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Individual and Society in Jainism
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113
dhammo mangalamukkttham ahimsā samjamno tavol deva’vi tam namamsanti jassa dhamme saya maņoll
“Religion is the highest of all blessings; it comprises Ahimsā, Samyama, and Tapa. Even the gods bow down to him whose mind is always centred in dharma."
Then the Sūtrā (1/2-4) continues with the following classical verses, which are, like the above one, amongst the words to be daily recited by monks :
jahā dummassa pupphesu bhamaro āviyai rasaml na ya pupphaṁ kilāmei, so ya piņeī appayam/ eme e samaņā muttā, je loc samti sāhuņoll vihamgamā va pupphesu, dāņa-bhattesaņe rayāl vayam ca vittim labbhāmo, na ya koi uvahammail ahägaļesu riyanti, pupphesu bhamarā jahäll
"As the bee drinks honey from the blossoms of a tree and gets sated, without causing pain to the blossom, just so are those monks, who gave up all attachment and who are truly “good ones' (original : 'Sadhu,' i.e., also ‘monks') in the world. As the bees with the blossom, they are gratified with begging their alms,"
“Their device is ‘Let us find something to live on without any creature being harmed.' This is why they go in quest of what they find ready, as the bee does on the blossoms."
"Wise are those who act like the bees, and who are free from all bonds of dependence. Pleased they are with any food they obtain, and ever self-controlled. This is why they are called “Sadhus' (i.e., 'the good ones' and 'monks').
The ideal of what human life can be like, and ought to be like, in the light of all these conception, is illustrated by the figure of the
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