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outsiders or as friends and patrons of the religious ascetic order, their position was, from the begining, well defined by religious duties and privileges. The bond that unite them to the order of monks was an effective one. The state of a common man is preliminary and, in many cases preparatory to the state of a monk. It cannot be doubted that this close union between ascetics and common people came into offing by the simlarity of their religious daties differing not in kind, but in degree, has enabled Jainism to avoid fundamental changes within and resist dangers from without for more than two thousand years and as per the words of Lord Mahavira. "It will continue to remain thriving for twenty one thousand years though with many ups and downs.
The worthy man who is keenly interested to know the principles of religion and who has full faith in them, who with the help of his abilities beautifies his knowledge becomes ultimately happy by the attainment of salvation Householders, whose gloom of ignorance has been dispersed by the light of knowledge, and who have full faith in the True God, Religion and the Preceptor, who do never fear and are strong in self-cofidence and have their steadfast gaze fixed on salýation, never get perplexed even though the vessel of their life be tossing over the restless waves' of Ilze sea of worldliness. For this the householders should always have the company of the good, -exercise
