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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
vicious conduct causes his fall and degradation, while his virtuous conduct causes his rise and progress. His righteous conduct is his saviour. There is no other saviour. And for becoming righteous he has not to wait for the descent of God's grace on him. It is certainly always there for him. Undoubtedly, he becomes happy as soon as he becomes righteous. It may so happen that due to the force of past evil activities there befalls him miseries and calamities during his present practice of righteousness. But if he remains firm and steadfast in the eternal path of righteousness, then he no doubt gradually develops into a perfect soul, attains liberation from all miseries and achieves perfect peace.
In the world, the wicked persons indulge in evil activities. Why? Is it because God's grace has not descended on them? No, not at all. As stated above, His grace is always there for all and He wishes that all may become good and happy. In spite of that, how defiled the world is! In this world the number of the wicked, the ignorant and the unhappy exceeds by far that of the good, the wise and the happy respectively. As a matter of fact, in the worldly affairs there is nothing like His grace or ungrace. He is engrossed in His pure self, He is non-attached and neutral. Our devotion to Him and our practice of righteousness inspired by this divine devotion should be understood as His grace. Even our intellect or reason cannot raise any objection against this understanding. And this is the viewpoint which is beneficial to one's progress in the right direction.
Whatever good happens to us is due to good impressions or forces (punya) and whatever evil or bad happens to us is due to bad impressions or forces (pāpa). This is a well-known philosophical doctrine upheld by all Indian philosophers. Now, acquisition of the means of happiness and comforts, happening of desirable good events, escape from an accident, etc., are the results of the workings or rise of good impressions or forces. On the other hand, befalling of calamities, cropping up of difficulties, falling on evil times, etc., are the results of the workings or rise of bad impressions or forces. This is what all Indian thinkers accept without any hesitation. But what is the cause of these good or bad impressions (forces)? In answer, we should say that good impressions or forces are generated by one's good activities or righteous conduct, while bad impressions or forces are generated by one's evil activities or vicious conduct. But originally from where has this understanding of the good and evil activities and of their generating good and bad impressions (forces) entailing good and bad fruits (results) respectively descended in this world? The only
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