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Jaina Ethics and Miscellaneous Customs and Manners
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based on a sacred book of non-human origin. On the contrary, it is a religion of purely human origin and it has emanated from the mouth of a dignitary who has secured the omniscience and self-control by his own personal efforts. In short, Jainism is the substance of preachings of dignitaries who have attained the state of Jinas'.1
3. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF JAINISM The fundametal principles of Jainism are considered to be as follows: (i) The first fundamental principle of Jainism is that man's
personality is dual, that is, material and spiritual. Jaina philosophy regards that every mundane soul is bound by subtle particles of matter known as Karma from the very beginning. It considers that just as gold is found in an alloyed form in the mines, in the same way mundane souls are found along with the Karma-bondage from time eternal.3 The impurity of the mundane soul
is thus treated as an existing condition. . . (ii) The second principle that man is not perfect is based on
the first. The imperfectness in man is attributed to the existence of Karma in his soul. The human soul is in a position to attain perfection and in that true and eternal state it is endowed with four characteristics, viz., Anantadarśana, Anantajnāna, Anantavīrya and Anantasukha, i.e., infinite perception or faith, infinite knowledge, infinite power and infinite bliss. : Even though man is not perfect," the third principle states that by his spiritual nature man can and must control his material nature. It is only after the entire subiugation of matter that the soul attains perfection, freedom and happiness. It is emphatically maintained that man will be able to sail across the ocean of births and achieve perfection through the control of senses
and thought. (iv) The last basic principle stresses that it is only each indi
vidual that can scientifically separate his own soul and the matter combined with it. The separation cannot be effected by any other person. This means that man
