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THE MESSAGE OF JAINISM
based on, renunciation : I mean, TAPAS or Austerityself-imposed suffering undertaken for religious purposes. The primary object which a Jaina has in view, when
practising such austerites can be underThe Concept of stood from the idea that all suffering Tapas leads to the completion and eliminating
of bad Karma. Besides, the voluntary acceptance of certain hardships has the further advantage of rendering valuable assistance, at the same time, in the Tealisation of the other two great principles of Ahimsa and Samyama -Non-violence and Self-continence. Thus :
सउणी जइ पंसुगुंडिया विहुणिय धंसयइ सियं रयम् । एवं दविओ वहाणवं कम्मं खवइ तवस्सी माहणे ॥
(Dasavaikalika Sutra) “ As a bird gets rid of the dust with which it is covered, by shaking itself, just so the monk, who practises austerities, consumes and eliminates his Karma."
To get rid of Karma is, as we saw before, the first step towards self-realisation and through it, towards the highest spiritual bliss. This is the reason why austerity play such an important part in the life of the Jaina whether a monk or a layman. Various ways of practising austerities have been laid down in the Jaina Scriptures. They have to be started under the respective Pratyakhyanas or sacred vows, after their duration and other items have been duly fixed. As regards Tapas, there are vows by which the quality, quantity or time of one's meals is reduced or restricted. It may range from the simple giving up of
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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