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The Conception of Death in Buddhism and Jainism
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of a bright oily surface by motes of dust. Karma adheres to the soul as a result of activity. Any and every activity induces karma of some kind, but deeds of a cruel and selfish nature induce more, and more durable karma than others. The karma already acquired leads to the acquisition of further karma, and thus the cycle of transmigration continues in indefinitely".?
In Jainism, any one who has dissipated his all karmas can get salvation. Like Hinduism and Buddhism it grants salvation for all. Jainism does not consider a monastic life essential for the attainment of salvation. Bharata was not a monk but he got liberated. Jainism has got a certain code of conduct for monks (śramaņācāra) as well as lay devotees (śravakācāra). Monk's life consists of severe discipline and austerity including fasting, self-mortification, study and meditation. Such a rigorous ascetic life can rid a person from the influx of new karmic matter (dravya karma) into the soul and also the annihilation of the remnants of karmic matter. Jainism lays more stress on the physical aspects of austerity while Buddhism lays more stress on the volitional aspect.
Asceticism reached its climax in Jainism though it was merely one aspect of Hindu austerity. Prof. Basham presents a glimpse of Jaina penance for Nirvāņa as follows:
"The regimen of the Jaina monk was, and still is, strict in the extreme. At his initiation his hair was not shaved, but pulled out by the roots. He subjected himself to much hardships, such as meditating in the full sunlight of the Indian summer, or maintaining as uneasy posture for long periods on end, though Jainism did not permit the more spectacular penance of some Hindu ascetics. The monk's frugal meals were interrupted by numerous fasts, and many monks starved themselves to death, following the example of Mahāvīra himself."*
The ultimate goal of such extreme asceticism was to get rid of death or to remove an unwelcome adjunct to the true being of the individual.
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