Jaina Philosophy and Religion

SR No.: 001604
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 500
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Epistemology
File Size: 12 MB

Page 171

Jaina Path of Purification (Liberation)
143
through unjust means, employs them in so-called religious activities, one practises true religion. Renunciation is a sort of austerity which is beneficial both to the one who practises and to others.
If those who practise austerities like fasting, etc., do so for the purpose of controlling their desires or for some such other wholesome purposes and understand and follow the moral of the story of Pūņia Srāvaka, then their religion will gain such an esteem in the heart of the masses as can be gained by no other means. Others, especially the masses ignorant of the essence of religion always judge the spiritual efficacy of any religion on the basis of the conduct of its followers. Conduct of religious followers is the measure of the spiritual efficacy of any religion.
As stated above, donation means giving up or spending one's money for the good of others. Giving up wealth, comforts, pleasures which one actually possesses or which one actually does not possess but can possess or is likely to possess or is offered, for the benefit of oneself as well as others is renunciation.
There are four objectives of donation. They are as follows: (1) To atone for the sins like unjust earning, etc. committed in the past. (2) To employ in good activities the excess wealth saved after using it
for one's comforts. (3) To accomplish the philanthropic activities like constructing and
maintaining educational institutions, hospitals, religious places, etc. (4) To serve righteous persons, saints, the learned, etc.
As an expression of one's compassion, one should support by donation those who are needy because they have no means of livelihood-whether or not they are one's dependents. It is said that the giving of food embodies all gifts, because the disease of hunger occurs everywhere and also because hunger breeds many vices.
Acquisitiveness (lobha) is overcome by donation. There is no place for pride in donation. The donor should not consider himself superior to the donee. If there is any feeling of superiority, it encourages and feeds pride. It is also an expression of pride to offer donations in self-advertisement and self-display.
One who acquires money through honest and righteous means and gives it generously in donation is a good donor. And there is a person who has already renounced all his possession and become an ascetic and lives a simple, pure and self-controlled life; if such a person, according to his state of life, employs his energies, powers and faculties in the service