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It must be understood that these observances are progressive in nature and going on to the next stage does not mean discontinuing the practices of the earlier stages. A practitioner who goes on to the second stage, observes the practices of the first stage as well and the one who goes on to the third stage also observes those of the first
two stages and so on and so forth. The Three Desires Of A Faithful Lay Follower -
A faithful householder always desires the following three accomplishments: - a. Limiting of one's possessions in order to reduce one's
sinful activities, b. Acceptance of monastic ordination in order to become
free from all sinful activities, and c. To embrace death voluntarily and peacefully when his
times comes. Acceptance Of Voluntary Peaceful Death (Samādhimarana
Birth, disease, decay and death have been described as greatest miseries and everyone is afraid of these events unless one methodically prepares oneself to face them boldly and with equanimity when these inevitable happenings happen. By overcoming fear of death and to accept the inevitable with grace reduces its misery. Therefore, this is the desire of every faithful householder to die in a state of peaceful psychic disposition.
For attaining this equanimity at the time of death the psychic preparation starts much earlier. The faithful contemplates the inevitability of death for all those that take birth. He knows from his scriptural studies and listening to religious discourses that one who lives a noble life of non-violence, truthfulness, propriety, and moral discipline has to get a better rebirth than the present one and consequently stops fearing death. On the contrary, he seems to welcome it to the extent that when his time comes he 270 : JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES
