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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision
service to teachers, elders, the sick etc. (vaiyavruttya), study; to study scriptures and other works conducive to spiritual development (svadhyaya), to prevent one's body from doing unwholesome and evil acts, to renounce all attachment to one's body and to give up all egoistic thoughts (kayotsarga), and mental concentration; to renounce all the distraction of mind, to concentrate mind on wholesome objects and to cultivate trance states (dhyana). These internal austerities are capable of destroying (dissociating) infinite Karmic particles.
10. Deep reflection on Religion (Dharma) : In this worthless worldly existence, the only thing worthy of one's attention is the Religion (the Doctrine) propounded by the Lord who, having conquered attachment and aversion, attained omniscience. It is so because it saves beings from falling into low existence, puts them on the right path of salvation and ultimately emancipates them from the whirlpool of fourfold existence. One should repeatedly concentrate on Religion which is constituted of right inclination, right knowledge and right conduct.
11. Deep reflection on the nature of Universe (Loka): One should deeply reflect on the nature of Universe (loka) and Empty Space (aloka). Auspicious and inauspicious past Karmas cause us to go to heaven and hell respectively. But our ultimate goal is to reach Siddhashila (Abode of the liberated) and rest there. We should never lose sight of it. We must cultivate this type of wakefulness.
12. Rarity of right faith: Human birth, good family, healthy body with unimpaired sense-organs, hearing of the true Doctrine, etc. are very difficult to attain. And it is to be borne in mind that the succeeding one is even more difficult to attain than the immediately preceding one. Of them, a good spiritual
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