$JES 904 Compendium of Jainism (Jain Academic Bowl Manual 3rd Edition)

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 197

CONDUCT
C11- Living Values
you need, you should donate and help others through your wealth and possessions. Only when you practice the virtue of contentment can you travel far on the path to liberation. No matter how many materialistic things you possess you will always find somebody with more money, a bigger house, a better car, etc. Pursuit of worldly gains is futile because ultimately it leaves you with greater dissatisfaction. Once the desire to acquire what so-and-so has arises within you that burning desire can never be fulfilled as there is always going to be someone who has more than you. Contentment signifies a state of complete satisfaction and it is another fundamental of the soul. Contentment is remaining satisfied with what one has while being subjected to various longings and temptations in day-to-day life. In order to move on the path of attaining liberation, we should be happy and thankful for what we have, and not wish for more than we need. Recommended reading from Jain Stories Section - Puniä Shrävak 06 Compassion We should feel compassion (Karunä) upon witnessing the miseries of all living beings. When we see animals and people suffering from pain and misery, we should try to help them in whatever way we can. We can help the suffering of others in many different ways. We should provide food to those who are hungry, give money for their basic necessities, heal their mental anguish with soft calming words, and give medicine to help their physical suffering. We can help others by being compassionate. The greatest form of compassion (Karunä) reveals itself when one is willing to help all living beings irrespective of who they are and without any reservation. If we lack compassion we indulge in various acts that lead to bad karma. When this bad Karma matures, we suffer from mental, physical and emotional ailments: diseases, insults and cruelty. The degree of compassion depends upon a person's progress on the path of spiritual development. We have several incidences where great people have sacrificed the most valued things in their lives to alleviate the suffering and pain of the smallest living beings. There is an incident from the life of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. One day, he was walking from Banäras to Dädäpur. It was a rainy day and the roads were flooded. One bullock-cart loaded with grass was stuck in the mud. With every effort made to pull the cart out of the mud it was sinking deeper and deeper. Swami's heart filled with compassion when he saw the suffering of the bulls. He took hold of the cart, freed the bulls, and pulled the cart out of the mud. Compassion is to respect all forms of life including animals, birds, insects and nature. Respect and regard for all forms of life is possible only if we truly believe that all life forms are equal. Recommended Reading from Jain Stories Section - Meghakumar 07 Friendship Sand and Stone Two friends were walking through the desert. During the journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other on the face. The one who got slapped was hurt but without saying anything he wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face. They kept on walking until they found an oasis where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the swamp and started drowning; but his friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning he wrote on a stone: Today my best friend saved my life.
Compendium of Jainism - 2015
Page 197 of 398