________________
13
superior to the attainment of Swarga, viz. plenitude of happiness.
The most prominent teaching of Jainism is the Mokshamarga, otherwise known as Ratna Traya. The three jewels are Right Belief, Right Knowledge, and and Right Conduct (Samyak Darshan Jnan Charitrani Moksha Margah) Not any of the three in isolation, but all of them combined are declared to be essential for Perfection. In plain language, it emphasises harmony and coordination between Heart, Head and Hand. The modern man with his undue stress on the intellect ignores the first element of this Triad Viz. Right Belief.
What is Right Belief? Belief appears when the intellect fails to function. The central problem of man is: Who am I? The primary condition for the functioning of the intellect is the dichotomy of I and not-I. The intellect identifies the I with the body, and since one body is different from another, one body's I must be different from another body's I. It finds in the Ego the unity of the universe, but experience proves that that unity is faced by other unities. It is Ekam Sadwitıyam, not Ekam ewa