ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 46

permanent and impermanent, the similar and dissimilar, the co-existence of one and many and the identical and different co-exist in any object. Jains describe there doctrine as of bheda abheda i.e. identity in difference. Similarly the government (treasury benches) and the opposition co-exist in any form of government.
b. Relativity: If we see our own world, we see we are related to each other as brother/ sister / father / mother / son / daughter / friend, coworker / neighbor etc. etc. We see hardly anybody who exists just on his own. Similarly we find that night follows day, Monday follows Sunday, smaller than or hotter than etc statements indicating relativity of existence. Anek nta, as indicated above also propagates relativity of even opposites co-existing. This principle is very important in our life as it makes us accept views and existence of others even though they are opposed to our own. 'Parasparograho jv n i.e. living beings originate, develop and exist with the co-operation of other living beings is the important doctrine of Jains.
c. Reconciliation: It is the quest for unity between two apparently different characteristics of a substance. Characteristics, which differ, are not altogether different. Only using the two viewpoints namely absolute and practical and not just one, one can bring about reconciliation. Insistence on just one viewpoint as the complete truth is the basis of all conflicts. Thus the feeling 'I alone exist' disappears and gives rise to 'we exist'. Thus to establish the whole truth about an entity (which has almost infinite attributes) is not possible for individuals like us: only an omniscient can know them all. However for him, it is impossible to express it simultaneously. Therefore Jains established Sy dav da, the conditional dialectic, as the method of expressing the whole truth sequentially by emphasizing that the sentence being spoken does not represent the whole truth i.e. it represents only the partial truth.
3.0. Worldly M hav ra classified his followers in two categories, namely:
rama as or monks / ascetics who wish to lead a totally detached life and work 100 percent of their time for the attainment of omniscience and emancipation.
r vakas or householders who wish to carry on their worldly pursuits keping his teachings in mind and practice; slowly move towards the ideal of leading a monk's life at some time in future.
For r vakas, he asked them to observe 5 mini vows (a uvratas), six essential duties and avoidance of basic sins from their life. Further he says that we should practice the vows according to our capacity and inclination so that we can practice them comfortably and gradually enhance their severity. Further he talked of practice with confessing one's nonimplementation of vows and start all over again (chedopasth niya conduct). The main sermons for common man was to atleast keep his thoughts pure and knowingly not commit any sin.
The prayer, widely known as Meri Bh van (My prayer) by Jugal Kishore Mukht ra, recited by most of the Jains on regular basis sums up the practice of M hav ra's teachings by common men/women.
4.0 Relevance today As said in the preamble, the state of affairs of the world is similar to what was in M hav ra's time except that the knowledge level of material world and the scientific discoveries have given even common men the benefit of prosperity also. Today we are more materialistic in our outlook and feel that accumulation and consumption of wealth is the only way to gain happiness. No doubt material wealth is essential to lead a comfortable life but it is not the all-encompassing cause of happiness. There is a famous saying," If life were thing money can buy, the poor won't live and the rich won't die'. We are seeing that material prosperity generates problems of ecology imbalance, economic
Page 36 of 556
STUDY NOTES version 4.0