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in rituals or myths and miracles. The five ethical vows of Jains namely ahiṁsā, speaking the truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non possession are beneficial in the worldly and spiritual welfare of the mankind. Whereas practicing these five vows in our daily life, we can live a moral, ethical and ideal life; their practice in the form of mahāvratas can even lead the practitioner to the highest goal i.e. attain godhood or become parmātmā.
Jains philosophy and culture is the proponent of not only the mankind but the entire world of living beings. From beginning less times and from the time of Lord şşabh Deva in the present time cycle, human rights and welfare have been greatly emphasized. Jain philosophy goes a step further even in talking of the rights and welfare of all types of living beings (i.e. not restricting just to mankind).
Satveșu maitrí, gunisu pramodam, kliştaisu jīveșu, krpā paratvam Mādhyastha bhamva, viprīta-vitto, sadā mamātmā vid ghātu deva
-Acārya Amitrgāta
i.e. we extend friendship to all living beings, seeing the virtuous we should feel happy, should feel compassion on seeing the beings in pain and different to bad persons.
While enunciating the importance of five mahavratas enunciated by the Jains, Jain canons say practicing ahiṁsā, speaking the truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non possession makes his life like the religion itself.
Ahiṁsā saccaṁ c ateņgaṁ c, Totta ya bambham apariggaham củ
Padivajjiya paắc mahavvayāņi Carijja dhamamaṁ jiņdesiyam vidū
6 History of Indian philosophy. Vol 1 Pg 198, S. Gopālan outline of Jainism. Cambridge Univ. Press 1963. 7 Agamtīrth. Dr. Harirām Ācārya, Prākrt Bhārti Academy Samsthān, Jaipur 1980 Pg 60-61
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