Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 38

The Main Objective of Jainism: 3
: 31
history of class-conflict, but this concept is erroneous. No conscious and living being tends to continue in a state of conflict, it rather seeks to put an end to a conflict as it arises. Since, struggle or conflict is something to be get rid of, it cannot be regarded as the real nature of soul. The main drive of life is towards putting an end to mental tensions ( arising from external and internal stimuli ) and returning to a state of mental equanimity. That is why Jainism maintains that equanimity is the real nature of self and calls it Dharma. It is also true that in Jainism the basic aim of religious aspirations is to put an end to such mental disequilibriums or tensions as attachment, desire, passion, hatred and others and to attain a detached and dispassionate state of consciousness. Attachment and the sense of mine beget attraction and repulsion and cause mental tension or disturb equanimity of mind. An attached man identifies not-self as self, whereas an unattached and dispassionate person regards self as self and not-self as not-self and thus maintains mental equanimity.
According to Jainism the attainment of mental equanimity is the ultimate objective of man. It is in this state that consciousness can be free from constant flickerings and attain peace which again is a pre-condition for spiritual happiness which Jainism marks out as the goal of life and is possible alone in the state of equanimity. This comes down to the statement that the dispassionate stage of mind (vitarāgatā ) or the equanimity of mind itself is alone the goal of life. This state of consciousness is also known as a state of pure knowership (Sākṣibhāva or draṣṭābhāva ) which is the real nature of self and its attainment is the ultimate aim of life.
The Identity of Self with End and Means
In Jainism the aspirant, the end and the means are regarded as identical to self. Each member of the trinity is a manifes