ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 242

allegation that the ascetic flees from the world of action. Truly speaking, he recoils not from the world of action but from the world of Himsā. No doubt the ascetic life affords full ground for the realization of Ahimsā, but its perfect realization is possible only in the plenitude of mystical experience, which is the Arhat.
Thus the householder and the ascetic are the two wheels on which the cart of Jaina ethical discipline moves on quite smoothly. It is to the credit of Jaina ācāryas that they have always kept in mind these two orders while prescribing any discipline to be observed. They were never in favour of confounding the obligations of the one with the other. In consequence, Jainism could develop the ācāra of the householder with as much clarity as it developed the ācāra of the Muni. Being overwhelmed by the ascetic tendency, it has not neglected the ācāra of the householder. By developing the doctrine of Anuvratas, Gunavrata and Śikṣāvratas for the householder it has shown the way in which the householder should direct his course of life. I feel that the doctrine of Anuvratas, Gunavratas and Śikṣāvratas is the unique contribution of Jainism to Indian ethics.
2.1 Nature of Ethico-Spiritual Conduct Let us now proceed to deal with the nature of ethico-spiritual conduct, which transforms the potential excellences of the self into actuality. With the light of value knowledge, which enables the aspirant to look into his infirmities, the pursuit of ethico-spiritual conduct sweeps away the elements, which thwart the manifestation of uninterrupted happiness and infinite knowledge. Value knowledge illumines the path and ethico-spiritual conduct leads to the goal. In addition to spiritual awakening and value-knowledge emancipation presupposes ethico-spiritual conduct as well. Really speaking, ethico-spiritual conduct emanates from the internal necessity, which the spiritually awakened has developed in him. Thereby he then expunges the disharmony existent between his present and future conditions, and between his potential conviction and actual living.
So important is the pursuit of ethico-spiritual conduct for realising the transcendental nature of self that Kundakunda calls it Dharma. Such conduct as will conduce to the emergence of a state of self which is devoid of infatuation (Moha) and perturbation (Ksobha) by virtue of the subversion of all kinds of passions in their most comprehensive extent is called Vitarāga
7 Pravacanasāra of Kundakunda with the Commentaries of Amrtacandra and Jayasena, 1.7, Rajachandra Ashram,
Agas
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