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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXV, No. 3 January 2001
family. In undertaking any responsibility, he should always consider his strength and weaknesses. He should always keep his temperament, voice and appearance gentle and serene.
IV. The eight endeavours
He should always keep the company of noble people and admire their virtues. He should have compassionate attitude towards all and help everyone without selfishness. He should express gratitude to all who help him with humility.
A layman should have svādhyāya of holy texts everyday and he should listen to the discourses of monks and nuns. He should try to understand tattvas and meaning of dharma sāstras to know the path of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.
These virtues are prescribed so that a laity gains material prosperity and also spiritual advancement in his life. Thus we find that Jaina Acāryas have given very deep thought to practical day to day life of the laities. All these qualities will make a laity spiritually conscious and make his life peaceful and harmonious.
Practice for higher advancement
Those who want to rise higher in spiritual life, must follow five anuuratas (primary vows) prescribed for a householder which consists of partial observance of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity (to refrain from all illicit sexual relationships) and nonpossession. A householder should devote part of his time in dāna (charity), śila (virtuous life), tapas (austerity) and bhāvanā (purification of thoughts).
Non-violence
Non-violence is the sense of equality of all living creatures. If you feel that every soud is independent and autonomous you will never trample on its right to live. This leads you to compassion and kindness towards all living beings and results in harmony and peace in the world. The principle of non-violence in Jainism embraces not only human beings but also animals, birds, plants, vegetables and creatures of earth, air and water. It is the holy law of compassion extended to body, mind and speech of a living being. Lord Mahāvira says, "All living beings desire to live. They detest sorrow and death and desire a long and happy life. Hence one should not inflict pain on any creature, nor have any feeling of antipathy or enmity. One should be friendly towards all creatures." (Acāranga Sūtra, 1.2.3.4.)
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