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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
(8)
Ordinary people believe that if one renounces all activities, then one remains untouched by punya (auspicious karmas) or papa (inauspicious karmas). They think that auspicious (wholesome) activities cause the bondage of auspicious karmas which are likened to a golden chain, and inauspicious (unwholesome) activities cause the bondage of inauspicious karmas which are likened to an iron chain. That is, whatever be the type of activity-auspicious or inauspicious-it certainly causes bondages. And the soul can attain liberation only by effecting release from the chain of karmic bondage and not in any other manner. With such thought or philosophy, they renounce all activities except those absolutely necessary for obtaining the necessaries, become inactive and sit idle waiting for the liberation. Idle living opens up the doors for the entry of Satan. Idle mind is Devil's workshop. As a matter of fact, every man is always engaged in some sort of activity. He cannot live without activity. Some time he appears to be outwardly inactive, but his mind is surely active even at that time. It is the nature of unsteady mind. So, outward display of renunciation of all activity is nothing but mere hypocrisy.
One should ever give up all evil activities; there is no question about it. But when can one give up all evil activities? One can give up all evil activities, when one employs one's mind fully in good activities. A thorn stuck deep into the heel is extracted with the instrumentality of a needle. Similarly, to make oneself free from evil activities one should use the good activities as an instrument. It is necessary. We throw away a thorn after we have extracted it, but we keep the needle with us for future use. Similarly, we should not renounce good activities so long as our tendency to do evil activity is not totally exterminated.
To be free from the bondage of auspicious activities, what is needed is the transformation of auspicious intention into pure intention, and not the renunciation of auspicious activities. Of course, this is a very difficult spiritual process. But the means to attain the difficult liberation can never be easy.
The crux of the above discussion is that we cannot renounce activity on our own. But when it gets useless and unnecessary, it stops by itself naturally. Man should renounce the evil activities alone and remain engrossed in good and wholesome activities, so long as the state of life is naturally prone to activity. Untimely renunciation of activity means the deviation from the natural and right path of duty. It is not conducive to
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