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And when one does that, one has attained samyakdarshana.
The next question that arises is that:
Does samyakdarshana arise on its own? Or does it require an external agent? In other words, does a person attain samyakdarshana on his own, or does some evolved person, guru or scripture grant him samyakdarshana?
The answer is this: In truth, no evolved person, guru or scripture can grant samyakdarshana or create anything new in the seeker. But they can help the seeker realise the truth and help him develop faith in it. The Jinaas, the evolved persons who emulate themselves, gurus and scriptures can make us aware of the vast innate perception and knowledge that our soul carries in itself.
An illustration to explain this:
A person walks inside his own home from outside. His home is in darkness. Nothing can be seen. There are many things lying at home but nothing is visible. Now the person turns on the light. The entire home is brightly lit! Not only has the darkness vanished, all that was lying at home is now visible, accessible, perceivable. Has the light created anything new? No. But it has helped the man see for himself what lay within his home.
Similarly, the Jinaas, enlightened teachers and Jain texts do not create any new substance in our consciousness! But they help us get rid of the darkness of nescience and delusion. The seeker already possesses the treasures of infinite perception, knowledge, conduct, strength and bliss. The Jinaas, enlightened teachers and Jain scriptures simply help the seeker realise this.
Another illustration:
There is a very poor beggar who lives in a dilapidated hut. Unknown to him, the ground beneath his hut is full of countless precious gems. A certain astrologer informed him of this wealth lying buried in the ground beneath his hut. Now will the beggar remain a beggar? No! He will seek the vast treasure lying deeply buried beneath his own hut. The beggar is no longer a pauper. He is now a rich man. Instead of begging for alms, he now gives alms to the poor.
Substitute the beggar for a seeker, and the hidden treasure lying beneath his home with samyakdarshana. This should make it clear the role that external factors play in one's attainment of it.
The soul is full of infinite qualities. Because we do not know them, we have become slaves of sensual pleasure. We go about seeking sensual pleasures but end up getting stuck in the quagmire of transmigration. The more we run towards external pleasures, the deeper we sink in misery.
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