Jain Moral Doctrine

Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Vikas Mandal

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THE INDISPENSABLE ASSOCIATES OF ÇARITRA
Samyak-darśana. (1) The first of these is the 'Nihsankita'. A true believer has no doubt about the nature of a thing as taught by the competent authority. The Arhat, who is venerated as the all-knowing Lord by the Jainas, has taught, for example, that a thing has many aspects (Anekānta); a Jaina having faith in the Arhat's teaching has no doubt in his mind about the truth of what the Arhat has said-a doubt, for instance, of the sort, 'Is the nature of a thing just such as taught by the Arhat or is it not so?' (2) The second aspect of the right faith is that it is 'Niḥkānkşita'. It means that the true believer is perfectly disinterested and has no liking or predilection for anything whatsoever. He has, for instance, no attraction for enjoyment which this earth or the heavenly regions may promise nor has he any inclination towards any of the doctrines which lay emphasis on one particular aspect of reality, however attractive these one-sided views may be. (3) In the third place, the right belief is characterised by 'Nirviçikitsā'. The man of true faith has no feeling of natural repulsion towards any object, however dirty or unclean it may be, nor towards any form of subjective experience, however painful it may be, e.g., hunger, thirst, cold or heat. (4) The Samyaktva is marked by 'Amūdha-drști'. This attitude consists in not accepting as true the false doctrines preached by unwise and interested persons, and in adopting a critical attitude towards them from the stand-point of the true religion of the true faith. (5) A true believer has the feature, called the 'Upagühana'. It means that he has the tendency towards an ever-increasing selfculture in him through the practice of humility, simplicity etc. and refraining from exposing the drawbacks of others. (6) The sixth characteristic of Samyaktva is 'Sthitikaraña'. When passions of anger etc. drive away the believer or any other person from the path of rectitude, the man of right faith attempts to call him back and put him once more on the right track, through the study of scripture and employment of reason. (7) "Vātsalya' is the next feature of right faith. It is a spirit of fond affection for a course of conduct which is based on non-violence and which leads one to the blissful state of the final liberation for himself and for all people
no practise that course of pure conduct. (8) The last but not the least of the aspects of right faith is called the 'Prabhāvana'. It implies that a true believer develops his own self through the realisation in him of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct on the one hand and on the other, he presents in its best aspect, the true religion of the Jaina (not by simple preaching but by practising charity, penance etc. etc.).
From what has been said above the nature and features of right
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