International Jain Conference 1985 3rd Conference

Author(s): Satish Jain, Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Ahimsa International

Page 201

from constant flickerings, excitements and emotional disorders and mind becomes equanimous. It is the pre-condition for enjoying spiritual happiness and the way. to get freedom from mental tensions, which are the Vibhavas or the impure states of our mind. This state of pure knowership is known in Jainism as Samayika which is the same as the equanimity of mind. This shows that our real nature is working in us for mental peace or equanimity and religion is a way of achieving this mental peace. According to Jainism the duty of a religious order is to explain the means by which man can achieve the equanimity of mind or mental peace.
The main objective of Jainism is to emancipate man from worldly sufferings and mental tensions. First of all we must know the cause of these mental tensions. For, Jainism, the basic human sufferings are not physical, but mental. These mental sufferings or tensions are due to our attachment towards worldly objects. It is the attachment, which is fully responsible for them. The famous Jaina Text, Uttaradhyayanasutra mentions. "The root of all sufferings-physical as well as mental, of everybody including gods, is attachment towards the objects of worldly enjoyment". It is the attachment, which is the root cause of mental tensins. Only a detached attitude towards the objects of worldly enjoyment can free mankind from mental tensions. According to Lord Mahavira to remain attached to sensuous objects is to remain in the whirl. He says-misery is gone in the case of a man who has no delusion, while delusion is gone in the case of a man who has no desire desire; is gone in the case of a man who has no greed, while greed is gone in the case of a man who has no attachment. The efforts made to satisfy the human desires through material objects can be likened to the chapping off of the branches while watering the roots. Thus we can conclude that the lust for and the attachment towards the objects of worldly pleasure is the sole cause of human suffering.
If mankind is to be freed from mental tensions, it is necessary to grow a detached outlook in life. Jainisn believes that the lesser will be the attachment the greater will be the mental peace. It is only when attachment is vanished that the human mind will be free from mental tensions and emotional disorders. For this Jainism preaches the vow of complete non-possession for the ascetics and the vow to limit one's own possession for the householders, which are technically called as Aprigrahamahavrata and prigrapha-parimana-vrata respectively.
(2) Samata or equanimity is a personal or inner aspect of our religious life, when it is applied to the social life or when it is practised outworldly, it becomes Non-violence. Thus non violence is a social or outer aspect of our religious life. Thus in the Acaranga, Lord Mahavira gives another definition of religion. He remarks: "Living creatures should not be slain. should not be governed, should not be enslaved and should not be tormented. This is the pure, eternal and unchangeable Law or the tenet of religion". In other words, non-violence is the eternal
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