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Jaina Asceticism : An Appraisal
faith, right knowledge, right conduct and penance which are the true cause of liberation and not the outward marks. 18
The underlying conception of asceticism remains always the achievement of deliverance from Samsāra through renunciation and austerities. Without renunciation asceticism can not be a way of life for the ascetic. The religion of asceticism aims at establishing the reign of righteousness. The monastic rules are only the means. Religion always seeks to realise the spirit within. The spirit behind asceticism is renunciation. One who possesses nothing dwells happily.19
The prime need of the hour today is to inculcate this ascetic value of renunciation to save the humanity from the greatest catastrophe of annihilation which is lurking overhead in the present array of people and nations for establishing the supremacy in power and pelf over the other. Jaina ascetics, aptly called Tirthankaras are compared to boats which take those who adhere to their culture safely across the ocean of life. So the ascetic ideal of renunciation need to be reinforced in the society to lead them to righteousness, and the Jaina order can play a vital role in this respect. References 1. "Samayāye samano hii", Uttarādhyayana-sūtra, 25. 32. 2. "Ichhā u āgāsasamā anantiyā", Ibid, 9. 48. 3. "Evaṁ sasankappa vikappanāṁsu sañjāyai samayabhuvatthiyassa.
Atthe asankappayao taose pahiyaye kāmgunesu tannā." Ibid, 32.107. 4. "Nānam ca damsanam ceva carittaṁ ca tavo tahā.
Es bhaggutti panatto jinehim varadaṁsihiń.“ Ibid, 28. 2. 5. "Nānena jānai bhāve daṁsaņeņa ya saddahe.
Caritteņa niginhāi taveņa parisujjhai." Ibid, 28. 35. 6. "Kitsnakarma vipramokṣo mokṣaḥ." Tattvārtha-sūtra, 10.2. 7. "Dhammo mangala mukkitthaí ahiṁsā sanjamo tavo." Daśavaikālika, 1. 1. 8. "Chajjivakāye (Pudhavikaiyā, āukāiyā teukāiyā vāukālyā vanassaikäiyā, tasa
kāiyā) asamārabhantā." Uttarādhyayana-sūtra, 12. 41. 9. "Tivihenam maņeņarn, vāyāe, käeņaṁ......" ibid. 10. "Ņeva sayar..... Samārambnejjā, nevaannehin samärambhāvejā.
Ņevanne..... samārambham tevi..... samaņujānejjā." Ācārānga, 1/1/6/116. 11. "Caradi nibaddho niccam samano nānammi dansanamuhammi.
payado mūlagunesu yam jo so padipunna samanno." Mülācāra, 1. 14.
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