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Quint-Essence of Dharma as Preached by Mahavira
227 धर्मः शर्ममहाहवें, धर्मो वर्माऽरिसङ्कटे। धर्मो जाड्यच्छिदाधर्मो, धर्मो मर्माविदंहसाम्।।१।१।१४६।।
Dharma is a shield in danger from enemies. Dharma is heat for the destruction of cold. Dharma knows the weak points of sins.
धर्माज्जन्तुर्भवेद् भूपो, धर्माद् रामोऽर्धचक्रयपि। धर्माद चक्रधरो धर्माद, देवो धर्माच्च वासवः।।१।१।१५०।।
From Dharma a Creature could become a king, from Dharma a Râma, from Dharma an ardhacakrin, from Dharma a Cakrin, from Dharma a god and from Dharma an Indra.
ग्रैवेयकाऽनुत्तरेषु, धर्माद् यात्यहमिन्द्रताम्। धर्मादार्हन्त्यमाप्नोति, किं किं धर्मान्न सिध्यति।।१।१।१५१।।
From Dharma one attains Ahamindraship in the Graiveyaka and Anuttara heavens. From Dharma one attains Arhatship. What is not accomplished by Dharma?
दुर्गति प्रपतज्जन्तुधारणाद् धर्म उच्यते। दान-शील-तपो-भावभेदात् स तु चतुर्विधः।।१।१।१५२।।
Dharma is so-called from supporting creatures who have fallen into a bad condition of existence. It is fourfold with the divisions of liberality (dana), good conduct (sila), penance (tapas) and state of mind (bhava).
तत्र तावद् दानधर्मस्त्रिप्रकारः प्रकीर्तितः। ज्ञानदानाऽभयदान-धर्मोपग्रह दानतः।।१।१।१५३।।
Now of these, liberality (dana) is said to be of three kinds: the gift of knowledge, the gift of fearlessness, and the gift of the support of religion.
दानं धर्मानभिज्ञेभ्यो, वाचनादेशनादिना। ज्ञानसाधनदानं च, ज्ञानदानमितीरितम्।।१।१५१५४।।
The gift of knowledge (Jñânadâna) is said to be the gift to those not knowing Dharma by teaching, preaching, etc., and the gift of means to acquire knowledge.
ज्ञानदानेन जानाति, जन्तुः स्वस्य हिताहितम्। वेत्ति जीवादितत्त्वानि, विरतिं च समश्नुते।।१।१।१५५ ।।
By the gift of knowledge a creature knows right and wrong, and knows the fundamental principles, soul (Jiva), etc., and acquires renunciation of worldly objects.
