Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 85

78: An Introduction to Jaina Sadhanā
our age and to establish peace and harmony in the world. Non-attachment and Regard for Other's Necessities
As I have already mentioned that most burning problem of our age is the problem of mental tensions. The nations, who claim more civilised and economically more advanced are much more in the grip of mental tensions. The main objective of Jainism is to emancipate man from his sufferings and mental tensions. First of all we must know that what is 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 the our attachment towards worldly objects. It is the attachment, which is fully responsible for them. The famous text Uttarādhyayana-sūtra ( 32/9) mentions, "The root of all sufferings physical as well as mental, of every body including gods, is attachment towards the objects of worldly enjoyment." It is the attachment, which is the root cause of mental tensions.
If mankind is to be freed from mental tensions it is necessary to grow a detached outlook in life. Jainism believes that the lesser will be the attachement the greater will be the mental piece. It is only when attachment is vanished, the human mind will be free from mental tensions and emotional disorders. Jainism preaches the vow of complete non-possession for the ascetics and the vow to limit ones own possession for the householders, which are technically called as aparigraha-mahāvrata and parigraha-parimāṇa-vrata respectively.
Non-violance or Regard for Life
Samatā or equanimity is a personal or inner aspect of our religious life, when it is applied in the social life or it is practised outwardly, it becomes non-violence. Thus non-violence is a social or outer aspect of our religious life. In Acārānga Lord Mahāvira gives another definition of religion. He remarks - "The worthy men of the past, present and the future all say thus,