________________
302
Jaina Philosophy and Religion
of the honestly and justly earned wealth to such wealth by allowing their use in activities considered to be religious, with the intention of spreading and strengthening religion. If it does so, it encourages immorality and
uelty. The first good quality of a householder is to earn wealth honestly in a just way. The only praiseworthy and auspicious path is the path of earning wealth in a just way and spending a portion of it for religious activities, according to one's capacity. It is wrong, unwholesome and unsalutary to remain always engaged in amassing wealth by fair means or foul with a view to spend it in religious activities and in great religious festivals in order to spread and strengthen religion. Authors of scriptures clearly teach us that it is better not to desire wealth than to desire it for the sake of religion. It is better not to soil one's legs with mud rather than to wash them after soiling them with it.' It is quite easy and simple to understand that if the religious activities are performed with the wealth earned in a just way, the purity of religion is preserved and maintained. This is the right way of spreading the greatness and glory of religion. We should not put at stake the purity of religion for the sake of external show and ostentation. If the wealth is earned honestly in a just way and only such wealth is used in religious activities, then it has good influence and impact on the society and on the public.
Again, another point worthy of note is that the rascal, decoit and murderer whom the government or society cannot catch and punish do have to experience the fruits of their evil acts inevitably and invariably according to the relentless law of karma (moral causation). Though we accept that the calamity or misery caused to the people by others is ultimately the result of their own acts, yet the society or government should take all the proper measures to avert it; this is but proper and just.
Now let us resume the main point. As stated earlier, of the twin brothers, though nourished and brought up in the same environment, the
1. dharmartham yasya vittehä varam tasya nirihatā / prakṣālanád dhi pankasya dürād asparśanam varam //
(The Mahābhārata, Vanaparva 3, Adhyāya 2, Verse 49) The variant available of the second metrical quarter is as follows: tasyānihā garīyasi/ Acārya Haribhadra and Acārya Hemacandra quote this verse with great respect and conviction in their works. The verse is well-known and very much quoted in the Jaina literature.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
