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Mahavira & Pathway to Liberation / 27
3. Right Conduct
As the light from Crores of burring lamps is of no avail to a blind person so also the study of numerous scriptures is of no use to a person who has no character. Without right faith, there is no right knowledge and without right knowledge there is no right conduct. In the absence of right conduct the sensual pleasures - extinguish the light of knowledge. Even a little knowledge will yield great freeit if it is accompanied by right conduct. Without right conduct, human birth is futile. Noble conduct is the ladder which leads to liberation. A person who knows swimming but does not endeavour to swim when fallen in water ultimately drowns.
A person who knows the path of liberation but does not tread it fails to cross the worldly sojourn. Noble conduct includes compassion, self-control, truth, non-stealing celibacy, contentment, right faith, right knowledge and austerity. Renunciation of sensual pleasures is right conduct. The grab of an ascetic, lion-skin, nakedness, matted hair, tonsured head and other external manifestations do not save a sinful ascetic.
