ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 245

2.1 Definitions of Samyagdar ana Samyagdar ana is rendered as right belief or right faith or right attitude or right conviction. From the real point of view, samyagdar ana means a sense of realization of self. From practical point of view samyagdar ana means a firm belief in the fundamental principles of Jainism, as propounded by Jinas. Vyavah ra samyagdar ana i.e. practical point of view may be said to be the means of ni caya samyagdar ana i.e. real point of view. Nature of samyagdar ana as defined and expressed by different c ryas in their works is given as follows:
The Uttar dhyayana defines samyaktva as belief in the nine categories. In the Dar anap huda, Kundakunda also defines samyagdar ana as a firm belief in the six substances and nine categories.? In Moksap huda, he expresses the same idea in different words by defining samyagdar ana as belief in the dharma devoid of violence, in faultless deity and the way of life, prescribed by the omniscients. In Niyamas ra, samyagdar ana is explained as a belief in liberated souls, Jaina scriptures and Jaina principles." In Mul c ra, the samyagdar ana is defined as belief in nine categories.
Sv mik rtikeya added belief in non-absolutism as a condition for samyagdar ana He held that the nature of nine categories cannot be rightly ascertained without the help of pram na and naya
Um sv ti, who is followed by Am tacandr c rya and Nemicanda Siddh ntacakravarti, defines samyagdar ana as belief in the seven predicaments of Jainism.'
Samantabhadra defines samyagdar ana as a belief in true deities, true scriptures and true teachers as against the three follies of belief in pseudo-deva, 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 r vak c ra says that, in addition to belief in the seven predicaments, samyagdar ana 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:
Pra ama or ama Calmness or tranquility
Samvega
Absence of hankering
Anukamp
Compassion
stikya
Belief in the existence of soul forever, karman etc.
Right belief is the starting point of the life of a r vaka (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 prescribed for a layman, sr vaka, in Jainism is inspired by the 5 criterions of belief / faith noted above:
1. An excited person, who becomes the victim of his own ill-considered actions, and is
overcome by such negative ideas as that of rage, hatred and jealousy, cannot focus his energies with a single-minded devotion to the purpose of liberation. The calmness comes
from the realization of the true aim of life. 2. A true aspirant of liberation is not only detached from all worldly pleasures but is also afraid
of them because these allurements can take him away from the right path. This is called samvega and comes from the realization of the fact that happiness comes from within and
not from without, hence he remains absent of hankering. 3. A right believer is not a bigoted, hard-hearted and bitter man but has respect for all, willing
to let others lead a happy life, and has tendency of proving helpful in the miseries of others.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0