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Jainism in a Global Perspective
Jainism can survive in the 21st century.
The five great vows common to all Jainas (be they layfollowers or a monks) to guide them in their daily conduct are: Brahmacarya Celibacy
(Self Control) discipline at the physical level Ahimsa non-violence discipline at the mental level Satya
truthfulness discipline at the intellectual level Asteya non-stealing Aparigraha non-acquisition
Ishall attempt to give examples of how these vows can be practiced in our daily lives.
Bhrahmacarya (Celibacy -- Self Control)
The physical entity in man longs for contact with the world of objects for gaining sense gratification. The eyes wish to see beautiful forms and colours, the tongue craves for good food, the nose likes to smell pleasant fragrance and so on. Thus, when an individual continues to live on mere gratification of his sensual demands, his passions breed and swarm in legions which ultimately mutilate and consume him. To avoid such selfafflicted ills, Brahmacarya was prescribed as a discipline at the physical level,
Brahmacarya means living in self-control with respect to all our sense enjoyments and does not mean their total self-denial.
The world of objects is meant for us to enjoy and the scriptures do not deny us the freedom to enjoy them. They merely advise us to be masters of our enjoyments and not allow them to dominate and enslave us. With a heart full of love, our Preceptors cry out, "Enjoy the world but let not the world enjoy you." You may eat food, let not the food eat you. You may drink but let not the drink, drink you. The interpretation of Brahmacarya has been so badly contorted and distorted that the real significance and value of this discipline has been lost. It is popularly misunderstood to mean complete abstinence from sexual life. This is absurd. What the Mahātmās advise us is to abstain from excessive indulgence in any sensual pleasure.
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