Jainism An Introduction
by destroying karmas and who is omniscience and omnopotent
for bestowing in me all those qualities which are found in them.
(-Mokshashastra)
Where The World Is Going?
In all the aspects of human life today there is terrible uneasiness prevailing everywhere. Often we find sins, fraud, injustice and tyranny overwhelming all around us. The strong against weak, rich against poor, one community against another and brother against brother are busy in oppressing and deceiving and even snatching every thing from others, and are blind with selfishness in order to fulfill their own never ending desires.
Not only in social but political field also wars and cruelties massacre take place. Those who are desirous to spread their empire invade upon the weak and weaponless countries of the world and by overcoming their independence try to swallow their property, manpower and everything by playing tricks upon them.
At that time man crushes humanity and seems to be more dangerous than a fearful wild animal in his terrible demonic form causing murders, looting and snatching and by his other low deeds, he destroys his own peace as well as of the society,country and the world itself?
What is humanity and what is its importance in human life? Who am I and who are all those and what is the duty of a man and where it is found and how can it be procured? Why there is torture and how it can be removed?
No one wants to think over seriously on all these aspects but on the other hand by be-fooling others, how can the world’s property be achieved by self and in order to fulfil all the desires luxurious articles be received etc.
The whole of the humanity is often drowning in the thoughts of fulfilling his desires, causing uneasiness and anxiety to self.
The young men and women having no knowledge of religion and soul under intoxication of their age thinking themselves obliged in enjoying the materials and ‘Eat, Drink and be Merry’ is their moto in life and hence they are busy in free and luxurious living. On hearing about religion and its routine acts they try to abscond and show unwillingness, tum deaf ears to it.
Even some of them are courageous enough to call it a false and vague show. They are so much involved in their own work that they have no concern with anyone, whether it dies or lives.
Such selfish and low thoughts often take deep roots in human hearts and the qualities of heart such as to love each other, selfless service showing pity to distressed persons and the feeling to extend hands for helping them are diminishing.
When such is the position of behavior by one man to another then what can be said about behavior with other living beings. We find lacs of poor animals and birds are being eaten up daily and majority of human beings believe that other animals and creatures are created by God for our eating and enjoying.
Hence in slaughter houses crores of animals, including cow, buffaloes and other dumb animals are put to death daily by cutting them through fatal machines cruelly in a line and thus in order to fulfill their wordily desires and comforts, frogs, hens, fishes, monkies etc. are brutally oppressed and caused pains in many ways and finally are killed to make it the source of fillings his own stomach.
It is no longer a crime or injustice today. It is also painful that India which was the place of religions and the founder of Ahimsa – doctrine. It taught the universe holy lessons of spiritual peace and morality and was called as teacher of world (Jagat Guru). The same country is now facing rapidly murders, rape, loot, dacoity, corruption, dishonesty etc.
Thus by several dishonest and in-human deeds, religion and morality are being fully destroyed and violence, misappropriation of wealth, untruth, fraud, corruption, deception are being fearlessly acted upon and no one thinks it to be heinious but full of dignity.
What does the world demand?
If this question is considered seriously then in all these evil habits and thoughts and evil deeds only one thing seems to have been put forth and it is to get real and permanent happiness in life i.e. eternal bliss.
The human desire is whether he may have to commit sins in place of religion but by fulfilling his selfishness and evil desires he wants to enjoy happiness. It is painful to note that as he proceeds to do sinful acts by his low doings then in place of eternal joy and happiness he is getting himself disturbed, uneasy and faces calamities.
This is the reason that now-a-days man is surrounded with more grief and unpleasantness. Even from palace to huts, you may see a strange uneasiness. Not only this but by the production of atomic bombs and other fatal weapons the whole of the humanity as well as the animals and creatures are being completely perished and the whole world is afraid of being completely destroyed by it.
Though, the wonderful inventions of science are increasing luxury and articles of enjoyment in large quantity to provide more and more facilities and comforts day by day to human beings, but he could not get peace out of them.
On the other hand, it increased grief and discomfort in his life resulting into internal impurity to its highest extent which shows that the human life is going to be destroyed completely.
If it is seen carefully then all these have entangled us in physical evil desires produced by dissipated living we have thought them to be bestowing is with happiness and look them as to be every thing in life and ultimate goal which is now drowning the world in the sea of calamities.
Man has become blind with the dazzling light of various articles of luxury, as a result of which he is unable to see the real happiness and eternal light and is behaving like a demon in order to accumulate and have sole possession of luxurious things.
If we think deeply then we find that since beginning man due to these false thinking has become a slave of his wishes and is entangled in them and being drowned by evil desires. As he has imagined that the real happiness lies in worldly outward things and their tastes. So in order to get them he is busy day and night with madness and is unable to know what the real happiness is and where it is? He does not feel it necessary to think over it.
This is the reason that we could neither get real happiness today nor we could establish peace in the world. For want of knowing the real form of happiness and the means to procure it and by fruitless endeavor we had been more or less agitated and uneasy and went on destroying our valuable life uselessly with our own hands.
