Sramana 2016 01

Author(s): Shreeprakash Pandey, Rahulkumar Singh, Omprakash Singh
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi

Page 79

MANIFESTATION OF ETHICS IN JAINA ART
Prof. M. N. P. Tiwari
Indian culture is the wonderful confluence of varied cultural trends, religious thought, philosophy and art, and Jainism has been one of its main streams. Somehow, Jainism could not receive adequate attention earlier, despite the fact that it has contributed immensely and equally to the development and enrichment of Indian culture, literature, art and architecture., The dharma and kalā in Indian context go hand in hand and virtually the religious thought and concept find visual expressions in different forms of kalā like architecture, sculpture, icon, painting and performing art. These all in Jaina context are the vehicles of the principal ideas of morality (ethics- naitikatā), spirituality and austerity which mainly comprise the anekāntavāda, satya, ahiņsā, aparigraha (tyāga or non-acquisition) and unceasing respect for praksti- nature (flora and fauna). All these took not only to their Jinas or Tīrthankaras (highest in Jaina worship) to the state of ānanda of self realization ( kevala-jñāna) but brought them back to the society to share their experience with the massess to drive the entire humanity out of the snare of bondage of karma (karma-bandhana) to attain the real supreme ānanda. The Jaina ethic aims at improving oneself by eradicating one's rāga and dveșa, attachment and aversion (and becoming vītarāgi), which actually are the four passions--anger, involvement in unreal things (pride), deceit and greed. If these are brought under control, the ātman is on the path of ānanda- salvation (nirvāņa or mokṣa). Of the four human objectives (puruṣārthas), yearning for wealth and happiness must be subordinated to dharma(religious attitude), which takes one to path of morality leading to the final liberation from the boundage of actions (karmas) and which alone would bring experience of ānanda.