Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 11

GENERAL EDITORIAL
Ethical Discipline (ācāra-dharma) is an important aspect of Jainism. It has a two-fold objective. First, it brings about spiritual purification, and secondly, makes an individual a worthy social being who can live as a responsible and well-behzved neighbour. The first objective arises out of the Jaina theory of Karman which is an automatically functioning law under the dispensation of which every one must get the fruit, good or bad, of his or her thoughts, words and deeds. In this law of Karman, there is no place for divine intervention. The god as a creator is not admitted there, nor can he bestow favours and mete out punishments to the worldly beings. This is, indeed, a bold approach, basically advocated in Jainism, whereby an individual is really an architect of his own fortune or misfortune. Karman is conceived as subtle matter, or a form of energy, which affects the soul as a result of one's own thoughts, words and acts. As a matter of fact, every soul is already under the influence of Karman from beginningless time. One experiences the fruits of one's past Karmas and contracts fresh Karmas. So the cycle of action and its fruit goes on. It is only through a disciplined life that one can get rid of it either by experiencing its fruits or by exhausting it through penances etc. And when the soul is completely free from Karman, that is spiritual emancipation. The second objective helps one to develop an attitude of equality towards all the beings and cultivate a sanctity for the individual and his possessions.
This ethical discipline is well graded in Jainism to suit the ability and environments of an individual. It is prescribed to him according to his will to carry it out sincerely, without any negligence either in its understanding or in its practice.
The foundation of this ethical discipline is the doctrine of Ahimsā. If we correctly comprehend it, it will be seen that it is the recognition of the inherent right of an individual to live so universally expressed that'. every one wants to live and nobody likes to die. Thus, therefore, no one has any right to destroy or harm any other living being. Viewed as such Ahimsā is the fundamental law of civilised life and rational living; and thus forms the basis of all moral instructions in Jainism. “The