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Illuminator of Jaina Tenets
[ Lustre IX
making the beneficiary independent of it not merely economically but intellectually and spiritually. A person who has adopted the career of a saintly monk must dedicate all his time and energy to spiritual development. If such a person is hampered by the want of barest necessities for preservation of life, his spiritual development will necessarily suffer a set-back. The aspirant to spiritual life must not take anything surplus or make a saving for the next day. Suffering of a fellow creature or even a lower animal may excite the pity of a charitably disposed person This may have a social value, that is, it may conduce to the promotion of social solidarity. But judged by the moral standard, it may not have any spiritual value. Misplaced charity also produces positive disvalue. The best and the worthiest act of charity is one which leads to a pure life of abstinence from injury to others and also from self-aggrandizement.
It may not be out of place to observe that India in ancient times was extremely fastidious in respect of charity. Beggars and robbers were put on the same level. In the time of the Mahabharata, cnly students who were leading celibate life and monks who had renounced all worldly ties were declared as fit recipients of alms (Santiparva, chap. 78, verse 22). Of course it is the duty of the state to help people who are victims of natural calamities such as earthquake, flood, cyclones and the like. But these acts of relief have more of social value and utility than spiritual worth. At any even spiritual charity and secular charity must not be measured by the same yardstick,
१८. सहयोगदानमुपकारः। 18. sahayogodānam upakāraḥ.
(Aph.) Beneficence consists in offering cooperation. (XVIII) १९. लौकिको लोकोत्तरश्च । 19. laukiko lokottaraś ca.
(Aph.) It can be mundane as well as supra-mundane. (XIX) २०. आत्मविकासकृल्लोकोत्तरः।
लोकोत्तरः-पारमार्थिक उपकारः, धर्मोपदेशादिरूपो निरवद्यदानादि
97 AT 1 20. ātmavikäsaksllokottaraḥ.
lokottarah-pāramārthika upakāraḥ, dharmopadeśādirupo niravadya-dānādirūpo vā.
(Aph.) The supra-mundane (beneficence) is for the uplift of the soul. (XX)
(Gloss) The supra-mundane, that is, the spiritual beneficence is of the nature of religious instruction and the like, or irreproachable charity and the like.
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