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________________ Jain Philosophy and Religion Right Conduct Right conduct must ultimately lead to liberation. The main goal of a human life is to free one from attachment and aversion. That is to free from all impure activities of thought, word and deed. This will attain the state of perfect equanimity. This resolves into taking the five great vows. Right perception creates an awareness of reality or truth, right knowledge impels the person to proper action, and proper conduct leads him to the attainment of total freedom. They must coexist in a person if one is to make any progress on the path of liberation. Four Realms If we look around us, we see not only men and women, boys and girls, but also cats, dogs, birds, bugs, plants etc. These are various forms of living beings in this universe. All the same time every second, someone dies and someone is born. Nothing is permanent. This makes us wonder what happens to those who die and who decides what one will be born as. Jain religion explains this is in a very simple and sound logical way based on karma theory. Due to the karma associated with their souls, living beings have been going through the cycle of life and death in various forms since time immemorial. Unless the soul gets rid of its karma, it will never be free from the cycle of birth, life and death in different forms. When a living being dies, it can be reborn into one of the four destinies. These four destinies are Human beings Heavenly beings Animal (including Birds, Insects and also vegetation, earth, water, fire, air) Hell beings It is clear that out of these destinies only human life is suitable for spiritual pursuit and capable of freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Let us aspire to lead a spiritual life without delay so that we may be reborn as human beings again and continue to progress on the path of liberation. "All schools of thought are valid when understood from their own standpoints. A knower does not categorize them as true or false. They become false only when they deny that other also express aspects of truth." (Sanmati Tarka Prakrana 1:28 - by Siddhasena Divakara) Courtesy: 'Pure Freedom -the Jain way of self-reliance by Amar Salgia' Jain Philosophy and Practice-1 by Jaina Jaina Philosophy and Religion translated by Nagin J. Shah Jain Center of Southern California
| SR No. | 269168 |
| Book Title | Jain Philosophy and Religion Introduction |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Jain Centre of Southern California |
| Publisher | USA Jain Center Southern California |
| Publication Year | |
| Total Pages | 5 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Article & 0_not_categorized |
| File Size | 181 KB |