to live only to enjoy or suffer the fruits of the actions of his past births, means his every actions is according to script of karma and not by his wish.
4. Apurva Vaņi: His speech is unique and enlightened by the knowledge of the Self. 5. Paramaśruta: He is well-versed in six fundamental truths and philosophy.
At the same time, if one interprets scriptures by his/her limited understanding; one may reach to different conclusion. Rajchandra says that, sometimes mithyātva becomes double if you want to do by your whims. It is very easy to remove delusion under proper guidance of sadguru.
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Conclusion
Samyak-darśana paves the path for liberation. Though samyak-caritra is the immediate

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reason for mokşa, but without right understanding, it is not possible to walk on a path of right conduct. We need to adhere the sequence for attaining liberation (samyak-darsana, samyakjñāna and samyak-căritra) as conduct is of no use without right faith and right knowledge. Samyak-darśana and samyak-jñāna makes the cãritra as samyak (true or balanced). It is well understood that Persons who lack right belief bog down with considerations of purity and impurity while the person of right belief is convinced about the purity of both the cause and the effect. The contemplation of the eternal nature of the soul is the cause and realization of the pure soul (samyak-darsana) is the effect. The sickness of mundane existence can be cured only if one takes the medicine of right faith prescribed by arihanta. This is the first step towards dharma and will certainly lead to last stage of mokṣa sooner or later. To conclude, we have observed that according to Jainism the main cause of bondage is perversity of attitude. The right faith, therefore, occupies the most important position.
References
Jain, Jayanti Lal. "Samyak Darshan: The First step towards Dharma". Jain eLibrary. Web. 19 July 2018. . "Samyagdarsanajanacáritrānimokşamārgah" Tattvärtha Sūtra 1/1. "Tattvārthasraddhānarsamyagdarsnam" Ibid 1/2. Jain, Jayanti Lal, op. cit. 2018. Jīvājīvāyabandhoyapunnampāvāsavotahā/ Sarvaronijjarāmokkhosantaetahivānava// Tahivānamtubhāvānarsabbhāveuvaesanam/ Bhāvenarsaddahartajsasammattamtamvivāhiyam// Uttarādhyayana Sūtra 28/14-15. Chahadavvanavapayatthāpañcatthisattataccanidditthā/ Saddahaitānantīvam so saddithīmuneyavvo/ Darsanapāhuda 19. Hinsārahiedhammeatthārahadosavajjiedeve Nigganthepavvayanesaddahaņam hoi sammattaṁ// Mokşapāhuda 90. Attāgamataccānarsaddahanādohaveisammattan/ Vavagaraasesadososayalagunappă have attol Niyamasāra 1/5. Sraddhānamparamürthānāmāptāgamatapobhrtām Trimüdhāpodhamastāngarsamyagdarśanamasmyam/ Ratnakaranda Srävakācāra 4. Ibid, 11-18. Ye paryāyesuniratāstehyanyasamayasthitäh/ Ātmasvabhāvanisthām, dhruvāsvasamayasthitih // Adhyātmopanişad 2/ 26. "Sraddhārllabhatejñānam" Bhagavad Gitā 4/39. Idaritunavapadārthavişayabhūtai vyavahārasamyaktvam/ kimvisistan/ śuddhajīvāstikāyarucirūpasyaniscayasamyaktvasyachadmasthāvasthāyāmātmavisayasvasamvedanajñānasy aparamparavābijam//Tātparyavrtti (commentary by Acārya Jayasena on Pancāstikāya) 107. Jaramrānikamman, khaveibahuvahir vasakodihin Tamnānītihimgutto, khave iusāsametena//Brhat Kalpasūtra 1/1170. Kofijanma tapa tapai, jānabina karma jhara im je Jñānikem china mem, triguptiteņsahajataraimtel Munivratadharianantabāragraivakaupajāyau/ Painijaātamajānabinā, sukhaleśanapāvau//Chaha Dhālā 4/5. Sakalajagatateemthavata, athavasvapnasamāna/ Tekahiyejñānidašābākivācājñāna // Ātmasiddhi Sastra 140. Māyāmaricigandharvanagarasvapnasannibhän/ Bāhyānpaśyatitativenbhāvānśrutavivekatah// Yogadrsti Samuccaya 154. Niśāmayatinissesamindrajalopamamjagat/
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Sprhayatyātmlābhāyagatvānyatrānutapyatel Istopadeśa 39. Jo anu-mettu vi rāumanijamanamillaietthu So navimuccaitāmajivajānantu vi paramatthul Paramātmaprakāśa 2/81. Sammattayanbhatthājānantābahuvihāinsatthäir/ Ārāhanăvirahiyabhamantitatthevatattheva//Darśanapāhuda 4. Sammattasalilapavahoniccamhivaepavattaejassa/ Kammamāluyaranambandhucciyanāsael Ibid, 7. Sammattādoņānannārīdosavvabhāvauvaladdhi/ Uvaladdhapayatthepunaseyāseyanvivānedi// Ibid, 15. "Caritramantegrhyatemokşaprāptehsīkņātkāranamitijñāpanārtham ", Sarvārthasiddhi 9/18. "Atah samyagdarśanamsamyagjñānamsamyakcăritramityetattritayarisamuditammokşasvasāksin mārgoveditavyah", Ibid, 1/1. Darsanamjñānacāritrātsādhimānmupāsnute/ Darsanamkarnadhārantanmokşamārgepracakşyatell Ratnakaranda Śrāvakācāra 31. Grhasthomoksamārgasthonirmohonaivamohavan/ Anāgārogrhīsreyānnirmohomohinomuneh// Ibid, 33. Mokhamahālakīparathamasidhi, yābinamānacaritrā/ Samyakatānalahaisoidarśana, dhārobhavyapavitrā// Chaha Dhālā 3/17. "Tatrasamyaktvasyädauvacanam; tatpūrvakatvāccăritrasya", Sarvärthasiddhi 2/3. Yatpunardravyacaritrarsrutamanarvināpidrk/ Na tajjñānamnacãritramasticetkarmabandhakrt//Pancādhyāyī 2/771. Darsanabhatsābhattādansanabhattassanatthinivvānam/ Sijihanticarivabhattādarsanabhattānasiijhanti// Darśanapāhuda, 3. "nānenavinānahunticaramagunā", Uttarādhyayana Sutra, 28/30. "Tattvärthasraddhānamhātmaparināmo mokşasadhanaiyujyate, bhavyajīva visayanvār", Sarvārthasiddhi 1/2. Jyāmpragatesuvicāram, tyāmpragatenijajñāna/ Je jñāneksayamohathaipāmepadanirvānal Atmasiddhi Sastra 41. Ņānamnarassasarosāro vi narassa hoi sammattam/ Sammattāocaranancaranão hoi nivvānam/ Darśanapāhuda 31. Nādansanissanānam, nāņeņaviņānahunticaranaguna Agunissanatthimikkho, natthiamokkhassanivānam// Samana-Suttam, 211. Avikathamapimrtvātattvakautühali san, anubhavabhavamürtehpārsvavartimuhürfan/ Prthagathavilasantamsvamsamālokya yen, tyajasijhagitimartyāsākamekatvamoham/Samayasāra Kalasa
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Tatrādausamyaktvamsamupāśrayanīvamakhilavatnena/ Tasminsatyevayatobhvatijnanacaritrarcal Puruşārthasiddhyupāya 21. Darśanamoha vyatīta thai bodha je, Dehe bhinna kevala caitanyanum jñāna jo: Tethi prakṣin căritramoha vilokiye, Varte evur suddhasvarūpanuri dhyāna jo. Apūrva Avasara 3. Mithyādarśanāvirati pramādakasāyayogabandhahetavah/ Tattvārtha Sutra: 8/1. Patel, Dinubhai Muljibhai, (Trans.). The Self Realization (Being The Translation of Atma-Siddhi of Srimad Rajchandra). Agas: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram, 1994: 74. Satsanatvenissangatvam, nissangafvenirmohatvam/ Nirmohatveniścalatattvar, niscalatattvejīvanmuktih// Bhaja Govindam Stotra 9. Ekaghadiadhighadi, adhikīpuniādha/ Tulasīsangataszīdhuki, kāțekotiaparādhall Team, Divine String." ut 3 ust. 3 eft fa 3 JAH Pia Hy
ile 394RTET 11." Divine String. 31 May 2018. Web. 10 June 2018. . eka ghadi ādhi ghadi, ādhi me puni adha/ kabira sangata sādhu ki, katai koti aparādha// Kabira Vāņi Vilāsa: 126. Na bheda eva tattvena sarvajñānam mahātmanām Tathā nāmādibhedeapi bhāvyametanmahātmabhih// Yogadrsti Samuccaya 107. Sāstra ghana mati thoddalī, śis ta kahe te prämana/ Suyasa lahe ai bhāvathi, nā kare jutha daphāna/ Yashovijay, Upadhyayshri. Ätha Yogadrsti Ni Sajjāya (Gujarati translation of Acārya Haribhadra's Yogadrsti Samuccaya), 2/5. Dharamapur: Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, 2013. Print. Citrā tu desnaitesa, svādvineyānugunyatah/
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The Three Jewels 29
Yasmādete mahātmāno bhavavyādhibhisagvarāh//Yogadęști Samuccaya 132. Jain, Vijay K. Trans. & Ed. Shri Amritchandra Suri's Puruşārthasiddhyupāya, 4. Deharadun: Vikalp Printers, 2012: 5. Atmajiānasamadarsitã, vicareudayaprayoga/ Apūrvavānīparamasruta, sadgurulaksanayogya// Ātmasiddhi Sāstra 10. Pratyaksasadguruyogathi, svacchandaterokäya/ Anya upāyakaryāthaki, prāvevamanothāyal Ibid: 16. Mānādikasatrumahā, nijachandenamarüya/ Jātāmsadgurušaranamām, alpapravāsejāya// Ibid: 18.

