________________
[ 32 ]
acquire the capability of comprehending the nature of things including the self, one has first to clear his mind of all passions and emotions like infatuation, delusion, attachment, aversion, hatred, greed, anger, pride and deceitfulness, and above all, the lusts of the flesh. All the penances, austerities and bodily discipline are practised with the sole aim of making the soul master of the body. The pampered body can never carry the soul across the ocean, that is, Samsara.
To the Jains 'man is the measure of all things'. He is more favoured than the gods, for no god can attain nirvana without being born as a man. Man himself is therefore God in the making, no extra-cosmic being need be worshipped or believed in. Perfection and bliss lie inherent in oneself waiting to be made manifest. That though evil exists and is very real, it can be overcome by one's spiritual force, is the eternal hope that enlivens human efforts for liberation. The pursuer of the path should aim at and exert himself for acquiring the capacity to overcome the limitations of bodily nature by the aspirations of his spiritual nature. Even the worship of the Jinas or Tirthankaras is recommended, not because they can help the worshipper in or hinder him from working out salvation, but because of the inherent power of all forms of true worship to elevate the soul of the worshipper, just as giving away in charity alone is good for the giver.
The path to liberation or Moksha consists in the Triratna or Three Jewels: Samyak-darśana (Right Faith), Samyak-jnana (Right Knowledge) and Samyak-charitra (Right Conduct), the first of these implying profound faith in Deva (the liberated souls), Sastra (the scriptures expounded by the Kevali Jinas) and the Guru (Nirgrantha ascetics). The four saranas or places of refuge are the Arhamttas (Jinas or kevalins), the Siddhas (liberated bodyless pure souls), the Sadhus (Nirgrantha ascetics) and the Dharma as expounded by the Kevalins. Pramoda, maitri, Karunya and madhyasthata are the four noble aspirations. The five most worshipful personages are the Arhartas, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas and Sadhus. The five sins to be shunned and
وم سوم
