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A Treatise on Jainism
bliss. Attainment of the purity and liberation of the soul are achieved by the means of Right Faith, the Right Knowledge and the Right Conduct. Jainism allows full freedom to all human beings to observe the vows and practise self-discipline. The vows. to be observed by the monks and nuns are stricter than those for lay votaries. The Jain Religion preaches that even the smallest of the small living beings (Jeevas) should be given protection and should not be hurt. It is the teaching of Jainism that all living beings in the world desire to live. Death is not desired by anyone. All desire happiness and dislike misery. There is life (Jiva) even in earth, water, fire, air and vegetables. The soul in all worldly living beings is potentially like the soul in us. There is no difference in the soul of an ant and that of an elephant, though the very same soul (Atma) takes the form of an ant as well as that of an elephant. Contraction and expansion are its characteristic attributes and due to the bondage of Karmas a soul finds itself born in any one of the eightyfour lacs of forms of existence. If any living being is ill disposed towards us, even so we must love and give protection to
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