Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 44

The Path of Liberation : 37
(v) Astikāya: firm belief in Punya and Papa, virtue and vice, re-birth, doctrine of Karma and the existence of soul. Six Places of Right Faith: In Jainism right faith (Samyakdarśana) consists in the recognition of six facts
(i) the soul exists,
(ii) the soul is eternal,
(iii) the soul is the doer of its deeds,
(iv) the soul is the enjoyer of the good or bad fruits of its deeds,
(v) the soul can attain liberation and
(vi) there is a way to liberation.
According to Jaina thinkers a firm conviction of these six principles is essential for the cultivation of right faith. The rightness of knowledge as well as conduct depends on the acceptance of these six principles which have pivotal position in Jaina religious ethics.
Eight Limbs of Right Faith: The Uttaradhyayana (28.31) and many other Jaina texts mention the eight limbs of right faith (Samyak-darśana ).
(i) Nihaśańkita : This quality is negatively explained as an absence of all sorts of doubt and positively as an unshaken belief in the Jaina doctrines.
(ii) Nihkārkṣita : It is explained as an absence of desire for worldly pleasures. A right believer should not hanker after worldly pleasures and material gains. Amṛtacandrasūri defined it also as an avoidence of one sided viewer's wrong beliefs (Mithya-darśana). A right believer should not cling to one-sided views of other faiths (Puruṣārtha-siddhyupāya, 24).
(iii) Nirvicikitsā: It means that one who possesses right belief should not exhibit a feeling of disgust to the selfabsorbed monks, who are not very particular about their bodily