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The Celebration of the Soul: An Analysis of Daśalakşaņa Dharma with
Special Reference to Supreme Forbearance
Atmarpit Shraddhaben*
Introduction
'Celebrations' or 'festivals' are the most enjoyable and awaited moments in one's life! Indeed, they provide a sense of freedom, happiness and harmony. Celebrations include activities like: spending hours trying to find the perfect hall, collecting funds to have delicious meals, making a guest list to ensure that no one is missed out along with the actual celebration itself. These are all part and parcel of a successful celebration. However, most
festivals' lead us to momentary impact, whether it is through indulgence in music, food or people. So, our entire energy is spent to perform and enjoy external activities. Can we consider these 'real' or 'true' celebrations? No.
A true celebration is that which will lead one inwards and enables him to celebrate the same for the rest of his life. So, let us make our existence a celebration, not just merely for a few hours. For this inner festival', one does not need external trappings like a 'grand hall', collect funds for food, etc. Rather, one needs to understand one's true self and its supreme virtues that are everlasting and in order to immerse in them. Ultimately, the practitioner experiences everlasting happiness or inner bliss. Everyone is invited to join this Grand Inner Festival called "The Celebration of the Soul', known as Paryusaņa Parva in Jainism. Paryusaņa Parva is celebrated throughout the world every year in the auspicious month *Bhādrapada'. In this festival, Jains observe the ten universal supreme virtues, the practice of which leads them to enhance their self-purification that ultimately leads to the attainment of liberation. It is an inward journey transforming from a human being to a 'Divine-being. Paryusana Parva or the 'Dasa Laksana Parva' is thus: 'the celebration through which the karmic matter attached to the soul is totally burnt through practice of penance/austerities.'
Since time immemorial, our soul has been embodied with layers of karmic impurities. Hence, it has forgotten its true nature (svabhāva) as it is deluded by ignorance; it is unable to realize its own pure nature and is constantly running after sensual pleasures derived from worldly objects. However, Jinas, the Enlightened Ones have pronounced ten supreme spiritual virtues (daśalaksana dharma) of the pure soul to learn, contemplate upon, practice in order to experience them. Doing so, the embodied soul reduces its delusion and moves to higher levels of spiritual purification and happiness. Paryusana Parva reminds us of this fact to realize lasting happiness. This is why we call it celebration of the soul and is very different from any ordinary worldly celebrations.
These 10 virtues are called the cardinal virtues. They are the inherent qualities of the soul. According to Jain scriptures, these 10 cardinal virtues are as follows: (1) Uttama Kşamā (Supreme Forgiveness/Forbearance), (2) Uttama Mārdava (Supreme Modesty/Humility). (3) Uttama Arjava (Supreme Straight Forwardness) (4) Uttama Sauca (Supreme Purity/Contentment), (5) Uttama Satya (Supreme Truthfulness), (6) Uttama Samyama (Supreme Self-restraint), (7) Uttama Tapa (Supreme Austerity). (8) Uttama Tyāga (Supreme Renunciation), (9) Uttama Akiñcanya (Supreme Detachment) and (10) Uttama Brahmacarya (Supreme Celibacy/Chastity). Ācārya Pūjyapāda said that these ten virtues have been stated
* Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, Gujarat

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The Celebration of the Soul..... 31
for several reasons. "The first control' is intended to curb activity. The second regulation is intended to indicate regulation of activity, in the case of those who cannot curb it altogether, by giving proper directions. And the object of the tenfold virtues or duty is to avoid spiritual inertia or negligence, while engaged in activities such as movement."
Besides Jain scriptures, some non-Jain scriptures also speak of these eternal virtues, which are very similar to the Jain ones. Srimad Bhāgavata Purāņa mentions 'truth, purity, compassion, forgiveness, renunciation, contentment, simplicity, mental control, sensory control, austerity, equality, tolerance, worldly disinterest, scriptural obeisance, experiential knowledge, detachment, power, courage, illustrious personality, vigour, remembrance, endurance, radiance, strength, lordship, profundity, mental stability, faith in God, worthy of reverence, and humility as eternal virtues. Ācārya Sankara also mentions these virtues for getting liberation (mokşa). He says, “If indeed, thou hast a craving for liberation, shun senseobjects from a good distance as thou wouldst do poison, and always cultivate carefully the nectar-like virtues of contentment, compassion, forgiveness, straightforwardness, calmness and self-control."
Classification of the ten virtues:
The first four virtues are 'bhāvas' or dispositions that are to be "cultivated' (uttama-ksamā. uttama-mārdava, uttama-ārjava and uttama-sauca). The next four (uttama-satya, uttamasamyama, uttama-tapa and uttama-tyāga) are the practices for adoption to put into practice) and the last two (uttama-ākincanya and uttama-brahmacarya) are the essences to experience the true nature of the pure soul - the ultimate goal of Jain Philosophy.
Another classification needed to be kept in mind is the adjective uttama or supreme affixed on each. Adjective uttama implies the individual virtue of supreme soul that is free from any form of delusion (mohanīya karma) and hence is the ideal to be attained. The embodied soul tries to practice these virtues with utmost care and as per their own spiritual purification level with an intention to move up the ladder. In this paper, we will onlytalk of the first and most important virtue i.e. Supreme Forbearance without the suffix uttama i.e. from practical viewpoint (vyavahāra naya) for practice by us, the mundane souls. We shall also discuss from absolute viewpoint (niscaya naya) briefly.
Uttama kşamā (Supreme Forgiveness/ forbearance)
Kșa means 'to destroy' and mā means 'to protect. Or to destroy anger (opposite of forgiveness) and protect the spiritual virtue of soul - 'Supreme forgiveness' or 'forbearance'. Forgiveness is a natural attribute (svabhāva) of the soul. Just as water is cool by nature, the soul is forgiving by nature. Like water becomes hot due to heat, but gradually becomes cool again, similarly, due to external provocation, the soul develops dispositions (vibhāva) of anger, etc., but comes back to its peaceful state with time. Kşamā is the foremost spiritual virtue.
Ksamă implies samatā, or equanimity. To be in a state of equanimity, one has to be free from tainted emotions (kaşāyas) like anger (krodha) as it destroys the soul's nature of forbearance. It is easy for us to slip from one 'K' to another i.e. from krodha to kşamā, without taking a

