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INTRODUCTION
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These facts supplied by the Vedic literature taken in conjunction with the evidence supplied by the excavations of the Indus valley civilisation will constrain us to believe that the Rşabha cult of Ahimsa and the practice of tapas or yoga must have been the ancient cult of the Indians throughout the land prevalent even before the advent of the Aryans who sang the hymns of the Rgveda. Thus the Ahińsă cult revealed by Lord Rşabha was the most ancient of religious cults which must have been prevalent in the Nothern India and which must have been the practice in religion of the people of the land at the time of Aryan invasion.
Mokşa Marga:- What is the Mokşamarga which is peculiar to Jainism ? What are its special feature ? How is it different from the religious principle associated with the other Indian Dharisanas. Mokşamarga is defined by Umāsvāmi thus : Samyak Darśana Jñana Caritrāņi Mokşamārgaḥ : Right faith, right knowledge and Right conduct, these three constitute the path to salvation. This the first Sūtra of Umāsvami's monumental work called Tatt. vārtha Satra. The emphasis is laid on all the three only when all the three characteristics are combined they can constitute to Mokşamärga. Each by itself is imperfect and therefore insufficient. To depend entirely on faith as is maintained by some Hindu Darśana will not lead one to happiness or Mokşa. Similarly Jñana or knowledge alone cannot lead one to happiness. Nor can Caritra by itself however admirable the conduct be, is sufficient to lead to the desired goal. Hence faith, knowledge, and conduct must be presented together by an individual if he is to walk the path of righteousness. Further it is emphasised that these three-faith, knowledge and conduct must be of the right type. Hence it is called right faith, right knowledge and right conduct alone when combined together would constitute the Mokşamārga. Mere faith which is not of the right type will not be founded upon the ultimate nature of reality. Similarly right knowledge and not any other knowledge will constitute the Mokşamärga. Right knowledge will therefore exclude all incorrect attitude and disruption of the nature of reality. Hence that prefix Samyak is used in each of the terms. The Commentator of the Sūtras gives an interesting metaphor to bring out the force of the sutra. A person suffering from a disease, say fever, if he desires to cure himself of the disease must have faith in the capacity of the doctor and must know the exact nature of the medicine prescribed by him for his disease and must drink the madicine according to the instructions of the doctor. Mere faith in the doctor will be of no use. Faith in the capacity of the doctor and the knowledge of the nature of the medicine would equally be useless unless the patient takes the medicine. The person who expects to be cured of his disease must not only have faith in the doctor's capacity, and full knowledge of the nature of the medicine but also take the medicine according to the prescription. In this case beings in the world of Sathsära are assumed to be patients suffering from a spiritual disqualification or disease who desire to get rid of this disease and to attain perfect spiritual health. Thus for the
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