ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 369

Truth and non-violence are co- related to each other. Truth is God. The whole world rests on the anchor of truth. The four passions (Kashayas) anger, pride, maya and greed are to be controlled. Greed may lead to speaking of untruth. So speaking truth may save a person from greed, for greedy person will resort to tell lie to get and amass more and more wealth or whatever may be the object.
Uttarpurana gives a beautiful story of a person Satyaghosha, who always kept a knife in his thread chain wearing in his neck. Whenever asked he would say that he always spoke the truth and if ever he spoke untruth he would cut his tongue with the knife. Now see the greed of Satyaghosha. His fast friend came and kept his jewellery box with him as he was going out of station for six months. But when he came back and asked for the ornament box, he asked him to dig and collect from the place where he put them. There was nothing. The friend went to the king. The king ordered Satyaghosha to surrender his jewellery before the king. The king mixed some royal jewels in the box and asked the victim to take his ornaments. This man immediately collected his ornaments. Satyaghosha accepted his crime. Satyaghosha had committed breach of faith only for wealth. What we can say about this truth upholder Satyaghosha?
It may be concluded that only truth wins and not the lie (Satyameva Jayate Nanrtam). A truthful person is always happy and peaceful (Rtasya Gopa Dabhav). "May there be always truth in my heart" (Akuti Satya Manso Meatsu).
• Supreme Restraint (Uttama Samyam)
Restriction is to control over desires which go on and go on and never satisfied. But a person who keeps his mundane carnal desires under control remains always contented. A self-disciplined person devoid of worldly pleasures is not over powered by anger, pride and deception. Without discipline, it is useless to wish for the attainment of good traits.
Restraint is the base for all the human activities of a person. In the vehicles there are brakes to check the speed in the same way there is restraint to control over the activities - mental, vocal and physical. These three activities are known as (Kayavagng manah Karmyogha), our five senses they take a person to their different destinations as we are the slaves of these senses. Control over the senses is the greatest victory of a person. Even the taste of one sense can destroy a person. A deer is killed for his love to music; a cobra is caught for his interest in musical sound, an elephant due to his pleasure in physical touching, fish due to its taste and the black bee for its addiction to smell. What to speak of a person who is addicted to the taste of all the senses.
There is always boundary to protect the field, the house, the same way there must be restraint on the activities of a person. The internal and external restraint always helps people in their lives. Antarang and Bahiranga restraint both constitute the virtues of glory to a person. His rise in worldly progress and spiritual development make him righteous person. He is an uncrowned king with highest perfection in life.
The great scholar Banarasi Das in his nataka Samaysara says, "Gyanakala jinake ghata jagi, ve jagmahi sahaja viragi, gyani Magana vishaya sukhamahi, yaha viparita sambhave nahi", those people who have developed the highest knowledge of restraint in their hearts they can easily tread over the path of detrachment (Vairagya) and if otherwise he makes merry in sensual pleasures he is not to be called the high souled. It means he is deceiving the people in his deceitful garb of restraint.
Gandhiji went to England to participate in Round Table Conference. There he met political dignitaries. Gandhiji was asked to tell the qualities of good leader. Gandhiji told to control over self and to remember God at every step.
Pandit Todar Mal says, "to follow non-violence, truth, non-theft, celibacy, non-attachment and to control over anger, pride, maya and greed is itself restraint observance - Sanyam.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0