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worldly desire and the passion of avarice. How could it possibly help the soul? - Samyagdharshana;
(Page 27, Author: Ashokmuni, Publisher: Diwaakarjyoti Karyaalaya, Byaawar (Rajasthan), year 1981)
Hence, Aachaarya Amritachandra wrote that,
"Tatraadau samyaktvam samupaashrayaniiyamakhilayatnena. Tasmin satyeva yato bhavati gynaanam charitram cha." -Purushaarthasiddhyupaaya, Verse 21 (Page 97, Author: Aachaarya Amritachandra. Publisher: Paramshrut Prabhaavak Mandal, (Zaveri Bazar) Mumbai, year V.S. 2000)
Of the three, first one must focus thoroughly on attaining samyaktva by all means possible because only in the presence of samyaktva can knowledge and conduct be samyak.
This is the pre-eminence of samyaktva!
Inadequacy of donation, vows and penance in the absence of samyaktva
Without samyaktva, acts of charity, adherence to vows and the performance of penance yield inadequate results because of the absence of lakshya shuddhi {appropriateness and purity of the goal} and aashaya shuddhi {appropriateness and purity of intention. In the presence of samyaktva, acts of charity, adherence to vows and the performance of penance yield fabulous results.
The Aupapatika Suutra of the Jains and the Puranas of the Hindus describe many ascetics who undertook the most severe forms of penance. One ascetic would eat only dry grass and leaves. And sleep on a bed of thorns. Others would remain standing for days. Some would ignite fires on five sides and stand in the centre. Yet others would remain standing in water during winter. Others would hang upside down from the branch of a tree. Even today, one can find such ascetics. They punish the body severely. They torment the body. Despite taking such extreme pains, such penance has been called as baala tapa (the uninformed penance of a child as it is bereft of appropriate discriminatory knowledge, appropriate insights and deep faith in and understanding of the true reality of the universe.
This is why Lord Mahavira said that,
“Tesim pi tavo na suddho nikkhantaa je mahaakulaa.”
Suutrakritanga Suutra, Verse 8.24 (Page 352, Author: Yuvaachaarya Madhukarmuni, Publisher: Aagama Prakaasana Samiti, Byaawar, (Rajasthan) year 1982)
The penance of those who are born in high status families are sometimes impure (Without samyaktva).
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