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Misunderstanding vis-a-vis Understanding with reference to Jainism : 143
agriculturists, and indeed for men and women in every walk of life. Do your duty and do it as humanely as you can; this, in brief, is the primary principle of Jainism.50 It is evident that social element in Jaina ethics is not neglected, though it includes the negative as well as positive rules of conduct.
Further, it is noticed that these prescribed rules of conduct are not limited for practising within the members of Jaina community. Jaina ethics embraces not only followers of Jainism but in a true sense all living beings. It is obvious that Jaina ethics tries to regulate the mutual relations of human beings and for that purpose twelve vows and ten meditations or reflections are laid-down. Among them the five main vows are more important from the point of social relations. It is connected from a detailed analysis of the five main vows that Jaina ethics solves the individual problem of attaining spiritual merit and at the same time shows the way of solving all outstanding social and world problems. 38.
Jain ethics lays down very elaborate rules of conduct-both for laymen and ascetics. Accordingly, the vows have been divided into two categories : Aņuvratas or small vows and Mahāvratas or great vows. The householders have to practise the former and the ascetics the latter. Similar is the case with other observances. Moderation is the keynote of householders' life and severity of sainty discipline. The important hallmark of Jaina ethics is the fact that a graduated course is prescribed with a view to make it possible for every person to observe all rules of conduct by tolerably easy gradations. References 1. Jain Religion and Philosophy : An Introduction to Jaina
Philosophy, Devendra Muni Sastri, p., Jainadharma, Kailash
Chandra Sastri, pp. 55-58. 2. Jainadharma, Kailash Chandra Sastri, p. 58
Jaina-Religion and Philosophy, Muni Devendra, p. 11. 4. The Path of Arhat, T.U. Mehta, p. 2 5. Paramātmaprakāśa, Introduction, p. 39.
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