Book Title: Jainism Eternal and Universal Path for Enlightenment
Author(s): Narendra Bhandari
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad
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Jainism : The Eternal and Universal path for Enlightenment
through physical action.
Once the existence of soul and its eternal nature is accepted, four additional cardinal truths of Jainism, making them six in all, can be enunciated as follows!. The Eternal Truths:
Soul is the Kart? (doer): soul's indulgence in Karma. 2. Soul is Bhokt 1: Soul has to bear the consequence of Karma. 3. Existence of Mokra : The soul can attain pure state, free of bondage. 4. Procedure of attaining Mok-a: There are ways of purifying the soul.
When one believes in the six cardinal truths', mentioned above, one attains correct perception or world view (Samyag Daran), which leads to true knowledge (Samyag jnin) and perfect conduct (Samyag Charitra). Every jiva has a different world view, controlled by its karma vision. What we see is what the karmic vision allows us to see through our sense organs. Sense organs have their limitations and defects. That is the reason animals and humans percieve the world differently. Even among humans, different persons have different views, based on efficiency of their sense organs, mental capacity and karma vision. This is due to ignorance. When all the karmas have been dissolved we get the correct “View". It is through dissolution of conceptual or perceiving mind" that the "enlightened mind" is explicitly revealed. Piercing the ignorance with correct vision (samyag Dar-an) leads one to samyag jn n and imbibing this jn?n in one's activities leads to enlightenment.
The Universe consists of seven (and only seven) reals (tattvas). These tattvas are: jiva, Ajiva, Asrav (inflow of karm nus), bandh (bondage of soul with karma), Sanwar (Stoppage), Nirjara (detaching) and Moka (liberation). Basically the last five elements are related to interaction (association and dissociation of Jiva, the sentient (Soul) with material karmnus. Jiva is an active element, capable of acting on its own (karta), having various powers listed above. Ajiva, as mentioned before, is considered as an independent element made of five elements of Dharm stik? ya (considered as medium of motion), Adharm - stik ya (medium of rest), space, matter
1. This discussion is based on Atmasiddhi of Srimad Rajchandra (Drstivad), according to which there are six cardinal truths: Soul exists, soul is eternal, soul is the Karta, soul is the Bhokta, Mok-a exists and there are ways of attaining it