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Chapter 22 - Shad Sthänaka (Six Fundamental Truths) Introduction: A true religion helps to liberate the Soul from the worldly cycle of birth and death. The entire Jain philosophy revolves around Right Faith (Samyag-darshan, Samyaktva, Samyag-drashti, Samakit). Right faith is in fact its basis. Without right faith, efforts to attain Moksha are in vain. No one has achieved, no one is achieving and no one will achieve Moksha without the right faith. Unconditional faith in these six fundamental truths is helpful in attaining right faith. These six truths provide the field for the cultivation and stabilization of Right Faith in reality and its true nature and they are known as Sthänaka. The six fundamental truths (six fundamental aspects) relating to the soul are: • Soul exists
Soul is eternal Soul is the doer of actions (Karma)
Soul enjoys or suffers the consequences of actions (Karma) • Liberation exists
• Path for the soul's liberation exists Of the 12 original Ägams, the last was Drashtiväda. It had five parts. One of them was called Purva. There were 14 Purvas in all. The 7th was named as Atma-praväd. These six fundamentals were supposed to be part of that Purva. Those Purvas have of course been lost forever, but a description of these six aspects is found in several Jain Scriptures including Sanmati-tarka of Acharya Siddhasen Diwäkar who lived most probably in the second century A.D. The great Jain Ächärya Shri Haribhadra wrote 1444 great Jain canonical books and one of them is "Samyaktva Saptatika". In this book, he describes 67 possible characteristics of a person who has the right faith. Based on this canonical book, the great Jain Upadhyay Shri Yashovijayaji, about 350 years ago, wrote "Samakit Nä 67 Bol Ni Sajhaya" in Gujarati describing the same 67 characteristics in a poetry format. The last six characteristics of these 67 characteristics describe the six fundamental truths. In addition, there are numerous works by great Jain saints and scholars on this subject. Shrimad Räjchandra, the well-known religious philosopher of the last century and the spiritual guide of Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Gujarati one of the great Jain works, Atmasiddhi-shästra, which describes these six fundamental truths in a poetry format. Preceding this, he wrote a letter explaining the six fundamentals to his principal follower, Laghuräj-swämi (also known as Shri Lalluji Mahäräj), which is included in this chapter. These six truths also include a critical appreciation of the Six Systems of philosophy. Buddhists believe that there is no soul at all or if there is one, then it is only a momentary soul. Jains believe that the soul exists and it is eternal. The Sänkhya System believes in the soul, which is totally inactive and all activities are attributed to Prakriti (nature). Jains believe that there cannot be enjoyment or suffering without any activities. To the Vedäntins, who hold that the soul neither does anything nor it enjoys or suffers from actions. Jains believe that the soul does actions and therefore it cannot escape the results of the actions. Other Vedäntins say that the soul was never bound and so no question of its achieving Liberation arises. Jains believe that since the soul is attached to karma (actions) from endless past, non-attachment from them is a stage to be obtained by conscious effort for Liberation, only true and lasting happiness. The Chärväks do not believe in a permanent soul or into its actions and Liberation from them and hence it is not in the proper way to Liberation. Jains believe that since the first five truths are established, the sixth also follows them. If Self Liberation is meaningful then the method for it or the way to it must be equally meaningful.
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