Jain System in Nutshell

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Nij Gyan Sagar Shiksha Kosh Santa MP

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where D is desires, passion, P or Karmic density. The religion has an objective to have H = infinity. The common man can only imagine the realisablity of such a condition. Hence, he feels his mission of worldly life to try to attain this goal. It is easily surmisable that it is easier (or harder?) to reduce the number of desires to the minimum or zero to attain H infinity, as the fulfilment of desires is virtually limited and constant. This is what the Jaina system postulates. This leads to mathematicisation, as stated before.
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10. The problem is how to reduce D or P in this increasingly possessionist world. The Jains seem to have the most rational, scientific and psychological way to effect this motive. It is based negativity-oriented positivism. This involves large number of voluntary controls along with cultivation of good number of positive virtues. This will lead to check influx or shed the karmas reducing their density to the desired effect.
Mahavira excelled even the twentieth century pychological advertising programs in pointing out the current living existence as one of worst to sell his idea of spiritualism, thus making it the best by following his path of inner and outer austerities to reduce the karmic density.
For betterment of life, he oreated a four-fold democratic setup of his congregation. He pointed out that betterment could be effected in three stages: (i) Common man or gross stage (ii) Pledged stage (iii) ascetic stage in gradual order. The first stage consists of cultivation of 8/35 basic rules of conduct (called Mula- or Marganusari gunas) involving alround honest dining and living for goodness and restraints on dietary nature (vegetarianism, undereating etc.). With this preliminary practice starts the second stage with practising five essential minor vows of love and peace, truth, honesty, socially limited sex and equitable distribution of wealth. They lead to a feeling of brotherhood among all living beings. Besides these five, there are seven supplementary vows involving limitations of movements, directions, consumable materials and food together with service of ascetics and people and restraint over sinful or avoidable activities. These are virtually practical extensions to the minor vows. The votary stage requires a daily routine involving six duties of (i) worship of the victors (ii) veneration of teachers (iii) self-study (of scriptures) (iv) restraints on diets and sensual activities (5) austerities (relaxation etc.) and (vi) charities of medicines, books, shelter and food. Besides these popular duties, practices of equanimity, expiation are also included in canons. It is these duties which have maintained the Jaina order and its different types of philanthropic activities for which the Jaina community is noted. These represent psychoanalytical and sociological lessons of Jain sytem.
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