Jainism in Bihar

Author(s): P C Roy Choudhary
Publisher: P C Roy Choudhary Patna

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no influx of new seeds having been permitted, there remains no longer any possibility of maturing a new experience. Even the danger of becoming a celestial being has been overcome-a king of gods, an Indra, wielding the thunderbolt and enjoying in domains of heavenly bliss, for periods of numberous oceans of time, the delectable fruits of virtuous conduct in former life. All the ties that ever fettered the life-monad, whether to higher or to lower realms of being, have been dissolved away. No colouring remains as a hue of kinship to prompt one to assume the garb of some element, plant animal, human or superhuman being ; no hue of ignorance to make one move. And though the body may remain intact for a few more days until its metabolism has completely ceased, the centre of attraction of the life-monad has already lifted far beyond this mortal coil." Karma could be made Nirjara by slowly weeding out the effects of Karma. One becomes Mukt (absolutely free) when he has a total annihilation of Karma. That is the final stage of Sadhana a man can aspire for. For this one has to regulate his life and follow rigid principles. It may be categorically mentioned here that Zimmer should not be taken to mean that the higher attainment of a Jain Shramana is intentional psychic paralysis. It is paralysis in respect of sensual pursuits, but at the same time, it is a great achievement for free spiritual activities within. What Zimmer ignores is the beautiful picture of the daily life of a Jain layman which is an ideal of best citizenship. Jainism does not merely insist on and bring about a sramana order but insists on and has been very successful in bringing about an order of Jain laymen in whom we see a noble synthesis. Every lay map is expected to perform Puja and other rites himself and could very well do without priest-hood. As a matter of fact there is strictly no priest-hood in Jainism in the usual senso.
Jain philosopby insists on non-violence (Ahinsa) to an extreme point. A Jain must be careful to see that even by
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