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THE JAINA DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION
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conduct expounded in Jainism. The aim of right conduct is twofold, viz., to arrest the growth of karmas by effecting the control (samvara) of inflow (āsrava) of karmic stuff, and by eradicating the already accumulated karmic particles through the process of nirjară. Thus samvara and nirjarā are the means of achieving the final goal.
The word samvara ('control or ‘restraint) means stoppage of karmas. It is opposed to āsrava or inflow. In other words, samvara is nothing but controlling or arresting the course of karmas. It is twofold i subjective stoppage (bhāvu-samvara), and objective stoppage (dravya-samvarh). The psychical conditions which make the mind free from attachment and aversion with the result that there is no yoga and the influx of karmas is controlled, are known as bhāva-samvara; that which actually controls or stops the influx of karmas is called dravya-samvara.?
Samvara is to be practised through the observance of five-fold religious cautiousness (samiti), viz. carefulness in walking, carefulness in speaking, carefulness in eating, carefulness in taking up and setting down, carefulness in excreting, and by the observance of three-fold self-control (gupti), i.e. control of activities of the mind, body and speech. It also includes the practice of ten virtues (dharma), viz. forgiveness, humility, simplicity, absence of greed, austerity, selfcontrol, simplicity, truthfulness, purity, renunciation and charity: twelve objects of contemplation (anuprekşā) and forbearance of twenty-two hardships or sufferings (parīşaha), and the observance of five-fold conduct (cāritra).78
The twelve objects of meditation are as follows: 1. Everything in the world is impermanent (anitya). 2. There is no real refuge in this world (asarana). 3. The evil nature of transmigration (samsāra). 4. A being has to transmigrate alone (ekatva). 5. The self is different from the body (anyatva). 6. The impurity of the body (aśucitva). 7. The inflow of karmic matter (āsrava). 8. The task of arresting the inflow of karmic matter (samvara). 9. Means of eradicating the karmic matter (nirjarā). 10. The nature of the material world (loka).
77. Dravyasamgraha, 34. 78. Ibid., 35; Tattvarthasūtra, IX. 5-9;
Purus ārthasiddhyupāya, 202-209.
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