Jainism a Glimpse

Author(s): Punyadarshanvijay
Publisher: Sanmarg Prakashan

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Guru - Preceptor and True Religion (as propounded by Omniscient Teacher) and keen desire to achieve the 5th, 6th & 7th stage during his life-time are also included.
35 Rules of Conduct (Mārgānusāri):
These rules are rules relating to social life, because all living beings are social. The practice of the following rules prevents us from falling spiritually lower and helps us to rise higher. It is the means whereby to reach the (Samyaktva) right attitude. It is the means to get ourselves from the 1st stage of development to the 4th. (2nd & 3rd are of momentary duration).
The rules are all based upon love, sympathy, fellow feeling, pity, etc. and the practice of them is to be accompanied by these feelings, otherwise it is mere hypocrisy, (They are ideas, convictions and conducts of those who practise them). These rules are not commands. The Jaina Deity issues no commands. They are state of knowledge and mode of behavior. From the sincere practice comes out the purity of soul. The dirt and foreign matter in combination with the Soul is removed. It is the first step for a person desiring to make some spiritual progress. They are for the beginners, and not for those who are spiritually advanced.
35 Rules of Conduct : A few in Brief :
i) In trade and business he earns his livelihood by justness and honesty. No ignoble nature such as butcher, gunmaker, etc.
ii) Follows excellence of conduct, appreciates doings of the wise and spiritually experienced persons.
iii) If one has to marry - marriage partner should be with culture, taste, character, status, etc., of the same kind and marries his sons and daughters to well-born well behaved folks.
iv) He is known to be afraid of committing sins, avoids sinful
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