________________
THE ESSENCE OF JAINA SCRIPTURES
True spirituality is only inner. However, it usually involves some outward expression and manifests itself in moral conduct. The spiritual goal of self-realization or inner purity cannot be achieved by immoral means of himsa (violence), untruth, etc. Thus, the internal and external aspects of spirituality and morality are inter-related, inter-connected and inter-dependent. Morality without spirituality is meaningnless, and spirituality without morality is spirituality only in name. Morality and spirituality or vyavahara and nishchaya charitra is not an either/or situation. They are intimately related to one another and can neither be considered as mutually exclusive nor compartmentalized into watertight compartments.
A spiritual culture is inconceivable without an ethical culture. Morality goes hand-in-hand and coexists with spirituality. In fact, the two are inseparable. They are also interdependent in the sense that spirituality helps morality. In turn, morality facilitates/fosters the attainment of the spiritual goal of self-conquest or the eradication of evil tendencies and impurities of the self. Thus, in Jainism, spirituality is the essence of morality and morality is intertwined with spirituality.
Spirituality and morality are not identical but they are not separate as they are the internal and external aspects or the obverse and reverse sides of the same conscious entity or the self. Spiritual goals can only be realized by the pursuit of a life of morality, which is the pursuit of righteousness and piety. Spirituality is concerned with internal purity and individual perfection, which is unthinkable without morality. Moral self-restraints are necessary for attaining freedom from instinctive impulses and subconscious motivations.
Thus, morality and spirituality are closely related and complementary to one another. Spirituality is the foundation and the basis of morality and morality is its natural offspring and manifestation. In the absence of spirituality, morality would be deprived if its moorings. Without morality, spirituality will degenerate into “mere experiential” mysticism or an intellectual exercise devoid of either content or result.
Overall Appraisal of Shubha Shubha (good) psychic-attention (upayoga) is regarded as auspicious (mangala) causing well-being and fostering merit, virtue, or righteousness (punya). It plays an important role in our life. It is
