Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 26

The Main Objective of Jainism : 19
traditions unanimously hold that the root cause of sorrow is attachment, lust or a sense of mineness, but the fulfilment of desires is not the means of ending them. Though a materialistic perspective can provide for material prosperity, it cannot make us free from attachments and yearnings. Our materialistic outlook can be compared to our attempt of chopping the branches off while watering the roots of a tree. In the above mentioned gāthā it is clearly pointed out that desires are endless just as space (Akāśa ) and it is very difficult to fulfil all of them. If mankind is to be freed from selfishness, violence, exploitation, corruption and affliction stemming from them, it is necessary to outgrow materialistic outlook and to develop an attitude, which may be described as spiritual.
The word Adhyātma, the Saṁskrta equivalent of spirituality derived from adhi + ātmā, implies the superiority and sublimity of Atmā, the soul force. In the oldest Jaina text Ācārānga we find the word ajjhathavisohi, which connotes, inner purity. According to Jainism, the realisation of physical amenities or creature comforts is not the ultimate aim of life. There are some higher ideals of life which are over and above the mere biological and economic needs of life. Spirituality consists in realising these higher values of life.
Jaina spirituality teaches us that happiness or unhappiness is centred in the soul and not in worldly objects. Pleasure and pain are self-created. They are subjective in nature also. They do not depend totally on the objects, but depend also on the attitude of a person towards them. The Uttarādhyayanasūtra mentions :
Appā kattā vikattā ya, duhāņa ya suhāņa ya Appā mittamamittam ca, duppatthiya-supatthio. (20.37)
That the self (ātmā) is both the doer and the enjoyer of happiness and misery. It is its own friend when it acts righteously