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Śramana, Vol. 61, No. 4 October - December 10
JAINA ETHICS AND ITS REFLETIONS
ON SOCIETY
Prof. (Smt.) Rekha Chaturvedi
Being an ascetic religion Jainism has been blamed by some of the scholars that it is not for society. But this is not true. Though it belongs to Nivettimārgi tradition and talks of renunciation but it is very much for the society. Being reconciliatory in its attitude, Jania Ethics gives us a bundle of commandments by applying which one can make one's life as well as society healthy and virtuos. It does not talk of renunciation of world but it talks of renunciation of attachment and aversion and supra moral plan of life in the society. The author has recorded here some of the reflections of Jainism on Society.
Wealth, health, beautiful persons, good food, clothing and houses are some of the objects, which an average man generally likes to have. On the contrary poverty, ill health, ugly faces, starvation and ill-feeding are the objects which a person tries to escape from. The desired object causes happiness and undesired causes misery. Pleasure and pain are the two sides of a coin.
According to Jaina Ethics, our worldly possessions do not make us necessarily and fully happy.' Nor are poor people always unhappy. Happiness mainly depends on our mental attitude. The state of mental poise and calmness which springs forth form selfcontrol and integrity of personality can not be bought for money. There is a happiness, which reveals from within and that is called 'bliss' or 'beatitude'. The aim of worldly happiness is called ‘Preyas' and the end of spiritual bliss is called ' Śreyas' respec
* Deptt. of Ancient History, D.D.U. University, Gorakhpur
