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SAMYAKDARSHAN* The Gateway to Peace and Happiness
Jagdish Prasad Jain "Sadhak"
Peace and happiness can be achieved only through subsidence of passions, self-restraint, contentment and fellow-feeling, which are the attributes of a Samyakdrashti, who is determined, dedicated and devoted to follow the path of righteousness, non-injury, limitation of one's desires and possessions and other virtues. Our efforts should first of all be directed towards converting the Jains (who are called Jains because of birth in a Jain family) to Jainism and make them true Jains. A samyakdrashti is a true Jain in the real sense of the word. As stated in the sacred books of the Jains, Dansan Mulo Dhamma, i.e. samyakdarshan (right perception) is the root or foundation of piety or Dharma.
The Prerequisites of Samyakdarshan
The four prerequisites of samykdarshan--prasham, samvega (with its obverse aspect--nirveda), anukampa (compassion) and astikya--form the world-view of both a Jain house- holder as also of an ascetic. The quality of prasham endows a man with a certain degree of equanimity, calmness, balance which enables him to feel happy, contented and "at peace with himself". In Prashamratiprakarana, authored by Acharya Umaswami or Umasvati, who also wrote Tattvarthsutra, the so-called bible of the Jainas, it is stated : Swargasukhani parokshanyatyant Parokshameva Mokshasukham, Pratyaksham prashamsukham Na parvasham na cha Vyaya praptam.
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Revised version of lecture at 10th Biennial JAINA Convention, Philadelphia, USA, 4 July 1999.
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