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Jaina Acāra : Siddhānta aura Swarūpa
111 (25) "Mahāpratyākhyāna'-It is total abstinence from causing injury to living beings. Sin and bad character are condemnable. Freedom from attachment is praiseworthy. Sins and transgressions must be eschewed. The world can give no protection, since the more you satisfy sensual cravings the stronger they become. You must not desire worldly gain as a reward for austerities. There must be strong urge for emancipation. Should the desireless will power be strong, emancipation is possible without any rebirth. Otherwise it takes about eight births for an average devotee to be liberated.
(26) Bhaktaparijnā-The true worship is to obey the Lord. There are three kinds of wise death : Bhaktaparijnā, Ingini and Padapogamana. The first is either with thought or without thought. Those alone who have right faith and conviction are entitled to emancipation. Karmas stick to the person without right faith. To steady the unsteady mind is to be free from the poison of sexual craving. Violence is not to be thought of. It ensures rebirth at least in a pious family.
(27) Sanstāraka-Jainism has given great importance to passionless voluntary death. It's no use wailing and lamenting on the approach of death. Live cheerfully and die still more cheerfully. Death is a certainty, so why not welcome it? All voluntary death (not suicide) ennobles both life and its passing away. As Meru among mountains, Swayambhūramana among oceans, and the moon among stars are the best, so also voluntary but passionless death surpasses all others. In the past times those who took recourse to it were Aranikaputra, Sukausola, Avanti, Kartikārya, Canakya, Amstaghoas, Cilatiputra, Gajasukumāla etc. During such state of pure meditation the dying man asks forgiveness of all, thus attenuating the intensity of Karma. Three more births ensure his liberation.
(28) Gacchācāra-He who cares for his spiritual welfare should continue to belong to his group of ascetics lifelong, since it facilitates his spiritual endeavours. He who violates the ascetics' conduct and does not expiate even when instructed by his good teacher and thus remains impure is treated as an enemy by his teacher. If the teacher himself goes astray, it is his disciple's duty to bring him round. If he fails to do it, he is no less an enemy of his teacher. The Acārya must practise good conduct. Only then he can inspire his disciples. But if he sets a bad example by himself adopting some wrong course loses his claim to liberation. The effect of ignoring the bad conduct of his monks and nuns means his degradation. 'Gacha' or a group of ascetics governs them by do's and dont's. It signifies annihilation of past actions and non-production of new ones. It becomes an ideal one if some of its members should be well-versed in scriptures.
Where old nuns go to bed later than the young ones and the latter later than the former, there is probability of their being of right conviction,
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