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METAPHYSICS: XV A. RIGHT CONVICTION
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anthropomorphism. It should be the highest ideal of the most perfect soul conceivable. There is from the highest point of view no special sanctity attaching to any place. The teacher also must be such as knows these doctrines and teaches them clearly and with emphasis.
It must be free from all the kinds of pride. Eight are usually given: pride of one's mother's or father's relations; pride of greatness, strength, beauty, knowledge, wealth, authority, and asceticism or spiritual advancement.
Then it must be steady and with eight qualities, which are given in the text (67).
Right conviction arises in ten ways or in two ways. In two ways: nisarga, or by intuition; adhigama, or by external instruction (Tattvārtha-sūtra, ch. i, 3).
In ten ways: e.g. from discourses of Jaina Tirthankaras (ajñā), or of learned men, or Jaina sacred books, from renunciation of worldly objects (märga), from knowing the topics of Jainism in outline (samkshepadrishti), etc. [See Ātmānuśāsana, vv. 11-14; Jaina Gazette, vol. iv, 1907, p. 67.]
It may be considered from six points of view: nirdeśa, the chief characteristics of a thing; svamitra, possession; sadhana, means of acquisition; adhikaraṇa, vehicle; sthiti, duration: vidhana, mode.
Nirdeśa.
What is samyag-darśana ? It is tattvärthaśraddhana, i.e. faith in the significance of the seven principles in other words, conviction of the inner reality of things.
