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CHAPTER XII
RATNATRAYA OR THE THREE JEWELS
Most of the individuals start their journey of life from the stage of mithyātva (wrong belief) in which they are born. Wrong belief is the greatest enemy as it shuts out an individual from understanding the true nature of his self and makes him believe that the body and all that appertain to it in this material world are real, that the real happiness lies in making accumulations that make for a comfortable living. This type of living encourages Vowless ways of life, with no self-control self-restraint. Even where there is inclination towards a life of restraint, normal knowledge of the various vows which regulate life on the right path appears to be beyond comprehension.
There are great foes that attack us during the course of our journey. The passions are the most powerful enemies that deprive us of our spiritual riches and reduce us to a state of poverty. The activities of the body, mind and speech are beset with many hurdles which add to the existing burden of Karmas. Every individual who becomes aware, however vaguely, of the purity of the self would be anxious to know more about its nature and inquisitive to acquire the necessary knowledge for realizing his end.
The central subject of every philosophy is the Paramātman who is called by different names and is described as possessed of different attributes. Jainism, as already discussed, does not believe in God as an almighty creator of the universe. Godhood is an
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