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TULASI-PRAJNA, July-Sept., 1991 principal feature of Jaina ethics, Jain īcīrya Umisvāni has called these three-right faith, right knowledge and right conduct (together) constitute the path to liberation :
Samyag-darśana-jšāna-căritrāņi mokșa-mārgah. These three bave been called three jewels because of their prominence in the way of salvation. These three are inter-dependent and inter-related. i Right knowledge is the first state of spiritual practice. Having faith on the form of seven fundamentals as described by Jina (spiritual victor) is called right faith. It modifies the view of man. After attaining the right faith an aspirant gets right knowledge. When he knows those elements fully, on which he has faith, he attains right knowledge. In fact the knowledge of the form of body and or living or non-living is right knowledge. In Jaina ethics this selfknowledge is specially important because on the basis of this, the conduct of the man is predicted. Jaina philosophy has proclaimed very liberally that Truth is not bound by the liinits of a man, caste, religion or country. The subject of right knowledge is an attempt to know the va ious dimensions of Truth by giving due honour to its absoluteness. The basis of Jaina ethics is right conduct. In Jain scriptures conduct has been described keeping in view the life of monks and householders. The main object of the conduct prescribed for monks is self-realization whereas in the conduct of house-holders the development of man and society is also included.36 Similarly the assimilation of detachment and attachment is there in Jaina ethics.
Like the Jaina religion other Indian philosophies have also advocated the threefold path for the attainment of the status of the supreme element. According to the Buddhist philosophy salvation (Nirvāṇa) can be attained by observing the virtues of character (Sila), meditation (Samādhi) and wisdom (Prajñā). In the Gītā the paths of knowledge (Jñānayoga), good deeds (Karmayoga) and devotion (Bhaktiyoga) are considered paramount. The path of hearing (Sravana), cogitation (Manana) and deep meditation (Nididhyāsana)37 is intimately related to the path of faith, knowledge and character advocated in Jainism. Some Western scholars have also recognised this threefold path for attaining the status of the supreme soul. "Know thyself', 'Accept thyself' and 'Be thyself' are the three'moral doctrines advocated by them.32 By discovering similarities in these paths propounded by different religions one can have a glimpse of the similarities in the nature of the supreme power and also in experiencing it. Because in the end no difference exists between mendicant, path of devotion or the object of attainment. Jainism tells us that the soul is itself know
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