Book Title: Ethical Doctrines in Jainism
Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Previous | Next

Page 250
________________ 228 ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM along with violence, falsehood, stealing, incontinence and acquisitionall these entail inauspicious Asrava. We shall now dwell upon the characterisations of three Leśyās, inasmuch as they bear great resemblance to the demoniac endowments of the Bhagavad-Gītā. Of the six Leśyāsı-Krsna, Nīla, Kāpota, Tejas, Padma and Sukla-the first three are inauspicious and the last three are auspicious. One who does not give up enmity and who is wrathful, pugnacious, villain and bereft of piety and compassion is possessed by Kțşņa Leśyā. One who is slow, conceited, deceitful, indolent, mysterious, covetous, expert in swindling, extremely sleepy, without commonsense and sagacity, and extremely eager for sense objects is controlled by Nīla Leśyā. To be angry with others, to be full of sorrow and fear, to be envious and slanderous, to belittle and tease others, to be pleased with implorers, to be ignorant of one's own loss and gain, to extol one-self, to give wealth to flatterers, not to trust others and not to recognize duty and non-duty-all these are the characterisations of man possessed by Kāpota Leśyā. Then, there are eight kinds of pride to be comprised under .suri characteristics. They are pride of knowledge, respect, prestige, community, family, wealth, austerity and body. All these should be renounced. In spite of the great concordance, Jainism would not recognise God in the world in the sense of the Bhagavad-Gītā, though every soul, according to Jainism, is divine. NEGATIVE SIDE OF CONDUCT_CONTROL OF SENSES AND THE MIND: Next comes the controlling of senses and the mind. He who is without understanding and who is of uncontrolled mind fails to restrain the senses like the vicious horses of a charioteer, says the Kathopanişad. The self is the master of the bodily chariot with intelligence as the charioteer, mind as the reins, senses as the horses, objects as the roads to move, and the self, together with the mind and the senses as the enjoyer.? Now the man equipped with understanding and strong mind succeeds in controlling the senses, which are like the noble steeds of a charioteer.8 He, therefore, terminates the round of birth, and acquires the immortal state whence there is no return. The Brhadāranyaka the Kena, and the Taittirīya Upanişads also prescribe self-restraint and self-conquest.10 According to the Gitā, desire resides in the senses, the 1 Gomma. Ji. 493. 2 Ibid. 509. 3 Ibid. 510, 511. Ibid. 512-14. 5 Ratna. Srāva. 25.6Ka. Up. I. 3. 5. 7 Ibid. I. 3. 3, 4. 8 Ka. Up. I. 3. 6, 8, 9. 9 Br. Up. V. 2. 1; Ke. Up. IV. 4. 8.; Tai. Up. I. 9. Jain Education International For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322