Jain Journal 2004 01

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

Page 13

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JAIN JOURNAL VOL-XXXVIII, NO. 3 JAN. 2004
no word to comprehend him."24 These and such other religious statements acknowledge the presence and functioning of many religions and ideologies.
Jainism is clear about the root cause of evil, especially division, disunity and conflict among people. It is carnality: "Stupefied by the acute torments caused by tempting passions, a sensual person dwells in mundane existence.25 The self suffers from the five causes of bondage: "the absence of right faith, discipline, negligence, passions and receives into itself physical particles liable to become karma."26 Hence a Jain could only be compassionate to all living beings, a needed attitude for any social engagement.
The Jaina community is aware that the goal and function of their religion is liberation. They believe that their religion is the religion of the Tirthankara or Supreme Lord, "who is adorable, endowed with omniscience, uncontaminated by human infirmities, immaculate and pure, devoid of any desire whatsoever, without beginning, middle, or end, and uniquely benevolent. And true scripture, which flows spontaneously out of the Supreme Lord, is irrefutable, is salutary for the well-being of all kinds of beings, is capable of undermining the perverse path, and reveals the objective nature of things." Hence the Tirthankaras are a boon not only to the Jains but also for all.
Their religion is for the loving service of humanity. Hence it would advocate "benevolence towards all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved."28 It would hail charity as the spring of virtue: "to be moved at the sight of the thirsty, the
24. Acārāngasūtra 5. 123-40, Quoted in Muni Mahendra Kumar, trans. Acarangasutra, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1081
25. Acarangasūtra 2.1-3, Ibid.
26. Acarangasutra 8.1-2, Quoted in Tattvärthasutra of Vacaka Umāsvāti: Comm. by Sanghvi Sukhlala, K.K. Dixit (trans.), L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedbad, Second Edition April 2000.
27. Samantabhadra, Ratnakaranṇḍaśrāvakāvakācāra 7-10, Quoted in K.C. Sogani, Ethical Doctrines in Jainism, Jain Sam. Samraksaka Sangh, 1967 28. Tattvärthasutra 7.11, Quoted in S.A. Jain, trans. Reality, Vira Shasan Sangha, Calcutta, 1960