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SVASTI - Essays in Honour of Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah
Free will in Jain thought The problem of free will is discussed by almost all renaissance humanists, 'Man the measure' is the earliest declaration of humanistic outlook. Humanists confirm that man is the maker of his own destiny. Free will did not mean slavery to desires of our mind but freedom of 'rational self'. Once you condition yourself with 'rational self', you are free to move within those restraints. In the words of Emerson, “A man is free to speak the truth not to lie, free to serve, not to exploit, free to sacrifice himself but not free to kill or injure”. Morality for Mahāvīra was not a matter of outward conformity but of inward fulfillment, of deep conviction, accomplished by right action. Hence Jainism teaches Triratna "Three Jewels" (Right knowledge, Right faith and Right conduct). The soul has all power to implement the quality of life.
Right conduct
Karma Theory is supreme in Jainism. It is the activity of human beings. There is no concept of grace and God in Jainism. Right knowledge is the knowledge of reality without doubt or error. To acquire this knowledge one should study the teaching of the Tīrthamkaras who have attained liberation and are therefore fit to lead others. Right faith is an essential preliminary for right knowledge. It consists in an insight into the truths. Right knowledge in itself is not enough, if it is not followed by right conduct. Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct cannot exist exclusively of each other. Though right conduct is the direct means of liberation: cāritram ante grhyate moksaprāpteḥ sākṣāt kāranam iti jñāpanārtham. Right conduct consists in controlling the passions, the senses, the thoughts, the speech and the action so as to cultivate an attitude of "neutrality without desire or aversion towards the objectives of the external world." The right conduct is based on the fivefold moral code which Jainas call panca mahāvrata which are tenets of Ahimsā. This fivefold moral code names killing as the biggest sin. Killing includes harming or hurting not only humans or animals but also insects and plants, because Jains believe that plants are in possession of souls. The Jain Munis even breathe through a piece of cloth tied over their mouth, lest they inhale and destroy the life of an organism floating in the air. It is this morbid fear of injuring life that governs the life of orthodox Jains. Thus Jainism prescribes asceticism for the sake of asceticism. The other rules of the moral code are actually contributory regulations to the main rule of Ahimsā. The second code stresses truthfulness (satya) in one's dealings with others. Asteya or abstinence from stealing is the third rule. The fourth is brahmacarya or
Quoted in the Foreword by Mahadev Desai, Gandhi M.K. My Early Life. Bombay: Oxford University Press. 1938, p. VIII. Pūjyapāda on Tattvārthasūtra 9.18.
