Fundamentals Of Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Bharti

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FUNDAMENTALS OF JAINISM
locality where he resides unless they involve a violation of the rules of dharma (religion). He should not eat such things as meat, nor take to intoxicants. He should not slander any body, especially the king. He should respect his parents, and avoid giving offence to others by his actions, maintaining and preserving those dependent on him. He should live peacefully, respecting and serving the Master, the Preceptor, the guest and the deserving poor, and observing moderation in all things. He should sympathise with all, but avoid too much intimacy with any. With regard to the four objects of life-dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), kama (pleasure) and moksha (salvation)--he should never allow the higher to be sacrificed for the sake of a lower one. He should daily read the Scripture and observe the rules of life, cxcelling in right conduct and aspiring to rise higher and higher every day. He should avoid obstinacy and develop a partiality for virtue. His attitude towards religion, philosophy, opinions and beliefs should be that of a critical student, and he should try to solve all the doubts that arise in his own mind'.
If the house-holder would carefully observe these thirty-five rulcs of conduct, he would come into the possession of the following twenty-one marks which every truc gentleman should possess. He would be serious in demeanour, clean as regards both his clothes and person, good-tempered, popular, merciful, afraid of sinning, straightforward, wise, modest, kind, moderate, gentle, careful in speech, sociable, cautious, studious, reverent both to old age and ancient customs, humble, grateful, bencvolent, and attentive to business.
By the time that the house-holder becomes steady in the observance of the above rules of conduct and pratimas he is qualified to become a muni. The admission into the order of monks is accompanied by the impressive ceremony of keshalochana which means the pulling out hair. Perhaps this was intended as a test of the true spirit of rairágya, since the intensity of the fueling of disgust with a purely animal existence and the proper observance of the rules of conduct enjoined on a layman suffice, by themselves, to bring into manifestation, to a fairly appreciable extent, certain of the natural qualities of the soul which enable it to endure pain with a cheerful heart. The intoxi