Aspects of Jaina Religion

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 30

CHAPTER II Fundamentals of Jainism
1. Principles of Jainism
The fundamental principles of Jainism can be briefly stated as follows. (1) Man's personality is dual
The first fundamental principle of Jainism is that man's personality is dual, that is, material and spiritual. Jaina philosophy regards that every mundane soul is bound by subtle particles of matter known as karma from the very beginning. It considers that just as gold is found in an alloyed form in the mines, in the same way mundane souls are found in the bondage of karma, from times immemorial. The impurity of the mundane soul is thus treated as an existing condition. (2) Man is not perfect
The second principle that man is not perfect is based on the first principle. The imperfectness in man is attributed to the existence of karma embodied with soul. The human soul is in a position to obtain perfection and in that free and eternal state it is endowed with four characteristics, viz., anantadarśana, ananta-jñāna, ananta-virya and ananta-sukha, i.e., infinite perception of faith, infinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite bliss. (3) Man is the master of his material nature
Even though man is not perfect, the third principle states that by his spiritual efforts man can and must control his material nature. It is only after the entire subjugation of