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Jaina Path of Purification (Liberation)
93
Though the body is impure, we cannot afford to remain indifferent to or careless about it. We should not neglect our body. We should properly maintain it. We should take proper care of it. (In maintaining it and taking its care, proper self-control is not lost sight of.) We should use it in the performance of good and benevolent acts. Instead of employing it in doing even a single evil act, we should employ it in doing good and wholesome acts alone. Its good use brings us happiness, peace and welfare, gradually puts us on the right path leading to liberation, and helps us progress on the path faster. This is the reason why it is regarded as the prime instrument of religion. Sarīram adyam khalu dharmasādhanam.
In view of science, the body is such a 'machine' that separates the useless and unessential substances from what we eat and drink and then discards them and retains the essential and useful ones. Thus, it discards impure substances and retains the proper ones. So, who will say that it is not a useful instrument of living? When forgetting benevolent activity, social welfare and spiritual elevation, one uses it in sensual pleasures, it becomes really impure; none should tolerate such type of impurity and it should be immediately removed. This is the noteworthy point in connection with the reflection on impurity. In other words, the objective of this reflection is to reduce and remove one's attachment for one's body, which causes neglect of soul and spiritual welfare. If one with proper selfcontrol performs good and virtuous acts and remains always engaged in doing good to others, his body no longer remains impure, but on the contrary becomes pure as it leads one on the pure path of spiritual welfare; people desirous of spiritual welfare consider it to be pure to such an extent that they devotionally touch and worship the feet, parts of the body, regarding the touch of the feet as purifying.
(7) Reflection on āsrava (Inflow of the karmic matter) Contemplation on the conditions of the bondage of the karmic matter with soul or on the causes of miseries or on the evil consequences following from attachment to sensual pleasures is called the reflection on asrava.
(8) Reflection on samvara (stoppage of the inflow of the karmic matter) Contemplation on the ways and means of the removal of the causes of the inflow of karmic matter as also of the causes of miseries is called the
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