Jaina Path of Ahimsa

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir Research Centre

Page 24

MOKSHA-MĀRGA ACCORDING TO JAINISM
From the basic principles of Jainism it is evident that the inherent powers of the soul are crippled by its association with Karmic matter and that is why we find every person in an imperfect state. The real and everlasting happiness will be obtained by a person only when the Karmas are completely removed from the soul and Jainism firmly believes thai even though man is imperfect at present, it is quite possible for him to rid himself of the Karmas by his own personal efforts without any help from an outside agency. The highest happiness is to escape from the Cycle of Births and Deaths and be a liberated soul, that is, to obtain Moksha. This world is full of sorrow and trouble and it is quite necessary to achieve the aim of transcendental bliss by a sure method.
When the goal has been fixed the next question arises regarding the way how to achieve that objective. To this question Jainism has a definite answer. It emphatically states that
सम्यग्दर्शनज्ञानचारित्राणि मोक्षमार्गः । Sanyag-darsana, i. e., right belief, Samyag-jñāna, i. e., right knowledge, and Samyak-charitra, i. e., right conduct together constitute the path to salvation. Right belief, right knowledge and right conduct are called Ratnatraya or the three jewels in Jaina works.
According to Jainism these three things must be present together to constitute the path to salvation. Since all the three are emphasised equally and since the Mokshamārga is impossible without the comprehension of all the three, it is obvious that Jainism is not prepared to admit anyone of these three in isolation as means of salvation. This position in Jainism is quite distinct from many religious faiths in India. For example, there are religious schools in Hinduism which lay all the emphasis on Bhakti, i. e., devotion, or on Māna, i. e., knowledge, or on Karma, i. e., moral conduct. The sect of Bhagavatas