Jaina Ethics

Author(s): Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 22

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A state of self-absorption, with inner awakening, is the highest moral ideal. This lofty ideal of transcendental morality should, however, be no excuse for obliteration of distinction between vice and virtue. The supra-ethical plan of life can be realised only by persons with higher spiritual attainments, who have dived deep into the realm of self..
Everybody should aspire for this lofty ideal but with due consideration to one's limitations. At the initial stage, the force of habit does not allow the aspirant to remain selfabsorbed. Here he is required to be vigilant, lest he should go astray. Pujyapāda says that virtuous life is definitely to be preferred to licentiousness, for it is better to wait, if we have to wait at all, in the cool shade rather than in the hot sun.' Thus the distinction of good and bad is not to be totally obliterated. The path of virtuous activities, leading to worldly and heavenly pleasures, is known as śubhopayoga, as against the path of transcendental morality, known as Suddhopayogi. As we shall deal with this problem in a later chapter separately, we may here point out only this that the above mentioned emphasis on the transcendental morality in Jainism has made it highly spiritualistic and individualistic. Dharma as a means to wordly prosperity (artha and kāma), as mentioned by the Mahābhārata,a does not occupy an eminent position in Jainism. The problem of ethics-removal of misery
The problem of ethics has been differently stated by different schools of Indian philosophy. These schools can be broadly classified under the following three heads :
(i) Those who are mainly concerned with the enjoyments of this world and the world beyond, but are silent about the concept of liberation. This is the older tradition of the Vedas represented by Pūrvamimāṁsā school.
1. a aa a aa, arata arrain छायातपस्थयोर्भेदः, प्रतिपालयतोर्महान् ॥
- Istopadeśa, Bombay, 1954, verse 3. . 2. धर्मादर्थश्च कामश्च स किमर्थन सेव्यते ॥
-Mahābhārata, Poona, 1933, 18.5.62.