Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation

Page 75

The Jaina Philosophy necessarily take place in all beings, but not even the tiniest animalcule can elevate itself to the higher stage of life unless and until voluntarily or involuntarily it throws off the impurities and gathers the subtler forces. Involuntarily this is done even by human beings. A low man living in a cultured family unconsciously gives up much of his gross nature and brings himself up to the polished physical level of those with whom he lives. Domesticated animals are the best illustration of this law of sacrifice. And in all such cases, with the giving up of lower nature, the individual souls become equipped with finer forces that they can use for reaching greater heights.
Now, the student of humanity observing the different mental conditions of different men and women finds them divided into three classes. The lowest are those who are gross, immoral, sluggish and ignorant; the middle class consisting of men and women living only for the gratification of the senses, that is, pleasures of the world, eating, drinking, fine dress, etc., and the higher class made up of people that devote time and energy for spiritual good, the majority belonging to the second class.
A person belonging to the lowest class desiring to elevate himself must take certain sacrifices, so also should one belonging to the second class. That which was formerly gross must now be ennobled. That which was greed must now be transmuted into an unflinching will to accomplish the spiritual good. That which was passion and lust must now be changed into a burning love for all. But this change is to be accomplished through the Law of Sacrifice.
From these considerations the ancient sages of India made certain rules for people who naturally, in the stage which they had reached, would keep self-gratification as an end and aim of life; in whom, in fact, the lower nature was so strong and powerful that nothing would set them to work except a desire
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