Religion and Philosophy of the Jainas

SR No.: 001190
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Jain International Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 266
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Ethics, & Principle
File Size: 13 MB

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RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE JAINAS
These two lines, A-B and CD (the horizontal and vertical) without anything else would be the Greek cross. We add four other lines as represented in the illustration. Then we add three circles and the crescent, and a circle in the crescent; now the cross is complete. When expressed partially an idea is misinterpreted. I will give an example. There is a verse (among the Jainas) of two lines, the meaning of the second being connected with that of the first and these two lines must be interpreted together. The Brahmins, who had been at certain epochs in the history of India inimical to the Jainas, got hold of the second line only, which they interpreted to mean, "Even if a person is going to be killed by an elephant, he ought not to go into the Jaina temple." The idea conveyed by the Brahmin interpreter is that the Jaina temple is so bad that one ought not to seek protection in it even if he is on the point of being killed by an elephant. If you take the first line with it then the whole meaning is changed. It is this: When a person has killed an animal, or any living thing or has returned from an immoral house, or a vicious place, or if he has drunk wine, then he ought not to pollute the Jaina temple even if he is followed by an elephant.' So, in the case of Swastika-if you take only the cross and side lines you cannot have the full meaning, while if the circles and crescent are added you have the whole before you. The idea is there are four grades of existence of souls in the material universe. The first is the lowest state. When the soul evolves from that state it comes to the next stage--the plant, the earth, the animal life which is lower than the human life, then evolves to the third stage, the human life. Then the fourth stage, the celestial. I use the word celestial to mean the life of other worlds than our own. All these graduations are combinations on different scales of matter and soul. The spiritual plane is that in which the soul is entirely freed from the bonds of matter. In order to reach that plane you must strive to possess the three jewels (the circles): right belief, right knowledge, right conduct. When you get these you are on the right path. Otherwise, there is not settled course for you; you
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