________________ पंचम अध्याय : 3 and Jiva is all that is animate, and includes along with other living beings, the Earth-bodies, Water-bodies, Fire-bodies, Air-bodies, as also the plants and trees. The substance of Ajiva is Matter, which in itself is indestructible, although it takes over different modifications which have their production and destruction. It is reducible to the state of fine atoms, called the Parmanus or Anus, which combine and develop into the diverse products that we see in the Universe. By the Law of Karma, the souls or Jivas get an embodiment to experience the results of their actions, and are thus born into any one of their fourfold Gatis or existence. The ideal of the Jiva is to secure Moksa, which can be obtained only through human life, by the destruction of the Karmic matter which serves as an Avarana or hindrance to knowledge. Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct, the three Gems of Jainism, are the essential requirements for Moksa. Liberation consists of Freedom from the cycle of Birth and Death and is characterised by Perfect Knowledge and Perfect Bliss, which the Jiva enjoys in the Land of the Liberated. This, in a nutshell, is the Philosophy of Jainism, preserved to us in their sacred Literature called the Agamas. These books are in the ancient Ardha-magadhi dialect, which is of great interest to a student of Linguistics, as it marks a definite stage in the development of the earlier Vedic language to its Modern Languages like Gujrati, Hindi and Marathi. A study of this dialect is carried on in the Universities of India, but it suffers from a great handicap for want of good critical editions of the Jain texts,-a work that should be taken up by Jain Scholars with the financial assistance of the Jain Community. Only then will Jainism be presented to the people at large in its true aspects. This Religion, as we have seen, has a long tradition and is preserved to us in all its glory in the form of its literature, in the form of the best specimens of architecture, and lastly in the form of its considerable number of followers professing this creed. A comparative study of all religions of the world will not, therefore, be complete unless Jainism is given its due share in it. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
