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
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ritualistically but with an aim of purifying the soul. Rituals do not result in any progress. With this awareness, when one is practicing and even when one is not practicing, results can be achieved quickly. By practicing some of the procedures given here, it is said that one can achieve some siddhis but that should not be the aim. One should not be distracted by the attainments of siddhis, to avoid bondage with the Lobha karma, which will halt further progress. The siddhis are actually hurdles in the path of Mok-a and should be ignored, rather than used for material or mental benefits. Bearing this condition in mind, we now turn to various Jain practices. These practices are based on three aspects: Ahimsa (non-violence), sanyam (restraint or self discipline) and Tapa (penance) Mah 1 vrats
The primary practices are the five Mah?vrats, or the great vows, essential for every one, who wants to move on the path of salvation, to follow. These are Ahims. Satya, Achorya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigrah translated as non-violence, truth, nonstealing, celibacy, and minimizing one's requirements, respectively. We discuss them here in some detail. Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Practicing non-violence is the primary requirement for attainment of salvation. The physical basis of non-violence, based on the evolution of life forms on Earth, is discussed in chapter 1. As mentioned before, all the souls are entangled with each other. Killing a jiva is essentially like killing a part of oneself. Again ahimsa should not be reduced to non-killing of living species, because that is not total non-violence; it is only the first step. Non violence is to be practiced at several levels. First by refraining to kill, then stop hurting, by all the three modes, mana, vachana and karma , i.e. by thought, speech and deeds, then feeling and experiencing the pain of others and then feeling and experiencing that the other is actually your own self. When your soul becomes one with other souls, experiences their pain and pleasure, is unhappy at their plight, then only true non violence is practiced. The highest form of non-violence, turns in to compassion when one is able to wish, as Nagarjuna, the Buddhist monk, said "may everybody's ill deeds fructify for me, and all my virtues fructify for them”. It is said that practicing true non-violence to the ultimate extent instantly leads to manahparaya jn'n.
The first and foremost implication of non-violence is vegetarianism. One must not kill just to survive. Neither it is necessary nor it is desirable. How would we humans feel