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RATNATRAYA OR THE THREE JEWELS
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and entry into fires under the supposition of acquiring merit for themselves or for their kith and kin. The third belief refers to entertainment of false ascetics and respecting them hoping to get some favours from them through magical or mysterious powers exercised for personal gain or show of power. The mind must be freed from such superstitions and doubts so as to clear the ground for rise and development of right faith.
Besides freedom from three kinds of false beliefs (mūdhatva), the mind has to be free from eight kinds of pride: 1) pride of family (kula-mada), 2) pride of cantacts and family connections (jñāti-mada), 3) pride of one's own strength (bala-mada), 4) pride of beauty (sundarata-mada), 5) pride of knowledge (jñāna-mada), 6) pride of wealth (dhana-mada), 7) pride of authority (ājñā-mada), and 8) pride of penance (tapaḥ-mada).? All or any one or more of these kinds of pride are likely to disturb the equillibrium of mind, and create likes or dislikes for men and matters. In such a case, the mind cannot be unbiased. The understanding is likely to be erroneous, if not perverted. An inflated notion of oneself on any of these grounds is likely to cloud the vision. It is therefore necessary that before right belief could dawn, there should be an effacement of these factors of
- pride.
Right faith is characterised by eight angas (aspects) which detrmine its excellence;8 they are; i) one should be free from doubt about the truth or validity of the tenets (niḥśankitā); ii) one should have no love or liking for worldly enjoyment as everything is evanescent (Nikāmkṣitā) iii) Nirvicikitsa-anga consists in declining to have an attitude of scorn towards the body eventhough it is diseased and is full of impurities, as it can help in the cultivation of the three jewels; iv) amūdhadşşți is freedom from perversity and superstition. One should not pursue wrong and heretical faiths; v) upagūhana requires one to maintain spiritual excellence and protect the prestige of that path when it is faced with the risk of being belittled on account of the follies and shortcomings of others. One should praise the pious but not
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