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moment to think about their consequences or repercussions. It is therefore important to remember that kşamā is our inherent nature (svabhāva), while krodha is external to us (vibhāva) and accrues more karmic bondage. Where there is anger, there is no forgiveness.
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Where there is forgiveness, there is no anger. Anger and forgiveness do not go hand-in-hand.
Love is the heart of Forgiveness,
while Hate is the address of Anger. Freedom from passions is an invitation to purity.
To expect and to practice mono-ism are identified as the important causes for being angry. When our expectations are unfulfilled, we become frustrated, irritated, and then angry. Indeed, anger is not a sudden reaction, but it is a bi-product of negative emotions that have been stored and accumulated and ready to 'burst'. Similarly, we keep perceiving things from our own lenses, not respecting others perspectives. This results in developing an attitude of rigidity. To overcome this, we have to develop an attitude of WE instead of I or change ONLY to ALSO in our thoughts and expressions. This includes the practice anekānta without sacrificing the absolute truth.
It is important to note that to understand this dharma/spiritual value better, we must analyze the same from at least two viewpoints. From practical viewpoint, we seek forgiveness or forgive the non-self or other living beings for causing hurt by us to others or by others to us. This helps us in reducing our anger and its ill effects like stress, animosity, feeling of revenge and isolation in the society. From absolute viewpoint, we seek forgiveness from our own soul to have caused its bondage with impurities that result in pain due to our negligence etc. This way we try to introspect our activities and try to modify them as per the doctrine and our true nature and help ourselves to improve our worldly life and advancing towards higher level of spiritual purification or happiness.
Lord Mahāvīra and almost all luminary Jain ascetics have impressed upon us the greatest importance of forgiveness in their sermons and writings. Lord Mahāvīra says that one ought to put an end to anger through calmness.' Again He says that the stainless/untainted (nirmala) forgiveness is the characteristic feature of those, who are not provoked/enraged/heated by anger) in spite of extremely dreadful (upasargas) inflicted upon them by celestial beings, and by human beings. Describing the true nature of forgiveness, in his commentary on Tattvārthasūtra, Acārya Pujyapāda Svāmī has stated that "even when ill-natured persons heap abuses, ridicules, disgrace and beatings on the monks, who enter other regions to discover the cause of the real state of the body and indulge in twisting and torturing their body, the non-appearance of ill-will in these monks minds is kşamā. Similarly, Pt. Asadhara says that "The persons who observe uttama-kşamā towards those, who commit crimes against them, even on being capable of quick retaliation, are regarded by saints drinking the nectar of forbearance (ksamă-amrta) to be the destroyers of sins. Also, Shrimad Rajchandra mentions that forgiveness is a sword with which one can overcome the internal enemies; it is an armor to protect the pure character. One, who observes equanimity even in unbearable distress with a pure mode, crosses over the worldly sea. In this way, Shrimad Rajchandra considers forgiveness as one's innate pure nature. He has also written that 'Forgiveness is the most auspicious door to liberation. 12

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Like Jain scriptures, non-Jain scriptures also discuss forbearance as supreme virtue. In Bhagavad Gita Kṛṣṇā says, "If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for hatred."13 The nature and description of forgiveness is also found in the Bhisma Parva of Mahābhārata: "Forgiveness is virtue; forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is the Vedas, forgiveness is the Śruti. Forgiveness is Brahma; forgiveness is truth; forgiveness is stored ascetic merit; forgiveness
The Celebration of the Soul..... | 33
protecteth the ascetic merit of the future; forgiveness is asceticism; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness is it that the universe is held together. Persons that are forgiving attain to the regions obtainable by those that have performed meritorious sacrifices, or those that are well-conversant with the Vedas, or those that have high ascetic merit. Those that perform Vedic sacrifices as also those that perform the meritorious rites of religion obtain other regions. Men of forgiveness, however, obtain those much-adored regions that are in the world of Brahma. Forgiveness is the might of the mighty; forgiveness is sacrifice; forgiveness is quiet of mind."
We can also find an important quote of forgiveness in Bible: "Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy seven times."15 Hasan Al-Basri, a Muslim preacher, ascetic, theologian and scholar, said, "The best attribute a believers can have is forgiveness."16
Lord Buddha Says, 'Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned.'17 In Buddhism,18 forgiveness forms part of the Buddhist virtue of forbearance. Forbearance consists mainly in absence of anger, hate and malice, and the forgiving of offences by others. All this is included in what is normally called forgiveness. But, secondarily, forbearance also includes the patient endurance of adversity, hardship, pain and suffering, etc. Ideally, forgiveness is absolute, complete and universal. One must forgive all types of offences (injury, insult, abuse, criticism), everywhere (in private and in public), at all times (past, present and future), in all circumstances (in sickness or health), in thought (not entertaining angry thoughts), word (not speaking harshly) and deed (not harming physically), without any exception (whether friend, enemy or indifferent person), and however wicked the offending person or however terrible the injury may be. Even if people criticize the Buddha or his Religion (dhamma) or the Order (sangha), one should not be angry or bear ill will towards them, but merely point out what is wrong. Whoever bears enmity even to thieves who sever one's limbs, one by one, with a saw, does not carry out the teaching of the Buddha. Even in such a circumstance, one should not be harsh to the thieves or hate them, but rather one should be kind and compassionate and cultivate friendliness or loving kindness (metta) towards them as well as towards the whole world.
Forbearance and Karma Doctrine of Jainism
There are two main suppositions:
a. One enjoys the fruits of karmas only.
b. The fruits of karma that we haven't done, we can never get.
We are a product of our past impressions, and our future is a consequence of our present ones. If we understand this. anger is annihilated. Indeed, instead of plaving the 'blame-game".

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we take control of our lives, taking responsibility for what is happening to us. In this way, anger will not have any scope to survive. Instead of complaining or criticizing, we learn to appreciate and gladly accept. Our equation changes from 'Why me?' to 'Try me!' or 'Why not me?'
Example: when you have a cup of coffee in your hand, and by mistake it spills on someone. What will come out of the cup? Ice tea? No. Coke? No.
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Hot chocolate? No. Coffee? Yes. Only coffee can spill from a coffee cup.
Similarly, what is within you is what will 'spill' on others. Beware, check yourself before blaming others. Indeed, if anger is within us, we 'spill' it on others. But if our hearts are filled with love, we 'spill' love on others in the form of forgiveness. Just as the karma theory beautifully explains that we all have to bear the fruits of our actions, external situations are only triggers, but the way we respond is in our hands. Instead of binding more karmic particles, why can't we simply learn to let go and close the debts that we need to pay anyways? If we choose to forgive, we happily close karmic accounts and take a step closer to liberation. But if we choose anger, we create new ones, which keep us running in the unending cycle of rebirth. Choice is ours.
Let us now see as to who bears the pain of Anger?
Here is a quote from which we can easily understand it:
I am my own torturer as well as my own liberator.
Hell is not a geographical place. When I am in kaşāya (of anger), I am in Hell. I can either create Heaven or Hell, here & now.
So choose wisely.
Meaning of the quote is: The one who loses the most when in anger is the person who is angry. Indeed, despite hurting the other person, the true and most important loss is of the person who allowed anger to take the front seat. By getting upset, we are dirtying ourselves and we are taking millions of steps away from our True Selves. We aren't giving ourselves a chance to liberate. Therefore, there is no benefit or gain anger. There lies only peace and bliss in the seat of forgiveness. Let us make use of this birth by cultivating and blooming the virtue of forgiveness within us, and not putting ourselves in an unending vicious cycle of life and deaths.
Tools to practice Forgiveness in Modern Day World through 5 As
1. Appreciate (Pramoda Bhāva)
It is interesting to point out that even in the most important Navakāra Mantra in Jainism, it is only guna-focused, not name-focused. Indeed, let us learn the power of appreciation by

