Essence of Jainism Part 01

Author(s): Kushalchandravijay
Publisher: 108 jain Tirth Darshan Trust

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business permises for six months. The firm incures loss. Now the partner argures that he had informed orally of his disassociation with the Firm, but as the notice was not giving in writing, the court of law does not believe in his words and orders him to be a party to the loss. Similarly, we are subject to sin even if we do not eat the non-eatables, because we are not under a vow and we entertain subtle desire for them. A Pachhkhan for renouncing them is necessary otherwise we are subject to the sin of avirati (non-renunciation) as we have not yet stopped from sin in a conscious way.
When we are a shareholder of a joint stock-company, we are entitled to a dividend from profit. But when we cease to be a shareholder, we no longer get any dividend. As a shareholder, we are also a partner from a religious point of view, of whatever sin is incurred in running the factory. But on our ceasing as its shareholder, we are saved from the sins incurred by the factory thereafter. In the same way, a vow or a Pachhakhan absolves us from sin for we have given up eating the forbidden things under a specific vow or a pacchakhan.
RELIGION IS A MEDICINE : When a suffer from a desease or illness, the doctor allows us to eat only certain things and asks to abstain from others. The restricted diet allowed is called 'chari'. It may consist of curd, milk, fruit or boiled mug-water. Use of oil, chilly, sour or fried food is forbidden. This is called 'Pareji'. We get rid of deseases if we take doctor's medicine along with the above dont's (Pareji). Similarly our soul suffers from Karmic disease. In order to get rid of it, we have to observe Chari or dont's in the form of charity, alms-giving, chastity and penance. This is Bhava-Dharma. Besides we have to discharge six duties 'Shad Avshyakas' (samayik etc.) Pareji or dont's consist of abstaining from non-ratables, anantkaya and seven vices. Then karmic disease cannot overpower us. Religion is the medicine for keeping the soul's health. All the sins are avoided and we get the highest bliss. It would suffice to say that before resorting to religion as a medicine, we must observe chari-pareji as explained above. Then only we shall be free from karmic evils that all us.
REMOVE SEVEN FEARS AND BE FEARLESS :
There are seven kinds of fears viz. fear of death, of losing livelihood, of theft, of this world, of the other world, of a king or a government and of the enemy.
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