Some Jain Concepts and Conduct

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

Page 58

Śrāvakācāra : Code of Conduct of a Householder]
[47
knowledge, wealth, body and fame of the boy of the person. 80
Somadeva has given a universal dictum in order to defend all these social activities of the Jainas which apparently are conflict with the traditional negative spirit of early Jainism. The dictum is o the Jainas all worldly activities are acceptable provided there is no harm caused to religious faith (samyaktva) and the vows undertaken for strict observance.Si
The Nitiväkyāırta gives the several following benefits of a good married life namely :- pious progeny, unblemished sects, domestic economy, discipline, nobility and pure life, faultless service o deity-twice born-guest and relatives. 82
The best person is the monk (anāgāra) and the observer of the aņuvratas is the second. Next comes the person with right faith but observing no vow And the fourth place is occupied by the person with no faith but observing the vratas. The last is the person devoid of right faith as well as the observance of vratas and is called the unfit (apatra). The results of charity offered to these categories of people differ enormously. The charity given to the first leads to the highest bhogabhūmi and so on, while the charity given to the last categories of the people is futile and no avail. 83
The Sthānānga sūtra classifies people, so far as their religious discipline is concerned, into four groups.84 :(1) There are people who have love for the discipline but are
not firm in their persuasion. (2) There are again those who are firm but have no love for
the discipline. (3) There are again persons who have love for and firmness
in the discipline. (4) In the fourth category there are people who have neither
love nor firmness in respect of the discipline.