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seeing even the smallest quality in others. Let us not be like crabs who try to pull each other back, when the other is going ahead. But rather, be happy for them. The sweetest sound in this world is a praise. Experiment: when insulting someone, immediately say 10 good qualities about the person. You'll realize that making fun of him or her was absolutely unnecessary, because there is so much to appreciate than to criticize.
2. Accept (Samabhāva)
To forgive is to accept the person without making any changes. Forgiveness is acceptance; forgiveness is respect to the other. Experiment: remember the Karma Philosophy which is; 'I eat what I cook'.
The Celebration of the Soul..... 35
3. Adapt (Anekāntavāda)
Differentiate between my side, your side and the right side (in all arguments). See all sides of the story, not just your own. Experiment: take 5 minutes before speaking. The anger will subside and forgiveness will prevail.
4. Awareness (Jāgrti)
Become aware of the anger at the birth stage, when it is in form of 'irritation'; so that it does not escalate into a volcano of anger. Experiment: 1. put a 'no anger zones' in your room. 2. See the core of the person (soul), not the impure layer; or see the person as though it was the first time. (Revisiting incident again and again creates anger).
5. Adore (Maitri Bhāva)
The most important point in kşamā (forgiveness) that we must take into consideration is that the Heart of Forgiveness is Love. Without having the feeling of Pure Love from within, how will forgiveness ever arise? It is important to have maitri (universal brotherhood) for all. Experiment: give free smiles, not stones when walking on the street.
Kathā (factual story) to illustrate Supreme Forgiveness and its greatness
1. Gajasukumāra, younger brother of Krsna Vāsudeva, very beautiful in body, renounced
the worldly life taking initiation from Bhagavāna Neminātha at young age of only twelve and was engrossed in deep meditation sitting in a crematorium; thereby his character full of wonderful forgiveness, attained very high spiritual state of the self. I'll tell you that story. Gajasukumāra was betrothed to a very beautiful daughter of a Brahmin named Somala but before marriage Gajasukumāra renounced the worldly life. So Somala got fiercely angry and wild as his daughter missed a beautiful boy who would be her husband and he went in search of Gajasukumāra and searched out from where that great monk Gajasukumāra was sitting in performance of kāyotsarga, with pure heart and steadfast

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mind in a crematorium; prepared a furnace of wet sticky earth on the head of Gajasukumāra and putting burning charcoal in it and added other firewood and so there was great heat. Gajasukumāra's young tender body began to burn and seeing this, Somala went away from there. You can imagine what a terrible pain Gajasukumāra might have been suffering by burns. But he kept equanimity of mind and did not allow any anger to disturb his mental peace. On the contrary making his soul elastic he said to himself that had he accepted Somala's daughter as his wife in marriage, Somala might have given him a rich turban which would have been tattered by long use and resulted in worldly miseries but instead he gave him a turban of burning fire by which he could be released from his soul's attachment to his body and so helped him to obtain quick liberation. As a result of this unshakable extreme forgiveness, Gajasukumāra, bearing killing pain of burns with peaceful mind, became all seeing and all knowing, got infinite happiness of life. What an incomparable forgiveness and how excellent its result! Philosophers have rightly said that if one's soul proceeds completely in its own nature of eternal peace and bliss, it realizes liberation there and then. The famous forgiveness of Gajasukumāra gives us an absolutely correct advice to follow it and realize our self quickly.'
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2. Once, Saint Ekanātha went to Banaras on a pilgrimage. The morning after having taken a
bath in the river Gangā, he began climbing some steps. There was a Pathāna sitting beside the bank who spat on him. The saint went down the steps and took another bath. Again, the man spat on him. The Saint ignored the man and quietly back into the river to take a bath. After hundred and one times of this happening over again, the Pathāna finally repented for his action and begged for forgiveness. The Saint replied 'I am grateful to you for your good deed, because daily I used to bath in the Gangā only once, but today I am lucky to bathe a hundred and one times due to you.'. Great men have great thoughts, and more importantly, immense purity of heart.
Conclusion
Since time immemorial, we've been wandering endlessly taking different forms, roles, setups and most importantly, accumulating karmic particles throughout the journey. It is time to put an end to this vicious circle, for it is not enabling us to be freed. Do we really want to leave this body without having met our true selves? No.
We have become so accustomed to anger and its family that we must take this birth as an opportunity to break our habits and live differently. Coal, diamond and granite are all carbon but their values are different. Indeed, we may all be humans but the way we live our lives and the values we choose to practise will determine the quality of our life. Anger is an easy-way out, but one that doesn't give a way out from the cycle of rebirth. Its opposite, forgiveness (with love at the center of our hearts) allows us to break our karmic bondage and ultimately, attain inner bliss.
Let us not live another life like all the ones we already have. Just as Pujya Gurudevashri Rakeshbhai says: 'God's favourites are those who have power to take revenge but choose to Forgive.'
Do we want the remote control of our lives to be in other's hands or our own? Let us take a

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moment to think about the purpose of this birth in order to cultivate virtues within us in its truest sense. Does a woman look beautiful by simply keeping the make up in her toiletry kit? No, she must apply it. In the same way, this paper is only beneficial if after reading it, we apply the teachings of the Enlightened Ones and follow their footsteps.
References
parismantadushayante dhante karmani yasimannasau paryushnm' Joshi, R. P. "Paryushan Parva." Encyclopaedia of Oriental Philosophy, Ed. N. K. Singh and A. P. Mishra. Vol. 7 (Jainism). New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House, 2007: 263. Print. (a) "Uttamah kşamāmārdavārjavasaucasatyasanyamatapastyāgākiñcanyabrahmacaryāņi dharmah" Tattvārthasūtra 9/6. (b) Dharmah sevyah kşāntirmrdutvamrjută ca saucamatha satyam/ Akiñcanyam brahma tyāgasca tapaśca samyamasceti// Puruşārthasiddhyupāya 204. (c) Uttamakhamamaddavajjava-saccas auccam sanjaman ceva/ Tavacāgamakiñcanham, bamha idi dasaviho dhammol/Samaņasuttam 84. Jain, S. A. Trans. Reality: English Translation of Shrimat Pujyapadacharya's Sarvarthasiddhi. Madras: Jwalamalini Trust, 1992: 244. Print. Satyam saucam dayā kşāntis, tyāgah santoșa ārjavam/
The Celebration of the Soul..... 37
Samo damas tapah samyan, titiksoparatih srutam/ Jñānam viraktiraišvaryan, saurya tejo bala smrtah/ Svātantryam kausalan käntirdhairyam mārdavam eva ca/ Prāgalbhyar praśrayah silam, saha ojo balam bhagah/ Gāmbhiryam sthairyam āstikyam kirtirmano inaharkytih// Srimad Bhāgavata Purāna 1/16/26-28. Mokşasya kārkṣā vadi vai tavāsti tyajātidūrādvişayānvişam yathā/ Pīvusavattosadavāksamārjava prašāntidāntirbhaja nitvamādarat// Vivekacūdāmani 85. The poem is written by author of this paper. 'Uvas amena hane koham. Samanasuttam 136. Kohena jo na tappadi, sura-nara-tiriehi kīramāne vil Uvasagge vi raudde, tassa khamā nimmalā hodi// Ibid, 85. "Sarirasthitihetumārganārtham parakulānupagacchato bhikṣordustajanākrośaprahasanāvajñātādanaśarīravyāpādanādināmisannidhāne kāluşyānutpattihkṣmā." Sarvārthasiddhi 9/6. Nandi, Munishri Ram Kumar. Supreme Forgiveness. Jain World. Web. 12 July 2018.
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Adab Shar'iyyah 11/121. Sasson, Remez. "Holding on to Anger Is Like Grasping a Hot Coal." Success Consciousness. Web. 12 July 2018. . Sheth, S. N. Noel. "The Distinctive Character of Buddhist Forgiveness and Reconciliation" Annals of the University of Bucharest- Philosophy Series. 66.1 (2017): 71-95.s The poem is written by author of this paper.
Are Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness) and Meditation Mutually
Exclusive or Inclusive in the Path of Self-realization?
Neha Patel
Introduction
21st century is the era of science and technology. Science and technology have done a great service to mankind by providing amenities for pleasant living. The limitless desire for power and wealth has caused man to lose his sense of respect for others. The craze for newness is the order of the day. Advertising stimulates the craze for consumption. Materialism does not have an effective means to quench the thirst of a man for possession of worldly objects. Humanity only attempts at temporary appeasement of this kind of craving, which has the opposite effect, causing desire to flare up like fire by an ablation of ghee. Mahatma Gandhi states, “The world has enough to satisfy everyone's need but the world does not have enough to satisfy one man's greed."
Day by day the physical and mental health of human beings deteriorates with the advancement of technology. Man is still not happy even though he has all the comforts and luxuries of life. Even in developed countries, where kinds of facilities are easily available, the quantity of life continues to improve, while the quality of life diminishes. There is an inner void/emptiness experience by many humans, and individuals possess more and more material goods, thinking the void will be filled and satisfied one day. One feels unhappy; therefore to be happy he buys objects or possesses objects or people. However, he experiences only

