________________
13
practically all righteous kings made it a point of duty to vouchsafe the lawful protection to all forms of life. It also had solutary effect; on diet. People gave up killing and took to vegetables, which provided no less energy. The same principle served to mitigate the rigour and ruthlessness of the criminal justice for times to come. The ancient laws were considerably modified and humanised. Compassion for the suffering fellow-beings is just the other side of Ahiṁsā. In this way more and more philanthropic activities, humanitarian deeds and institutions were encouraged.
The Kriyāvāda or doctrine of action, which Mahāvīra taught, contributed towards making people conscious of their responsibility for all their acts mental vocal and physical. The same also awakened the consciousness that salvation was not a gift of favour but an attainment within human reach through pious deeds. Thus the distant end or ultimate object of Janism as taught by Mahāvīra is Nirvāna, which consists in 'Perfect Peace'. Nirvāna is just the other name of Moksa or liberation, Mukti or deliverance.
There is a safer place', Mahāvīra declared, ‘in view of all, but difficult to approach, where there is no old age, nor death, no pain nor disease. This is what is called Nirvana or freedom from pain, rather perfection. It is the safer, happy, quiet and eternal place, which the great sages reach.'
But if Nirvāņa or Mokşa is a real state of sukha or bliss, how can it be reached ? The opinion that pleasant things Mokşa, a pleasant state is arrived at through comfortable life, another pleasant thing is opposed to and proved to be futile. Even the Buddhist mode of life appeared to be to comfortable to be compatible with the right path to salvation. Mahāvīra, therefore, prescribed rigorous practice for the attainment of Moksa - the highest bliss. Sarvara or practice of self-restraint with regard to body, speech and mind was just the other aspect of tapas taught by the great Teacher. The several practices of austerities were to be resorted to as means of wearing out and ultimately destroying
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
