Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 006901
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation
Publication Year: 2009
Total Pages: 298
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 5 MB

Page 29

The Jaina Philosophy the territory of Videhi. He lived seventy-two years and attained Moksha (liberation) in 526 B. C.
Regarding dharma he observes: Dharma means the body of rules of conduct. It does two things : it prevents a living being from falling down spiritually and it helps him to go up spiritually. These rules apply to all living beings, not only to man. All living beings are social, and these rules have something to do with a living being's relationships with other living beings. The ultimate object of all these rules, so far as they are social, must come to this: that we must do some good to our fellow beings. The object is that we may be able to do some good to the people around us. The basis of these rules is pity, compassion, love, doing good, benevolence, kindness etc. All these qualities are expressed through one word, daya.
Gandhi's following words are noteworthy. “The person in the state of Samyaktva is convinced that only a body of rules which is based on Daya is true dharma or true conduct rules, true religion, or the right law of life and that no other body of rules, such as one that is based on killing animals for sacrifices, can be a right one. And it is a strong conviction about which there is no wavering. Thus Samyaktva amounts to the conviction that ahimsa is the supreme religion."
Daya is a positive aspect of ahimsa (non-violence). R. William in his book 'Jaina Yoga' remarks that the central position and pervading character of ahimsa separates the Jaina ethic sharply from Hinduism as well as from Islam and Christianity.
In his lectures Virchand Gandhi establishes the antiquity of Jainism, describes the nine 'real' which one should know to attain liberation, enumerates the six substances, gives an account of the six kinds of living beings (Jeevas) and four kinds of existence, treats of transmigration and karma and also of Jaina ethics.
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