Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Jaina Canonical Texts
for liberation), and ending in akarmată (freedom from karman). It is stated in the Bhagavati-sutra" that desire for liberation (samvega), disregard for worldly objects (nirvega), self-analysis and confession of faults done, observance of vows such as: renunciation of anger, etc., vows of renunciation of harmful and violent activities, complete control of mind. speech and body; and attainment of knowledge, intuition and of conduct lead ultimately to perfection.
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As an ardent follower of Jaina ascetic order, his one aim is to stop the influx of fresh karman and to destroy all that has already bound him. The flow of karmas into the atman (soul) is caused by the activities of body, speech and mind; so it is necessary for him to keep these channels under strict control (gupti). It is just possible that even in performing the duties of a monk the vows might be transgressed due to negligence. As a precautionary measure the monk must be contains in walking, begging, speaking, etc. and in voiding the body (samiti). A monk thus should know the five samitis and three guptis which are helpful for the practice of religious life and for the avoidance of all sins. In fact, the idea behind the prescription of the samitis is that unless bodily control is gained mental control cannot even be thought of. It is mainly due to passions that the soul assimilates karman; so anger, pride. deception and greed must be counteracted by cultivating dasadharma or ten virtues. such as Kṣamā (forgiveness): Mārdava (humility) Arjava (straight-forwardness). Nir!obhata (free from greed or contemplation). Satya (truthfulness), Samyama (restraint), Tapa (austerities), Tyaga (renunciation) or Sauca (purity and cleanliness, according to some sects), Akiñcinată (absolute want of greed) and Brahmacarya (celibacy and chastity).
To cultivate the necessary religious attitude he should constantly reflect on some twelve religious topics (Bhāvanā or Anuprekṣā), namely,
(i) everything is transitory (Anitya bhāvanā),
(ii) men are helpless against disease, old age, death, etc. (Asaraṇa bhāvanā),
(iii) the circuit of existence is full of misery (Samsara bhāvanā), (iv) the soul has to struggle all alone (Ekatva bhāvanā), (v) the relatives and others are quite separate (Anyatva bhāvanā),