Handbook of Jainology

SR No.: 001346
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhuvanbhanusuri
Publisher: Divya Darshan Trust
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 288
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Philosophy
File Size: 15 MB

Page 183

The daily activities and special duties of a Shravak 138
Dharmapurushartha is the most sublime purushartha or endeavour. That is why you must carry out the Dharmapurushartha before engaging yourself in the endeavours relating to the other three Purusharthas. In your occupations, you should not utter lies; you should not adopt immoral means to earn money; you should avoid exhibition, vanity, and unkindness etc. You must be extremely cautious with respect to these principles relating to your activities. Even if you get a little less profit it does not matter. You must set apart half your income for the expenses of your family; one quarter of your income, you must deposit in your savings account; and the remaining one quarter you must spend on spiritual activities.
You must take your food in the evening 2 Ghadis (48 minutes) before the sunset or at least; before sunset and you must also have before sunset taken water and you should have carried out the austerities of Chauvihar Pachchakkan.
In the evenings, after you have had your food you must go to the Jin temple and offer to the Jin's image incense, Arti, Mangal Deepak (auspicious lights) and you must carry out Chaityavandan. After that, you must carry out the Pratikraman of the evening and if this is not possible at least you must engage yourself for some time in self-scrutiny; in despising sins; in contemplating on the necessity of rendering heartfelt services to the Guru Maharaj etc. After this activity, you must return home and make the members of your family listen to narrations of Dharmakatas, Ras kavyas or the life histories of Tirthankars or great men etc. Even you yourself must carry out some new spiritual study and attain spiritual knowledge, You must contemplate on such ideas as Anitya (the transitory nature of this life) and the Asaran (thinking of a proper refuge).
You must contemplate on the tremendous celibacy and the other spiritual excellences of such great people as Sthulabhadra, Sudarshan Seth, Jambukumar, Vijaya Seth, Vijaya Sethani etc. and their virtue of practising celibacy and think over sensual passions which compel the jiva to keep wandering in the four directions of the samsar. If you feel sleepy in the night then you must go to your bed and sleep only after reciting Shri Namaskar