________________
448
PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
the beginning of 'Tatvartha-Adhigama-Sutra', "This triad forms the royal road to emancipation. Knowledge, intuition, righteous conduct and penance are the four forms of religion."
Scriptures enjoin :
Souls resorting to the path of knowledge, intuition, righteous conduct and penances attain salvation. Here in this context religion understood as the upholder from degradation and securer of emancipation fits properly. Sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth phrases of Navkar Mantra speak of these four forms of religion.
Charity, righteous character, penance and emotions are also declared in the scriptures as the forms of religion.
"The religion comprising of charity, righteous character, penance and emotions compared with a boat to cross over the worldly ocean is declared thus fourfold by the merciful Lords."
Moreover it is also declared,
"May that fourfold religion comprising of charity, righteous conduct, penances and emotions declared by highly merciful Lords for the benefit of worldly creaturs, be established firmly in my heart.”
What is giving in charity ? What are its varieties? What is the right mode of giving in charity? What is righteous conduct ? What are its species and sub-species? What are religious emotions? Why they are deemed as very important ? These are the topics worth understanding but we shall discuss about them at the proper occasion.
Relatively speaking conduct is also called religion. That conduct is five-fold and thus religion is also five-fold : conduct for knowledge, conduct for intuition, conduct for righteous behaviour, conduct for penance, and conduct for various acts. Conduct for knowledge is eight fold e.g. proper time, discipline, respects etc. Conduct for intuition is eight fold Nihshankti, Nishkankshita etc. Conduct for right behaviour is eight fold (five disciplines and five 'Guptis'). Conduct of penance is two-fold. External and internal; each one being sixfold. Conduct of valorous act is three fold-mental, oral and physical.
