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The Spiritual and Ethical Values
of Jainism.
Dr. PUSHPA BOTHRA
Jainism as a religious process, has two aspects, the inner and outer. From one point of view, it is a state of belief and feeling, an inward spiritual disposition, and from the other point of view, it gives ground to the ethical values It is not very different from the other developed religious in its aim Spiritual realisation is the aim of Jainism, as well as it accepts the moral ends for the developing spiritual life. Bodily and mental discipline and meditation are necessary for the purification of the self Without perfection of the self, the spiritual realisation is not possible, according to Jainism. Therefore the Tuthankaras have shown the way of life which leads to perfection of the self.
Every self (Jiva), according to the Jainas, is perfection its own nature, but due to ignorance and worldly affairs it becomes imperfect It possesses different kinds of passions and it has to take birth in the world. But gradually, when it gives up all passions or it conquires all the passions, it gains the highest perfection and becomes supreme self (Jina or arthanta). And it reaches above the stage of bondage. The passions are called as enemy of the self, one who kills them is called arıhanta or one who conquires them is called Jina.
But it is very difficult to give up all passions at once. It requires a long practice of mental and bodily discipline and meditation. The Jaina Tirthankaras have shown the way, it is called the path of three jewels.
The three jewels are samyaka darsana, samyaka Jnana, and Samyaka CHARITRA (right faite, right knowledge and right conduct) In other words, the three jewels are the three aspects of the path to perfection These three cannot exist exclusively of each other. but they are the supplementary to one another. In this article I will try to explain the pature and value of Triratia of the Jainas, which become helpful to lead a moral life as well as to reach the spiritual.
(1) Samyaka Dur sana-Generally, it is called as a faith in the principles of Jaunism. But from the real point of view or from niscayadrsti, samyaka darsana means 'a sense or a feeling of the realisation of self. Thus samyaks darsana" means true vision of self. One has the experience of the self itself other than the body. We may compare it with Viveka Jnana' of the Sainkhya yoga and the Advaita systems of philosophy. Therefore samyaka darsana is the first necessary condition in the way to perfection One should know at first, what is self, and what is the relation between self and body. But the realisation of