ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

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

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substances and nine categories. In Mokşapāhuda, he expresses the same idea in different words by defining samyagdarśana as belief in the dharma devoid of violence, in faultless deity and the way of life, prescribed by the omniscients. In Niyamasāra, samyagdarśana is explained as a belief in liberated souls, Jaina scriptures and Jaina principles.2 In Mülācāra, the samyagdarśana is defined as belief in nine categories.
Svāmīkārtikeya added belief in non-absolutism as a condition for samyagdarśana. He held that the nature of nine categories cannot be rightly ascertained without the help of pramāna and naya.
Umāsvāti, who is followed by Amrtacandrācārya and Nemicanda Siddhāntacakravartī, defines samyagdarśana as belief in the seven predicaments of Jainism.3
Samantabhadra defines samyagdarsana as a belief in true deities, true scriptures and true teachers as against the three follies of belief in pseudo-belief and pseudo-teacher. Samantabhadra also speaks of the eight essentials of right faith and the necessity of freedom from eight types of pride for a right believer.
Vasunandi in the Srāvakācāra says that, in addition to belief in the seven predicaments, samyagdarśana includes belief in liberated soul and Jain scriptures.
2.2 Characteristics of right belief. Criterion or Right Belief, according to Jainism is the manifestation of the following characteristics:
Praśama or śama Calmness or tranquility
Samvega
Absence of hankering
Anukampā
Compassion
Astikya
Belief in the existence of soul forever, karman etc.
Right belief is the starting point of the life of a śrāvaka (votary). The essence of a religion is determined by the nature of belief upheld in it. The moral code of a religion necessarily based on the nature of the belief propounded there. The mental and moral discipline
2 Rayanasāra, Kundakunda, 4 3 Tattvāratha-sútra, Umāsvāti, 1.4
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