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The proper use of a Shravak's wealth is described in the Jinagam.
Chapter 3 of the Yoga Shastra, verse 119, states that it is a great fortune for a king or any other wealthy person to build a Jin Mandir. Along with the construction, they should also donate a lot of wealth, land, villages, cities, or cowsheds for its upkeep and devotion.
In this way, one should invest their wealth in the Jin Mandir, and if any temple is dilapidated, they should also renovate it. If it is destroyed or corrupted, they should also restore it.
Here, there is a doubt: Is it not appropriate for a clever Shravak, a devotee of the pure, sinless Jin Dharma, to build a Jin Mandir, a Jin statue, or perform Jin Puja, because doing so would violate the six living beings? Digging the ground, breaking stones, making bricks, filling the ground, collecting bricks, and wetting them with water all involve the violation of Earth beings, Water beings, Air beings, Plant beings, and Animal beings. Therefore, a Jin Mandir cannot be built without harming living beings!
The answer is: A Shravak who is attached to the initial acquisition of wealth for themselves or their family, should use their wealth for the construction of a Jin Mandir, etc., so that their wealth acquisition is not futile. This is for their own welfare.
In support of this, it is said that it is not right to earn wealth for the sake of religion. From this perspective, it is better not to desire wealth for religion than to desire it. Because it is better to avoid touching mud in the first place than to get your feet dirty in the mud and then wash them.
Secondly, building a Jin Mandir, etc., is not a cause of inauspicious karma-bondage, like digging wells, ponds, etc., but rather a cause of auspicious karma-bondage. There will be frequent visits of the fourfold Shri Sangh, religious discourses, observance of vows, and other religious activities. This is a form of auspicious karma, either in the form of wealth or in the form of liberation.
Even though there is violation of the six living beings in this place, the compassionate Shravak's efforts result in the protection of subtle beings, so they do not incur the sin-bondage related to violation. It is said that even if a diligent Shravak, who has pure determination and follows the Dharma path according to the scriptures, harms living beings, their actions will still bear the fruit of liberation.
The statement of the perfect sages, who have attained the essence of the entire Ganipatika, i.e., the twelve-fold scriptures, is that "the results are as the soul is, not according to the external action." This means that behind the construction of a Jin Mandir, etc., there is no result of violence from the perspective of determination, but rather the result of devotion.
A great Shravak who accepts the Shravak-Pratima and does not even acquire wealth for their family, if they build a Jin Mandir, etc., they do not incur the sin of karma due to the violation of the six living beings.
And what is said, that just as the six living beings are killed due to the causes of the body, etc., so also they are killed in the construction of a Jin Mandir or Jin Puja, (Pancha. 4/45) is a sign of ignorance. What is the benefit of further elaboration?
3. Jin-Agam - The third field is Jin-Agam. In this field also, the Shravak should invest their wealth. Because, like a mantra to destroy the poison of wrong impressions born from false scriptures, it is like a lamp in the dense darkness of ignorance, like an island for those drowning in the ocean of the world, like a Kalpavriksha in the desert, the Jinagam is very rare to obtain in this world.
The Agam is the one that gives knowledge of the form of Shri Jinendra Dev, his principles, and his teachings. In praise, it is said: "We understand that you, who have attained the supreme state of being a liberated soul, have the power of your own right conduct. Your rule, which destroys the vices of evil desires, is worthy of my salutations."
A person who has deep respect for the Jinagam is honored by gods, gurus, and religion. Not only that, but sometimes they attain knowledge in the form of Jinagam-proof, which is even greater than knowledge of the self. For this, the scriptures say that according to the general use of scriptures, a scripture-knower may mistakenly consider even a faulty (impure) food to be faultless (pure) and eat it. Even a self-knower would accept it as food, otherwise, the knowledge of the scriptures would become unproven. (Pi. Ni. 524)
The word of Shri Jinagam is also the destroyer of the existence (world) of noble beings. Therefore, it is said: "We hear that the Jinagam...