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II
momentary happiness, and, after a short while, starts feeling unhappy again. This is circular route/pattern. Where science and technology have failed to fulfill that emptiness; that's where spirituality begins. Spirituality helps to break the circular route/pattern and shows the linear pattern by digging deep into finding the root cause of the unhappiness and emptiness and providing a solution to overcome it. As Shrimad Rajchandra says: "In absence of understating the true nature of soul, I experienced endless suffering. I bow to the graceful Guru, who explained the true nature of soul."2
2600 years ago, Lord Mahāvīra has rightly observed "the more you get, the more you want; your greed increases."According to Jainism, the root of all mental and physical suffering is the desire for worldly enjoyment. Therefore, only detachment from worldly enjoyment can put an end to suffering. All the spiritual traditions e.g. Buddhism, Islam and Christianity are agreed on this point.
In order to attain detachment, one has to take a different root. This root is known as the selfrealisation rout. There are multiple ways suggested by the different faiths to attain selfrealisation. However, this paper will particularly discuss the core principle of aparigraha within Jainism and meditation as penance; will help to find everlasting happiness by realizing one's true "self."
In order to attain self-realisation; this paper will discuss the basic concept of aparigraha, yoga (meditation) and self-realization. It will also methodically examine the path of aparigraha and meditation for self-realization. Finally, the paper will determine whether or
Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, Dhrampur
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... 39
not aparigraha and meditation are mutually exclusive or inclusive, through an examination of examples from canonical text or from historical data and present social example.
Self-realisation
Merriam Webster's dictionary defines self-realization as 'fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one's character or personality'. In one overview, Mortimer Adler defines selfrealization as 'freedom from external coercion, including cultural expectations, political and economic freedom, and the freedom from worldly attachments and desires etc.' In the Indian understanding, Self-realization is liberating knowledge of the true Self, as the permanent, undying ātman. It is knowledge of the true self beyond both delusion and identification with material phenomena. It refers to self-identification and not mere ego identification. In order to be happy and blissful and overcome emptiness, self-realisation is a must. Self-realization is considered the gateway to mokşa, i.e. liberation freedom from rebirths."
In Jainism self-realization is one of the major pre-requisites to attain ultimate enlightenment and liberation (mokşa). Self-realisation means peeling away fabricated layer of own personality to understand the true self and hence the true nature of reality. In Jainism karma is portrayed as invisible particles of subtle matter that adhere to a living organism or jīva. These particles come together to form a film of negativity and darkness around the soul that obscures the true consciousness and evil karmic matter into the soul (asrava) leading the

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organism to fall into the bondage of lust, worldly pleasure, ego, hatred, jealousy, anger, etc. Thus self-realisation paves the way to simply reverse this process and help the seeker to decipher the absolute truth on its own. Jainism firmly rejects the belief of a creator, and one being is solely responsible for his thoughts, actions and their consequences."
Now, the questions which come to mind are, how do we achieve self-realisation; what is the process or method to attain self-realisation; and why is it needed in present times.
In order to progress on the path of self-realisation one first needs to be very clear in terms of what is "Self" and what is "not Self." The word jiva is used for self or soul in Jainism. Jainism recognizes jīva as an eternal entity. The defining characteristic of self is sentiency, and hence it is different from material objects. Self is regarded as beginning less and as having unending, continuous existence. It is an entity which lived in the past and which continues to live in the present, and which will certainly live in the future, too. Though it cannot be perceived, yet it has some manifest features in this mundane existence. The manifest and essential features are its life essentials (such as senses, the channels of activities, life duration and respiration) which are the signs of its presence in an embodied condition."
www.
To understand the concept of Self, it is necessary to know first what is not Self, because the ontological analysis of reality, according to Jain philosophy, takes both self (jiva) and not self (ajiva) into consideration, which fills the entire psychical and physical phenomena of the universe. Ajīva (non Self) has been explained by Jain scholars as a non-psychical entity, as well as non-sentient. it does not mean that it stands only for matter or physical body having some form, because its classification includes those substances also which have no forms; e.g. pudgala, dharma, adharma, ākāśa and kāla.
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Non-self
Self
The journey from non self to self is known as self-realization. This paper will look into the process from bahirātmā to antarātmā via method of aparigraha and meditation.
1. 11.
Aparigraha.
The term "aparigraha" non-possession, non-grasping has its root in the term "parigraha" which means to amass, to grasp, to accumulate, to compile, to seize, to hold, to fence in and to receive or accept possessions or property. It is also defined as that which entangles one
TL

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from all sides. Ine term aparigrana nas botn external implications or limiting possessions, and internal implications, i.e. non attachment, detachment, anāsakti or amurchā.
Parigraha, thus means the worldly objects around us and our attachment to them. Thus to understand parigraha only in the sense of accepting worldly objects would be incomplete; likewise to understand it only in the sense of attachment or asakti would also be incomplete. But a comprehensive view of the two implications of parigraha would show that the two are intertwined and have a kind of circular relation. As the abundance of material objects arouses attachments or āsakti, (mūrcchā) which in turn disturbs mental peace, likewise inner craving, attachment or murccha makes one desire and acquire more and more material possessions."
Parigraha is not just possessions but it is possessiveness. The term iccha is also closely associated with parigraha which means the desire to possess. This is perhaps a stage even prior to murccha. Iccha materializes in possessions and possessions then propel or drive the individual to attachment or murcchā.11
The importance of aparigraha and its universal acceptance lies in its social basis. It is a principle which not only has a place in Jain ethics or Indian ethics but it occupies a place in Christianity and Islam also.
Aparigraha in Hinduism
Aparigraha as a precept or vow finds occurrence in Brahminical texts. In Baudhhayana Dharma Sutras, it means abstention from taking possessions or refusal to master or overpower. The sutras speak of the five vows of sanyasi and aparigraha is one of them.12 It occurs in Manusmrti, where Manu says that a sanyasi should establish himself in nonpossession, live in a secluded place, and observe the vow of silence."
Aprarigraha is given a very special place in Brahminical literature. In this regard Mahatma Gandhi Said that the whole of Hinduism could be summed up in one single verse of Isopanisad: The reward of renunciation is bhunjitha i.e. enjoyment of all that you need. But there is a meaning in the world translated as enjoy. Which may as well be translated as use and eat etc. it signifies, therefore, that you may not take more than necessary for your growth.
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... | 41
Hence, the enjoyment or use is limited by two conditions: One is the act of renunciation. .... Therefore, take it as you take, either in the same that enjoyment or use is the reward of renunciation or that renunciation is the condition of enjoyment. Renunciation is essential for our very existence for the soul.14
In Bṛhadaranyaka Upanishad, there is a conversation between Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyī. This conversation shows that possessions and wealth do not help in attaining immortality. When Yajnavalkya wanted to distribute his estate between his two wives, Maitreyi choose the spiritual portion of his estate. She said, "Supposing I obtain possession of the whole earth full of wealth, by that I shall not attain immorality." Certainly not, Yajnavalkya replied. Such a life will not only like the life of those who have all kinds of conveniences; there is no hope for immorality my mere possessions of wealth. It is not for its own sake that everything is held dear but for the sake of atman that everything is precious. Thus conversation shows that possessions may become hindrances to the attainment of the

