________________
THE PATH
97
For practical purposes, right conduct comprises the ethical code and the rules and disciplines which an aspirant is required to pursue, and is of two categories accordingly as it is applicable to the ascetics or the laity, the two classes of aspirants in Jainism. The ascetics, whether male or female, are those fully dedicated souls who have renounced worldly life and pleasures, adopted a life of renunciation and asceticism, and devote themselves to the pursuit of mokṣa or liberation, by attending primarily to their own spiritual well-being, and secondarily to the moral welfare of the society in general. Common men and women living their hum-drum mundane existence, represent the laity. Code for the Laity Lay aspirants, the householders of both the sexes, take the world as it is and try to live their life with as much piety as each individual possibly can, depending on his or her aptitude, background, circumstances and environments. They instinctively pursue and are, for the best part, devoted to activities relating to the production, distribution and consumption of material goods. These economic activities involve labour, mental and physical, and produce wealth and the wherewithals so that one may enjoy the fruits of his labour, satisfy his basic needs, taste comforts and luxuries and indulge in sensual or aesthetic pleasures. For these producing (artha) and enjoying (kāma) activities (puruṣārthas) people need no religious or spiritual inspiration or guidance. Jainism does not deny, nor is opposed to this joie de vivre. It, however, advises that a third activity, the dharma-puruşārtha, may also be added to act as a guiding factor in regulating the other two classes of activities. One must produce, earn and acquire wealth by putting in as much hard work, skill and foresight as he is capable of, but only by lawful means. He may certainly enjoy the fruits of his labour, but he should do so, again, only in a lawful way.
