Mahavira and his Philosophy of Life

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 13

absolutism. Mahāvira does not subscribe to the absolutist approach to the unfoldment of the inner nature of reality. The preaching of Mahavira is that absolutism in philosophy is subversive of ethical speculation. In this regard the statement of Samantabhadra is that the concepts of bondage and liberation, Punya (virture) and Papa (vice) lose all their relevancy if we exclusively recognise either permanence or momentariness as constituting the.nature of substance.
The declaration of Mahavira that the whole Ācāra (conduct) whether of the householder or of the Muni is out and out sterile without having Samyagdarsana (spiritual awakening) as forming its background. Thus spiritualism pervades the entire Jaina Ácāra, since Mahāvira lays persistent emphasis on the veritable achievement of Samyagdarsana (spiritual awakening). It should be borne in mind that in Mahāvira's philosophy of life ethics (Acāra) should lead to mystical realisation.
It may be pointed out that in Mahāvira's philosophy of life, there is the theoretical possibility of devotion without any inconsistency. It is true to say that Mahāvira does not uphold the idea of God who can respond to the aspirations of the devotee but he undoubtedly recognises the Arhat and the Siddha as the divinity-realised souls who may be the objects of devotion. By our devotion to the Arhat or the Siddha, our thoughts and emotions are purified, which accumulate in the self the Punya of the highest kind, which brings about as a natural consequence material and spiritual benefits. According to Acārya Samantabhadra (2nd cent. A.D.), he who is devoted to Arhat or Siddha relishes prosperity and he who casts
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