Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

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to the continous defilement of the soul and purging it of all the dross that has entered it. Mark the qualification right-thinking'. Yes Right attitude (samyag-darsana ) is the very first of the three steps leading to the state of freedom from karman or emancipation (moksa). The other two are right knowledge (sanyag-jnana) and right conduct ( samyag-caritra) These three taken together are familiarly known among the Jains as the Triad of Jewels (ratna-trayi'). Unless you have a right attitude of mind you cannot acquire right knowledge and cannot observe right conduct.
With the dawning of the right attitude there arises a desire to free oneself from the karmic bondage. To achieve that, first it is necessary to stop contracting fresh karmans. For this purpose one has to re-organize one's whole course of conduct in accordance with prescribed rules. The five vows of abstaining from violence, falsehood, stealing, incontinence and possession of property are to be observed. Self-control is to be exerted in all one's dealings. Moral virtues like forbearance and contentment are to be cultivated. Bodily afflictions (parisaha) are to be endured with equanimity. And one is to remain absorbed in contemplation ( anupreksa ) as to the nature of