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goal." Similar examples of renunciation of desire and wealth can be quoted from other Upanişads.
Chronologically, the sūtra period follows the upanişadic period. The Yogasūtra of Patañjalie nunciates the eight fold path of yoga-astāngikayoga, as the spiritual exercise for the cessation of mental modifications. The first step of the yogic path is the adopting of the five moral principles known as yamas. Aparigraha is clearly mentioned as one of the five yamas after with ahimsā (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), steya (non-stealing), brahmacarya (celibacy/chastity). "Aparigraha is usually translated as non-possession, especially in Jain and Budhhist systems. But, in the Yogasūtra of Patañjali, James Woods states, aparigraha is the virtue of abstaining from appropriating objects because one understands the disadvantage in "acquiring them, keeping them, losing them, being attached to them or in harming them. Patañjali suggests that greed and coveting material wealth increases and possessiveness, a cycle that distracts from good reasons for activity that should motivate a person, and ultimately to state where a person seeks material wealth without effort and by harming, hurting or impoverishing someone else, or some living creature."
In this way we can say that, through aparigraha, Hinduism teaches that one should take only what one needs and let go of the unnecessary.
Aparigraha in Jainism 18
Aparigraha is the fifth vow of the monks and nuns in the Jain code of ethics (mahāvrata): likewise it occupies the fifth place in the code of ethics for householders or the laity (aņuvrata). Its importance can be noticed by very fact that it occupies a place in the fourfold scheme of pre Mahāvīra ethics, i.e. in the ethics of Pārsvanātha (the twenty third tirthankara of the Jains). Where it is called cāturyāma dharma. The vow of celibacy was introduced by Mahāvīra in his five-fold scheme. In the Jain Scriptures (āgamas) it is technically called 'bahiddhādānaveramanam'. Bahiddha in Prakrita means external, ādana' means acceptance, and veramanam' means abstinence. Sheer non-acceptance of something external is meaningless unless non-acceptance is accompanied by detachment, control of desire or cleaving-mūrcchā (infatuation) or mamatva. In Daśavaikālika Sūtra, parigraha is identified with mürccha or attachment." In Tattvārthasūtra, Umāsvāti also says that parigraha is nothing but mūrcchā. Mahāvīra tells that desires are as endless as sky. He says, "If there were numberless mountains of gold and silver, as big as Kailāśa, they would not satisfy a greedy man; for his avidity is boundless like space."
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Ācārya Amrtacandra points out that it is only mūrccha which is the true essence of parigraha. He says, "Infatuation, certainly, must be known as attachment to possessions. And the passion of attachment, which comes into existence due to the rise of delusion, is infatuation."- Thus anything may become parigraha if one has attachment to it, be it living or non-living (jada or cetana), visible or invisible (rūpi or arūpī), big or small (sthūla or sūksma).
Jain scriptures emphasise two aspects of parigraha: bāhya (external) and abhyantara (internal). The board classes of bāhya and abhyantara parigraha have been further subclassified. Bāhva obiects of parigraha are divided into two: cetana (living) and iada (non

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..
--- - - - --- - - -- - - - - --- - living). Cetana parigraha means attachment to all living beings such as wife, children, servants etc., jada praigraha means attachment to all lifeless objects such as clothes, house, money, jewellery etc. Abhyantara parigraha is sub-divided into 14 types which are wrong notions, attachment for sex, laughter, affliction, fear disgust etc.
In this way we can say that in Jainism, parigraha, having such wide ranging implications, needs to be curbed and controlled. Without such control social and individual progress is impossible.
Aparigraha in Buddhism
Buddhism is a significant part of Sramanic tradition and without a culture of renunciation; Buddhism cannot be placed in Sramanic tradition. Although, aparigraha is not included in the pancasila (fivefold scheme of principles of morality, but it occupies a significant role in the code of conduct of the Buddhist monks and nuns. In Khuddakapätha, there are 10 training rules (dasa sīlas) are described for the monks and nuns. In which rule number 2, 8, 9 and 10 are just like the Jain concept of aparigraha. Here in rule number 2, a monk/nun undertakes the percept to refrain from taking that which is not given." In rule number 8, he/she undertakes the percept to refrain from wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics, in rule number 9, he/she undertakes the percept to refrain from living on a high or luxurious sleeping place and in rule number 10, he/she undertakes the percepts to refrain from accepting gold and silver (money).***
Buddha declares parigraha (possession) as an obstacle for the path of dharma. He says, "One, who has destroyed every resting-place of the mind, for whom there is no grasping, who covets nothing either in this world or in the other, Tathāgata deserves the oblation. The Buddha again says that he would not call a person Brahmana merely because he was born out of Brahmaņa mother's womb....One, who is free from all kind of possessions, he would call him a Brahmana.26
In this way we can say that there is an important place of aparigraha in Buddhism also.
Aparigraha in Christianity
From Christian perspective-Coveting our neighbour's goods or our neighbour's spouse is a form of parigraha. Throughout Jesus 'ministry he warned his followers to be content with what they had to give to all who ask, and not to lay up treasure on earth but rather to lay up treasure in heaven. His parable of the rich fool highlights the danger of prioritizing possessions over God. 27
ask, and histry he warned hier our neighbou
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... 43
Parigraha is an important virtue for a man in Christianity. The parable that most directly commends this virtue is: "Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.' But he said to him, 'Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?' And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."28 Jesus remarked to his disciples, "Believe me, a rich man will find it very difficult to enter the kingdom of

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Heaven...a camel could more easily squeeze through the eye of a needle than a rich man get into the kingdom of God."-29 Jesus Christ again says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.".30
One of the disciples of Jesus says, "People who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.")
In this way we can say that there is an important place of aparigraha in Christianity too. There is a clear message of Christianity that without virtue of non-possessiveness, God's reward cannot be obtained.
Aparigraha in Islam
There are five pillars in Islam, which are acts of worship that are woven into every Muslim's daily life. These are: Tauhīda (believe in GOD), Namāza (prayers), Rozā (fasting), Zakāta (voluntary donation) & Haza (Pilgrimage). Just as prayers and fasting, Zakāta is one of the major religious duties in Islam. Zakāta is essentially an Arabic term which literally means spiritual growth and purification. It refers to the purification of wealth and soul. Wealth purification denotes the mobilization of assets for the purpose of financial growth and justified distribution. Purification of the soul implies freedom from hatred, jealousy, selfishness, uneasiness and greed."
Zakāta is paid on the net balance after a Muslim has spent on basic necessities, family expenses, due credits, donations and taxes. As per Islamic belief every Muslim must pay his/her Zakāta at the minimum rate of 2.5% of his/her total possessions. Quran declares that a true Muslim must establish regular prayers and give regular charity." In another verse, Quran says to the followers of Islam, "If a person establishes prayer and gives Zakāta, then he is your brother in religion. It means those who do not pay Zakāta, are not included within the Muslim society. According to Quran, not to give Zakāta is a punishable offence. God says in Quran, "Those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allahgive them tidings of a painful punishment."
In summary, we can say that Jainism is not alone in believing that the root cause of suffering is attachment towards worldly objects and lust for their enjoyment as we have seen above all the spiritual traditions are agreed on this.
Jainism clearly declares that it is necessary to root out our lust for enjoyment and attachment to our belongings to be established in the vow of non-possessions. All the great miseries suffered by the self and born of 'my-ness", that is attachment towards these alien associations and so it is imperative to abandon completely this notion of external objects as being mine. Abandonment of "my-ness" or attachment is the only means to self-realisation, because as
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long as man is attached, his attention is fixed not on the Self-that is, the self in its idealized perfection- but on the non-Self - that is, material objects. Materialism thrives on this objectoriented attitude or indulgence in the "non-Self". The right standpoint regards the self as of supreme value and aims at the realization of its quiddity - that is, ideal, unconditional state as

