Some Jain Concepts and Conduct

Author(s): Sushma Singhvi
Publisher: B J Institute

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[Some Jain Concepts and Conduct
śravaka is the who has attained perfection in the discipline undertaken by him and spends his life in meditation on the self and becomes a perfect yogin as it were though still a householder. 70
Aśādhara has mentioned the affiliation of the śravaka to anyone of three varṇas namely-brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya." He further quotes words of the Jaina ṛsis which prescribe a full course of a layman disciple beginning from the conception of the womb and ending in the attainment of nirvāṇa, accomplined with the necessary mantras and ceremonies.72
This reminds us of the injunction of the Manusmṛti that only a person who about whom a full course of ceremonies beginning from entry into the womb has been prescribed by means of mantras is entitled to the study of the śastra and no one else. This is a clear evidence of the influence of the Brahmanical social and religions institutions on those of the Jainas as who could not remain isolated from the common run of the cultural echoes.
For the person born in Jain family, it is easier to live a life strictly according to the rule and the regulations prescribed in Jainism, But for those who are born in a non Jain family it is necessary to go to a Jain Acārya for entrance into Jainism (Avatāra) and then learn the vratas for the proper conduct. This is followed by learning the namaskāramantra. This is called sthānalabha. There after the false God are expelled by him from his pantheon. This is called guṇagrāha. This is followed by listening to the twelve limbed scripture who is called "worship of the respectable" (pūjārādhya). Then he is made to study the meaning of the fourteen purvas, which increases his religious merit (puṇyayajña). This is followed by the seventh stage strong faith in his own style of the life (drdhācārya). Now he comes to the eighth stage by practicing a pratima yoga in the night of an auspicious day, which is called upayogita. Finally