________________
114
SCIENCE How shall be whose foot has never touched the first rung of the ladder reach the top? The Gods in whose company we fain would sit are the well. wishers of all; they neither devour vor destroy any living being. How, then, can he who causes pain to living beings to afford momentary pleasure to his palate or tongue ever aspire to become a God ?
The aspirant after immortality and joy must, therefore, give up these evil habits at the time of the adoption of Right Faith. For similar reasons, he should also give up gambling, profligacy, thieving and falsehood. These most sinsul habits broken up, the believer in truth gradually begins to train himself for the assiduous life of asceticism. He lives in the world, as other men do, and marrying a suitable spouse settles down in life, striving always to constantly advance in piety, virtue and zqirággu (renunciation). There are eleven stages of the householder's life, through which the aspirant must pass to reach sannyása (asceticism). These are :
(1) the giving up of sport, theft, animal flesh etc., (2) the observance of vows against (i) hiinsa (the inflicting of injury or barın
on others), (ii) aisehood, (iii) Siealing,
ox, the war-korse, the bare...the cock, un to..is most to be abetained from" (SBE. Vol. V. p. 319),
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
