Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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thereby building a happy healthy society. Kārtikeyesvāmī went to the extent of sating that these contemplations can ultimately lead the practitioner to achieve bliss.
All declarations on human rights bring forth the concepts and doctrines of liberty, equality, absence of exploitation, compassion, forgiveness, ahiṁsā, discrimination based on caste, colour, creed or language etc. Jain religion gives an in-depth and well organized analysis of all these tendencies along with the needs and ways to give them up.
Liberty of the individual of the foundation of human rights. Similarly the basis of Jain religion is the soul which is independent and wants its liberation. According to Jainism, every living being in this world and all small atoms are independent. Foundation of Jainism is also personal liberation and equality.
According to Jain Beliefs, all living beings are substances, each with its own independent soul. It does not depend for its existence on any other substance and no other substance depends on it for their existence. With this view, living being is its own lord/go. Each living being is responsible or its uplift or downfall. Thus by nature the living beings are independent but they can express their independence as human being based on its efforts. Jains religions accordingly assign importance to the importance, dignity and wish all living beings. Jains believe that all substances are independent and are busy in their own nature and activities. Hence no substance to do anything for any other substance29 Pańcādhyāyī says that' substance is real, eternal, has its own identity and existence, self reliant and beyond perception. These an be compared, in the light of doctrine of human rights, to self cognition of the living being, fundamental independence, freedom to live and exist and its independent existence.30 Verse 95 of Pravacansāra and sūtra V-29-30 of Tattvārathsūtra also define independence of an entity. Jains belief that a living being is also an entity as it has the attributes of substantiality and of transformation (vastutva).
29 Yogasār Prabhāt. Amitigati verse 79-83 30 Pańcādgayāyī verse 8
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
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