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the pure knower free from attachment and passion. In this way we can say that the identification with the not Self and regarding worldly objects as a source of happiness are the hallmark of materialism.
Aparigraha in Mind/Meditation
Happiness, joy and peace are important emotions to feel, yes, but so too is sadness, anger and loss. To experience only the good stuff is to experience only half of what life has to offer. The school of life exists to allow us to experience and learn from every aspect of our being, the light and the dark, and to truly live we must not push away the things we don't want to feel, but allow them to happen, and know that this too shall pass. When we let the moment be what it is without either trying to cling to it, or to push it away, we can really say we're living in that moment, allowing things to come and go, without the need to possess any of it. Aparigraha offers us so much freedom - the freedom to work and do what we love without worrying about the outcome, the freedom to rely less on external and material possessions to bring us happiness, and the freedom to experience everything life has to offer, whatever that may be."
For happy and peaceful life, it is necessary to practice the art of letting go. It is not the same as dropping or forgetting; it is a mindful practice where we place things aside with purpose. It is also a kind of aparigraha. At this stage of aparigraha; the process of Meditation begins. Meditation is helpful in preventing the fluctuations of the mind. Patañjali has defined yoga in the same way. His famous definition of yoga is "yogaścittavrttinirodhah" means yoga is the removal of the fluctuations of the mind, where citta is mind, vrttis are thought impulses, nirodha is removal.
Patañjali"describes the things that spoil one's meditation. In other words, they are distractions: Ignorance, I-ness, desire, aversion and attachment." It is obvious that the first distraction is ignorance, but interesting that the second distraction is I-ness (asmitā, the sense of being someone, ego). Patañjali later defines I-ness like this: I-ness is the merging, as it were, of the power of knowing with the instruments thereof."
The instruments of knowing are not only the senses, but also the mind and the cognitive faculties. "Merging" of the two is a metaphor, Patañjali writes "as it were". What happens is that the identification mechanism becomes active and parts of the psyche/mind-complex identify with the parts that are perceiving or cognizing. This gives rise to the sense of being an individual, in other words, I-ness.
IA
Duality
Other
Attention
"I Am" and "attention" are a pair; actually there are three that arise: I Am (or Me), attention
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... 45
and other. You can't have one without the other two. But all three are saturated with pure.

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.
.
.
...
unmanifest awareness which is the Self. Once in the Self, "I Am", "attention" and "other" remain, but the awareness that permeates them has become Self-aware. Later "I am, attention and other" become seen as spanda, which is the technical term for vibrating, manifesting sakti. Then one abides in the Self."
The meaning is that when you are no longer in pure awareness, simultaneously your attention is occupied with fluctuations and you become identified with this and "I am" sets in. The fluctuations are of course "other", but as soon as you have "attention" and "other", "I am" pops up and you identify either with the fluctuations of the mind or with the attention beholding the fluctuations. Otherwise one merges with the fluctuations."
When one meditates and his mind is full of thoughts, gradually his involvement with the thoughts subsides and suddenly he is in pure awareness. Once he is in pure awareness it does not matter if there are thoughts in the mind or not, because he is entirely out of them. Some samādhis have thoughts, some don't, but in both you are not involved with either of the three: "I am", "attention" or "other". If one stay in that state of samādhi one of two things may happen:1) Fluctuations of the mind go away, 2) Fluctuations of the mind go berserk. In either case it is his job to remain uninvolved with the fluctuations. One should stay in pure awareness and remain self-aware pure awareness. If we can remain there, everything is fine. if we cannot, however, then the fourth verse of the first chapter of Patanjala Yogasūtra becomes true and we get so caught up in the fluctuations that we lose the sense of pure selfaware awareness. Once awareness is no longer aware of itself, attention sets in relation to fluctuations of the mind (other), and you get either caught up in the fluctuations as an observing ego (I am), or one get identified with the fluctuations and actually believe he is in that moment are some thought or feeling (also I am).
So, we can say that ignorance is misery and that it can be warded off by ceasing to identify with impulses and actions as well as with fluctuations in the mind. That's why Patañjali first explains that 'to the wise man life is misery', then he states that the misery which is not yet come is to be avoided." What is interesting here is that the cause of misery and the means to ward off misery are the same as the cause of ignorance and the means to ward off ignorance. The cause of that which is to be warded off is the identification of the seer and the seen."
Shrimad Rajchandra says same thing in his famous work Ātmasiddhi. He says, "That which causes bondage is the path to bondage and that which causes liberation is the path to liberation. The soul's state in which the causes of bondage are destroyed is the path of liberation and so it leads to the end of the soul's cycle of birth and death." Jainism clearly declares that the chief cause of soul's bondage is the soul's feeling of oneness with its actions. Actions of the past life may fructify in the present life but if the soul develops attachment to them it gets further involved in the cycle of birth and death. If the soul develops non-attachment and equanimity or indifferent to them the knots of actions get gradually loose and it is freed from them. It is also freed from fresh actions as it is nonattached to all that is the not-self. Shrimad Rajchandra mentions same thing in the next verse of Atmasiddhi: "The fundamental knots of bondage and action are three-attachment, aversion and ignorance. That by which these knots can be loosened and destroyed is the path of liberation."-48
Describing the kaivalya, Patañjali says that there being absence of ignorance there is absence of junction, which is the thing to be avoided; that is the kaivalya of the seer." Kaivalva

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literally means "aloneness" i.e. detachment from all other connections. It is a metaphor for pure being, for residing in the Self. It also refers to the Self as pure awareness and the Self ability to be aware of fluctuations of the mind without becoming identified with them. This is what is called witnessing. Shrimad Rajchandra describes it in very simple terms. He says, "When there prevails uninterrupted experience of one's nature exclusively, it is termed as omniscience, which is liberation despite embodiment." In such a state the aspirant has the absolute and incessant knowledge of the nature of the Self. It is free from all illusions and limitations. It is ever irreducible and indestructible and so it is called absolute knowledge. The soul with the absolute knowledge experiences highest liberation though it is embodied. In brief, non-attachment brings liberation or salvation. Even when the destructive actions (ghātikarma) of a released living soul are destroyed his non-destructive actions (aghātīkarma) still remain and so he continues to live. Inspite of his bodily life he is just like a totally liberated master self. Such living souls are Gods in living bodies.
We can thus understand that the removal of the fluctuations of the mind is not accomplished by will and subtle force. It is ultimately accomplished by removing identifications and by dissolving the mind into the self, but in order to accomplish this dissolution, the mind must first be sättvika. What, then, is a sāttvika mind? It is a mind longing for wisdom, and is happy, lucid and healthy. But also it is a mind without fluctuations; thus we come full circle back to Patañjali's initial definition of yoga as removal of the fluctuations of the mind. In this way we can say that yoga is merging in the self, removal of identifications and removal of fluctuations of the mind.
For e.g. Mercury is a slippery, silvery liquid. If you control it, you can make many uses of it; but if you do not know how to control it, it will slip through your fingers. The mind is like mercury-it is beautiful and luminescent, and it is very useful. It can bring the best result if you control it, but one must learn to bring the mind to calmness and one pointedness.
Conclusion
The process or path of self-realization is a stepwise process. By following the process, one can move forward from a circular route to an inner route. That's where one starts selfobservation. He is ready for the journey from non-self to self. Those steps are: 1. Preparatory stage, 2. Witnessing state, 3.Self-realization- pure being.
Preparatory stage: In self-observation the subject objectifies itself (looks at itself) and this is something everybody can do. Practicing "being in the now" is an attempt to reach this temporary witnessing.
The witnessing state: It is possible to reach a state of freedom from identification with the "I", where the identification-mechanism is crushed, yet you are not self-realized. This is the witnessing-state. It is the 'I AM-ness' state, where one knows oneself to be nobody, but the most subtle I-ness has not been dissolved. It is easy to believe this state is self-realization, since there are no identifications, one witnesses everything, and one has realized oneself as nothing (nobody). But this state is characterized by a duality between self-as-nobody and everything else. This I-ness is the root of ignorance.
Self-realization (Pure Being): Self-realization is a state of total freedom from the small I where even the primal I-ness has gone (and the witness in witnessing is gone). We call this stage self-realization because here the I-ness and the identification mechanism which

