________________
of meritorious karma-matter increases proportionally. The best practice of restraint, penance and renunciation is when the aspirant is on the destructional ladder of right conduct and it culminates in the gaining of ‘as enunciated conduct (yathākhyāt cāritra)'. While practicing the as enunciated conduct when delusion is fully destroyed the omniscience manifests itself. At that time, due to the culmination of the first two subtypes of pure-white meditation, the intensity of meritorious karma is also at its peak, as has been said in verse 94, of Dhyānaśataka.
In the climactic stage of meritorious karmic mode there is the practice of ‘as enunciated conduct. It does not happen that someone may gain omniscience without reaching the peak or the climax of meritorious karmic mode. It is the cardinal rule that when one is in the practice of ‘as enunciated' conduct, he is also at the peak of his auspicious karmic disposition. As long as the 'as enunciated conduct is present this climactic stage of auspicious karmic disposition cannot diminish. It is when the time of liberation and final deliverance comes that the ‘as enunciated conduct and the climactic disposition of auspicious karma both separate from the soul at the same time. As the as enunciated conduct cannot be said to be abandonable just because it separates from the soul at the time of liberation, so the meritorious karmas also cannot be said to be deplorable and abandonable just because they get separated from the soul at the time of liberation. As the presence of 'as enunciated' conduct and meritorious karma is concurrent so is their separation-disappearance as well. As they are concurrent, they go together and when one separates the other also separates. A deficiency in the climactic meritorious karmic disposition is indicative of absence of ‘as enunciated conduct. What is meant here is that to highlight the speciality of Jaina philosophy by saying that Jainism differs from other faiths in that it also proscribes punya (merit) is to show ignorance of its precepts and philosophy. This belief is totally irrelevant and against Jaina elemental knowledge and its doctrine of karma. To base one's arguments against merciful, kind, compassionate and altruistic activities, and those of service to the
180
Positive Non-Violence
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
