Jaina Ethics

Author(s): Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 86

Metaphysical Background
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a monk, separately. It may, however, be pointed out that the list of moral virtues given above mentions ascetic and spiritual virtues mainly. As already pointed out this is due to the fact that Jaina thinkers do not mix up the science of spiritualism (adhyatmaśāstra) with sociology (samājasāstra) as some of the Hindu scriptures like Manusmrti have done.
Shedding of the accumulated karmic matter (nirjară)
Merely checking of the inflow of fresh karmic matter does not remove miseries unless the karmic matter already accumulated is also shed away. This, the Jainism believes, can be done by austerities.1 These austerities are in addition to what has been prescribed above under samvara. Austerities are external and internal. The external austerities include (i) fasting (ii) eating less than one's fill (iii) taking a secret vow to accept the food only if certain conditions, about which no one knows, are fulfilled, (iv) renouncing delicacies, (v) sitting and sleeping in lonely place and (vi) mortifying the body with mental equanimity.2 The internal austerities include: (i) expiation (ii) reverence (iii) service (iv) study (v) detachment and (vi) renunciation.3 All these austerities are propounded mainly with the monk's life in view and we shall take them one by one at proper places.
To sum up, it is through the activities of mind, body and speech, tinged with passion, that the karmic matter gets an inflow into the realm of soul. It is, therefore, obvious that when the self is absorbed in its own intrinsic, pure consciousness, shutting out the impure states of desire, aversion and delusion, the inflow of karmic matter does not take place. It is an ideal stage. The aspirant, if he has to act at all, should be very much alert against sinful tendencies in his daily routine.
As regards shedding of the previously accumulated karmans, Jainism prescribes performance of penance. This is based on the psychological law of habit. An old habit can be broken only by acting against it forcibly and purposely. Our
I.
Tattvärthasutra, 9.3. 2. Ibid., 9.19. 3. Ibid., 9.20.