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depends upon I-ness) is gone and you have attained oneness with the Self as pure being. Here there is no longer a sense of being nobody or being nothing. There simply is pure being, the state of complete letting go of the ego and identification. That small 'I' has dissolved in pure being.
On the path of self-realization, aparigraha is only possible without meditation and vice versa e.g. Jain śrāvaka (male householder)and śrāvikā (female householder) with anuvratas of aparigraha and to the extent that even sadhu and sadhvi who can be aparigrahi with no passions but still attached to mind and thought and not self. However, there were examples where external possessions were still there and no internal possessions i.e. no mūrcchā or attachment with one self and they attained highest and pure state of mediation i.e. omniscience.
Aparigraha does not mean renunciation from the world for the achievement of a purely spiritual goal; it is a social goal with a social mission. Aparigraha is the concept in which possessions should include only what is necessary at a particular stage in one's life. It is a form of self-restraint that avoids the type of coveting and greed by which material gain destroys or hurts people, other living things or nature in general. Aparigraha is the opposite of parigraha, which means "the focus on material gain."52 Jains believes that the more a person possesses in worldly wealth the more he may be unhappy and the more likely he is to commit sin, both physically and mentally. Currently in society there are 20 million people who live a life on the principle of aparigraha just for social benefits and to live a happy life without any spiritual goals."
Given all this, perhaps aparigraha refers less to the enjoyment of an experience, thing, state or relationship, and more to our sense of holding it to be 'mine'. Path to liberation or selfrealization can be many but it can be attained with practice of detachment.
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... | 47
This I-ness and mine-ness is the main possessions and it is the root of attachment. Meditation is the technique for practicing the detachment. Aparigraha and meditation are thus both mutually exclusive and inclusive. At the early stage of an aspirant's life, aparigraha starts with external detachment, moves on to possessiveness, and then slowly as he comes near truth i.e. the self all his identity with I-ness and mine-ness is also classified as non-self and all the non-self is classified as possessions.
References
1 Nayyar, Pyarelal. Mahatma Gandhi: The Last Phase, Vol. 2. Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House,
1958: 552. Print.
Je svarupasamajyāvinā, pāmyoduḥkhaananta/
Samajavyumtepadanamum, śrīsadgurubhagavanta// Atmasiddhi Śāstra 1.
2
3
"Jahālāhotahāloho, lähälohopavaḍdhar" Uttaradhyayana Sutra 8/17.
Acharya, Debi. "Self Realization - Part 1 - Introduction." Speakingtree.in, 14 January 2014. Web. 14 July 2018. .
Krishnaraj, Veeraswamy. Trans. and Comm. The Bhagavad-Gita. Blooming In: iUniverse, 2002: 31-32. Print.
6 "Self Realization Art." acecolumns. info. Web. 10 July 2018. .
Pravacanasara 2/55, quoted in Sau, Nguyen Van. "Theory of Karma and Rebirth in Buddhist and Jain Traditions." PhD. Thesis. Savitri Phule Pune University, 2014: 227. Print.
4
5
7
8 Ibid, 225.
Jain, Kamala. Aparigraha - The Humane Solution. Varanasi: Pārsvanatha Vidyapitha, 1998: 61. Print.

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48 | ISJS-Transactions, Vol.2, No.3, Jul-Sep, 2018
Mahasati, Kaushal kumari. "Ecology and Jain Philosophy." PhD. Thesis. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 2014: 286. Print. Jain, Kamala, op. cit. 63. Baudhāvana Dharma Sūtras-2, quoted in Mahasati, Kaushal kumari, op. cit. 316. Manusmrti-6, quoted in Mahasati, Kaushal kumari, op. cit. 316. Gandhi, M. K. What is Hinduism? New Delhi: National Book Trust, 1994: 19. Print. Jain, Kamala, op. cit. 67. "Ahimsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahāh" Yogasūtra 2/30. Woods, James Haughton. Trans. The Yoga-system of Patanjali. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914:178-182. Print. For this particular topic (Aparigraha in Jainism), the author is thankful to Jain, Kamla, op. cit. 69-71. Savatthuvahiņābuddhāsamrakkhana-pariggahe/ Aviappano vi dehamminā" yarantimamāivam// Daśvaaikālikasūtra 6/21. "Mürcchāparigrahah" Tattvārthasūtra 7/12. Suvanna-rüppassa u pavvayābhavesiyāhukelāsas amaasam khaya/ Nassaluddhassanatehinkinciicchā u āgāsasamāanntivā//Uttaradhyayanasūtra 9/48. Yāmucchānāmeyanvinātavyahparigrahohyesah/ Mohodavādudirnomürochätumamatvapariņāmah// Purusärthasiddhyupāya 111.
"adinnādānāveramani-sikkhapādamsamādivāmi" Khuddaka Patha: Sikkhāpadam 2. 24 Mālā-gandha-vilepana-dhārana-mandana-vibhūsanatthānāveramani- sikkhapādamsamādivāmi/
Uccāsayana-mahāsayanāveramani-sikkhapādarsamādivāmi/ Jätarüpa-rajatapatiggahaņāveramani-sikkhapädarsamādiyämi/ Ibid, 8-10. Nivesananyomanasoahāsi, pariggahāyassanasantikeci/ Anupādivānodudhavāhuramvā, tathāgatoarahatipūralāsan// Suttanipāta 3/4/16. Na cāhambrahmanambrahmanar brume, vonijarimattisambhavan/ Bhovādināma so hoti, sacehotisakincano/
Akiñcanaamanādānam, tamahan brume brahmanan/ Dhammapada 396. 27 Luke 12:16-21 cited in Bernadette, L. "Yamas and Niyamas." Christians Practicing Yoga. Web. 15 July
2018. . Luke 12: 13-15 (International Slandered Version) Mathew 19:23-24 (International Slandered Version) Hebrews 13:5 (International Slandered Version) Timothy 6:9-10, cited in "Material Possessions" Open Bible.info. Web. 15 July 2018.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/material possessions> "Understanding Zakat". Islami City. 13 June 2018. Web. 18 July 2018, Yogasūtra 1/2 For the major part of the description on Patañjala Yogasūtra, author is grateful to Esmann, Jan. “Patanjali's definition of Yoga." Shaktipar-Kundalini-Lovebliss. Web. 15 July 2018. "Avidyāsmitārāgadvesābhinivesāhklešāh" Yogasūtra 2/3. "Drgadarśanaśaktyorekātmatevāsmita" Ibid, 2/4. "Tadädrastuhsvarūpe 'västhānam" Ibid, 1/3. "Vrttisārūpyamitaratra" Ibid, 1/4. "Parināmatāpasanskāraduhkhairgunavrttivirodhāccaduh khamevasarvanvivekinah" Ibid, 2/15. "Heyamduhkhamanāgatam" Ibid, 2/16. "Drastrdrsyayohsaryogoheyahetuh" Ibid, 2/17. Je jekāranabandhanām, tehabandhanopantha/ Tekāranachedakadašā, mokşapanthabhava antall Ātmasiddhi 99. Räga, dvesa, ajñāna e, mukhyakarmanigrantha/

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Thāyanivittijehathi, tejamokşanopantha// Ibid 100. 49 "Tadabhāvātsamyogābhāvohānamtaddrsekaivalyam" Yogasūtra 2/25.
Are Aparigraha and Meditation.... 49
50
kevalanijasvabhāvamun, akhandavartejñāna/ Kahiekevalajñanate, dehachatāmnirvānal Atmasiddhi 113. Patel, Dinubhai Muljibhai. Trans. The Self Realization (Being the translation of Atma-Siddhi of Srimad Rajchandra). Agas: Srimad Rajchandra Ashram, 2003: 84. Print. Sogani, Kamal Chand. Ethical Doctrine of Jainism. Sholapur: Jain Smarakshaka Sangh, 1967. Print. "What is Minimalism?" Theminimalists. Web. 16 July 2018.
52
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International School for Jain Studies 'ISJS': A leading
institution for academic studies of Jainism setup in 2005. Its
mission is to introduce academic studie
ism
in the
universities globally. So far 646 participants from 136
universities and 103 schools from 21 countries, primarily from USA have attended ISSJS.
ISJS also conducts seminars, undertakes funded research
projects, and publishes papers and books on various aspect of
Jainism and its application in today s society. ISJS is associated
with a number of universities and research organizations and
works closely with leading scholars of Jainism.

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