Jain Journal 1974 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 35

APRIL, 1974
'Well, sir, take off all your clothes and declare : I belong to nobody and nobody belongs to me.'
173
According to this statement, the duties of a Nigantha layman became during certain days equal to those of a monk; it was on common days only that the difference between a layman and monk was realized.
Comparing this rule with that of present-day observances of the Jaina, throughout these specified days, we seem to see that Jaina have abated somewhat in their rigidity with regard to the duties of a layman.
Also Buddhaghosa says that the Nigantha hold the opinion that 'the soul has no colour, in contradistinction to the Ajivika, who divide mankind into six classes according to the colour of the soul (Atman).' Both Nigantha and Ajivika, however, agree that 'the soul continues to exist after death and is free from ailments (aroga)'.
Again, Buddhaghosa says that Nigantha Nataputta considers cold water to be possessed of life, for which reason he does not use it. This is of course a wellknown doctrine of the Jaina.
Leading Jaina Doctrines of To-day
We do not intend to discuss all the present-day doctrines of the Jaina, which constitute the philosophy of their system, but only a few of the leading tenets. According to original authorities, all objectssensible or abstract-are arranged under nine categories, termed Tattva (truths or existences).
I. Jiva or 'life', is reducible to two classes. The first comprises animals, men, demons, and gods; the second, all combinations of the four elements-earth, water, fire, air-and all the products of the vegetable kingdom. These are further arranged into five classes, according to the number of Indriya they possess. It is a peculiarity of the Jaina notions of life, that it is always adapted to the body it animates, diminishing with the gnat and expanding with the elephant. Life is defined, generically, as having no beginning or ending, but endowed with its own attributes of agent and enjoyer, proportionate to the body it animates. Through sin it passes into animals, through virtue and vice combined it passes into men, through virtue alone it ascends to heaven; through the annihilation of both vice and virtue it obtains emancipation.