Jain Journal 2004 01

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

Page 38

S.R. BANERJEE: UNDERSTANDING JAIN RELIGION
163
dhrtih ksamā damo steyani saucam indriya-nigrahah / dhir vidyā satyam akrodho dasakam dharma-laksanam// [6.92]
“ Contentment, forgiveness, self-control, non-stealing, purity (of mind), controlling of senses, intellect, knowledge, truth, non-anger (calmness) are the ten features of religion.”
And the same Manu in other context states briefly the essence of dharma which includes
ahiṁsā satyam asteyam saucam indriya-nigrahaḥ/ evam sāmāsikam dharmam cāturvarnye'bravīn Manuḥ//[10.63]
“Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, and purity (of mind), are, in brief, the basis of religion as said by Manu in the context of four castes.
The above mentioned qualities of religion are also propagated by the Jains in the forms of pañca-mahāvratas (ahimsā, non-injury, satya, truth, acaurya, non-stealing, brahmacarya, celibracy and aparigraha, non-accumulation of things), triguptis (vag-gupts, control of speech, kāya-gupti, control of body, and manogupti, control of mind), and pañca-samitis (īryā, care in walking, bhāṣā, care in speaking, eșaņā, care in accepting alms, ādāna-niksepa, care in taking up and setting down, and utsarga, care in excreting). These and many others are the basic things of Jain religion which one must acquire through right vision (or faith), right knowledge, and right conduct.
In the Mahābhārata also we often hear the terms like 'this is your dharma’and that is what you need to do as per your dharma'etc.
Every religion has its own beliefs or ways of living and that is what moulds one's life. It is to be noted in this connection that if you follow the doctrines of a particular group, then you belong to that faith. So whatever Mahāvīra and the later Jain teachers have put forth, they all come under the purview of Jainism, and if you believe in this philosophy, you are a Jain. This has been the cases throughout the ages. They were all kings or Ksatriyas, but during the course of their life they became disenchanted with their life and kingly status, and renounced this material world, crowning their sons as kings, who, in turn, also became Jain saints/monks in their life time.