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maintain his health. If he were to call his waywardness a non-believer-hood it is entirely a different matter. Infact a desire to live is the important charecteristic of astikas. He who loves his life, he who thinks it good to live is an astika only. People prefer to be non-believers for the fear of the need for adherence of the strict rules and regulations in religious life.
It is natural for people to be so. Though they proclaim themselves to be non-believers, they long for the help of some supra-human powers in their heart of hearts. If they are not able to fulfil their desires they become anxious to get them fulfilled.
The power of mantra is there to help people at this juncture. People may oppose such powers or reject them outwardly but are always interested in getting their help themselves in private. How many scientists really remain believers !
It is very difficult to be a believer or non-believer literally. We think a non-believer never thinks of mantras or a believer totally surrenders himself unto mantras and we also think he would have accomplished them too. Even a millionth part of a percentage of the population too may not be available with such charecteristics.
If mantras can get all things done, then why not the great acaryas of past have not exploited the mantras upto the hilt ?
We would like to pose one question to you before answering yours. Have you ever fallen sick ? You must have atleast once. You might have taken medicines too and got cured also. Not only you but many people might have been cured by the same medicine but one cannot swear that the same medicine would act with same efficiency every time with everyone. If you can analyse this idea, you can understand the success and failures of mantras. Sometimes the mantras are successful and sometimes not. Sometimes the karmas get removed or destroyed with the extraneous help. But some firmly entrenched nikacita karmas do not get mitigated. In such instances a Yogi who gives blessings to thousands of people is forced to suffer his fate. The invocation of the name of a great sadhu is capable of conferring benefits on his devotee but he himself is not in a position to save himself. He is forced to endure his sufferings. Sanatkumara, a Royal sage, after reaching the stage of nissprhata (jivanmukta-released even while remaining embodied) was in a position to cure his disease. But he accepted the same with equanimity and suffered. People who have accomplished mantras generally do not use it for themselves. So too are labdhidharis. The life of Tirthankaras are available to us. The life of Lord Mahavira too is available to us through the Scriptures. He bore all the troubles with equanimity. We get references for the fruitful use of mantras and vidyas in the life time of Lord Mahavira and after. The value of the doctrine of anekanta in understanding the power and efficacy of mantras can be known from these too.
The use of mantras, vidyas or labdhi is prohibited in the state, of apramatta i.e., when one is aware of oneself fully. The mantras etc., are used in the state of pramatta, i.e., when one has not gone to a spiritually higher state.
But the use of mantra etc., is enjoined to protect the religion, religious tenets, the fourfold-sangha and temples and sacred centres. Even in pramatta state the use of mantra is not enjoined for one's own benefits, but, for working with moksa as final goal. The worship without any regard for any fruit also is not favoured. Thus all the questions - which mantra is to be used, and when and how — are to be decided by the individuals and their predilictions and mind power. But one can not just deny any role for mantras in Jainism.
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The attendant deities alone get pleased by mantras and perform miraculous deeds. Why should a sadhu do mantra japa then ?
Jain philosophy and religion offer a classification of Devas (gods) based on their faith in the nine tattvas propounded by Jinas. Those who have such a faith are called Samyag-DrstiDevas (gods with right faith), (hereinafter referred to as Samyag-drsti-devas). Those devas who do not have such faith are called Mithya-Drsti-Devas (gods with no faith in Jain tenets)
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