Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 52

The Path of Liberation : 45
"Conduct is dharma, dharma is equanimity and equanimity means that state of self which is free from delusion and mental tension. From the practical point of view right conduct means the adoption of such rules of discipline as prescribed in Agamas."
Every conduct or action has two aspects : (i) extrinsic and (ii) intrinsic, which are traditionally called as dravya and bhāva respectively. In Jainism external rightness of an action is to be decided in relation with the others. In other words, external rightness of an action depends upon its outer social results. If an action results in the wellbeing of others or cultivates social good from the practical or extrinsic view-point it is called good or right. But the intrinsic purity or righteousness of an action depe- nds on the intention or motive of the doer. It is the purity of intention or motive, not the external results, that makes an action intrinsically good or bad. Acārya Kundakunda mentions :
Maradu vā jivadu vājivo, ayadācarassa nicchidā himsā. Payadassa ņatthi bandho, hiṁsāmettena samidassa.
( Pravacana-sāra, 3. 17) A person behaving carelessly with a passionate mind incurs the sin of causing injury, whether actual injury results or not; but on the other hand there will be no bondage of sin to one who is impassionate and firm in the observance of carefulness (Samiti ), even if injury results by his conduct ( because there is mental purity ). Prof. J. N. Sinha also rightly puts the Jaina-view in his famous book Indian Philosophy. He says: the Jaina ethics emphasises purity of motive as distinguished from consequences of actions. It considers an action to be right if it is actuated by a good intension ( abhisandhi ), thought it leads to unhappiness of others. It considers an action to be wrong if it is actuated by a bad intention though it leads to happiness of others. An intention is pure, when it is devoid of attachment, aversion, delusion and passions. It is impure when it is distre