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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Svarupa
The Jaina philosophers have said that hellish beings are dominated by anger, mankind by pride, animals and sub-human beings by deceit and the gods by greed. Money is a means of exchange, otherwise currency notes and the like have no independent value. Who would value money if it cannot purchase things. There was a time when currency notes of one, five and ten thousand rupees were in circulation. Since those of the highest denomination are no more legal, they are just pieces of paper to be thrown into a waste-paper basket.
People spend money like anything for beautiful women, power, status and immortalising their names by getting them engraved on slabs of stone and the like.
An avaricious person always suppresses anger and ignores all insult and humiliation. Like Yogis, he is capable of self-control but never parts with money. Abuses don't matter if they fetch money. His heart never melts at others' sufferings and he does not feel shy in stretching his hands to the lowliest person,
Pride, deceit and greed stay much longer than anger, but when greed is annihilated, other passions are sure to be attenuated. Anger, pride and deceit subsist up to the tenth stage of spiritual development. In the eleventh and twelfth very little of greed sticks. In the last phase of the twelfth, greed vanishes like camphor. While living one can be omniscient but only when he is heartily detached.
(5) Satya - It holds the second place in the list of vows as also in that of self-regulations and restraint of body, speech and mind. Silence is golden, but when it be essential to speak, speak sweetly and to the point, without wasting words. When to speak and not to speak have been considered. Speech is material but truth is related to Self. Words are only manifestation of the spiritual force. Truth has one face but falsehood is hydraheaded. Truth is unprejudiced, dispassionate and with no trace of attachment or aversion.
It is essential to know the truth before speaking. From the practical point of view it is easy enough to speak the truth but to tell a lie, a thousand lies have to be manipulated. Falsehood can be made credible for some time only and that too in the garb of truth. If you do not know a thing as it is, it is better to keep your mouth shut. Truth should be one's second nature. Only then it shall remain constant and always unsullied.
(6) Samyama - There is no self-restraint without right attitude. The sense-organs and their objects are in readiness to pounce upon the unwary aspirant. Gods give a free rein to their passions and are envious of man's lot in so far as he is capable of controlling passions. It is not enough to be houseless and practise some routine penances. What if the head is shaved when the reign of passions is held in high esteem. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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