ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 533

Because of attachment, one kills, tells lie, commits theft, indulges in sex and entertains desire for unlimited possessiveness.
The essence of wisdom is not to torture any body. Just know that non-violence consists in equanimity.
A vigilant person is non-violent, all others are violent.
No happiness with laziness, no knowledge with sleep, no detachment with possessiveness and non compassion with negligent activities.
A lamp lights hundreds of others lamps and himself also remains lighted; so are the preceptors; like a lamp they enlighten others and themselves also remain enlighten.
Know that the self is devoid of taste, colour, smell and word, unmanifest and possessed of consciousness, having no profane and physical structure.
I am neither the body, nor the mind, nor speech, nor their cause. Nor am I the agent, nor the inspirer nor the approver of the action.
The saints have proclaimed that vision, knowledge and conduct lead to liberation. They lead to liberation (if right) and to bondage (if wrong).
Just as a fetter, whether made of gold or iron, binds, similarly an action, whether good or bad, binds the person.
Yet, it is better to attain heaven by observance of vows and penance than to suffer in hell by violation. There is a lot of difference between the two one waiting in shade and the other in hot sun.
One knows the reality by knowledge, establishes faith in it by (right) vision, grasps it by conduct and purifies it by austerity.
Just as a lotus leaf remains aloof from water (even thought very much in it) by its very nature, the righteous person remains mentally unaffected by passions and objects of senses.
He is to be considered a person with right perspective, who with a detached mind does not aspire for the fruits of his actions or for the attributes of worldly objects.
He is the seeker of self, meritorious, self-controlled and observer of vows and penances who, not to speak of praise, does not aspire even for respect, worship or salutation (from others).
Knowledge is that by which reality is comprehended, mind is pacified, self is purified, and attachment is severed. Like for goodness is developed and sense of friendship is strengthened.
He knows all the scriptures who know the self as witness by nature is actually different from the impure body.
One, who knows the internal, knows the external and one who knows the external, knows the internal.
He, who knows one, knows all and one who knows all, knows one.
Character means withdrawal from the inauspicious and engagement in the auspicious. Of what use is the vast knowledge of scriptures for one who is characterless. Million of lighted lamps are useless for one without eyesight.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0