In this connection from Lord Rishabhadeva to Lord Mahavira i.e. the line of Tirthankaras first showed the path of purifying soul to the aimless human beings in order to get the Supreme State Parmatma-Dasha) by their dynamic speeches they guided also to the suffering living beings of the world and declared in loud voice as under-
Brothers you have forgotten your everlasting image of self which is full of knowledge and joy and have adopted the sensual pleasure and wealth of this substantial world as the chief aim of life and for this purpose like demons you are oppressing the weak and raising people and animals quarrels among brothers, son and father, one caste with another and one country to fight against the other country and thus dreaming for getting happiness which is an illusion for you.
By committing sins for the fulfillment of sensual pleasure with injustice, tyranny unusual means and selfish deeds in this world but no one can ever get peace by these acts.
If the man proceeds with these evils in him he will have to face himself terrible uneasiness and will entangle himself in the whirlpool. Please open your eternal-eyes for a moment, those who are selfish and commit sins and oppress others for fulfilling their demon wishes, are they happy?
No, not at all. One who is selfish and for the sake of fulfilling his sensual pleasures is proceeding with the help of cunningness, deceptive means and dishonesty with evil deeds is so much pained, uneasy, disturbed sinful and distressed.
It may be that by cunningness he may deceive others and by other evil deeds if he becomes successful in fulfilling his sensual pleasures but these may never give him eternal happiness and his present sensual pleasure i.e his imaginary happiness is destroyed.
Hence, first of all it is necessary to take decision that the eternal happiness for getting which all these are being done by myself is what and where it is found and how can it be achieved? And who am I? What is my real form (image)? What is the relation of these senses (Indriyas) with me and what is the relation of the happiness with these senses?
If you think properly, then you will yourself know that by leaving humanity and adopting sins and tyranny and indulging in sensual pleasures no one gets even slightest happiness. If happiness could have been achieved by these means then the real happiness and peace would have been established in this world long ago.
Because what are those sins and cruelties which have not been done by the human demons and not being done? By turning the pages of history and by putting our eyes evil deeds which are being done in this world, it becomes clear itself that the sinful and cruel persons had to face the result of their evil deeds either today or tomorrow and they caused displeasure and pains to others which is still being suffered by them.
Therefore, if you want to get happiness or eternal joy and also want to make others happy then first of all you will have to leave the ego of imaginary happiness and the false attraction of it in order to become Samyaka dristi i.e. a man of right-thinking and will have to understand the real form of knowledge with the feelings of equality and wordily friendship and brotherhood in order to become united with the holy feelings of universal love.
Moreover, the feelings of difference with any person, class of persons or caste and society should be avoided without having hatred and envy with them they should be treated with generosity and friendliness. Not only this, the dumb and helpless animals and creatures and all other living beings should also be protected and full care should be taken of their lives and welfare.
Because they have also full and complete rights like us for living with happiness and peace. No one has a right to kill or eat after hunting them. Unless with the help of religion and feelings of worldly brotherhood one man does not think the other man and creatures like himself and does love them whole heartedly and takes their pains as of himselves and causes trouble and behaves in humanity with them, till the establishment of peace in the world is not only difficult but impossible.
When you will oppress others due to selfishness and pinch them then it is but natural that they will cause pain to you or destroy your comforts and take revenge. It is foolishness to have pride of wealth or strength and to think that what evil can be done by others to us? Because the pride of great proudy persons, who even ever talked of sky, were seen lying on ground.
Therefore it is quite necessary to understand this fact that after receiving the wealth and property, the man becomes blind with pride and does not care about Punya and Pap (Pious and sinful acts) and desires to be happy having oppressed theirs and thinking poor and weak persons as inferiors and insults them and tries to crush them under his feet by evil deeds. The gain of such a wealth is neither permanent nor it gives peace to their soul or permanent happiness.
The great Chakravartis who with great efforts established their empires and acquired plenty of wealth but none of them could enjoy them for a longtime and in the last period none of them got stability. On the other hand, in the end, they had to repent and meet the death ultimately. Therefore one should not forget being empowered or proud that there is soul like yours in those poor and weak men and other creatures and had got sensitivity about happiness, pains and troubles caused to them.
Therefore it is a wisdom for everyone that one should realize others alike and behave sympathetically and lovingly with them and should keep in mind that while doing any deed, it should not be harmful to others instead giving of benefit to them.
Self Realization
In reality, every creature in the world is the potential form of God or almighty and that God is neither jealous nor covatious, he is omnipotent and omniscience with complete happiness with all powers and without birth and death, he is blameless and without sin.
All the spiritual (Bhavya) souls have got the power to become such a God and it is the real form of soul. The only difference is that the worldly souls are entangled in prejudice, false love and attraction including sexual and angry feelings etc., evil and sinful acts and thus suffering from worldly pains and even death but the Supreme Power i.e God is free from all these things.
The worldly soul does different kinds of sins and holy deeds which results in different forms but it is definite that every soul full of right knowledge and so it desires for eternal happiness afraid of miseries and in order to get happiness due to delusion he does several kinds of good and evil deeds. But there being no knowledge of the right path he can not get real happiness and even cannot live peacefully in this world.
There is similar soul present in the body of all the creatures in this world and they being desirous to get happiness, all the souls are ill with the same disease and are claimant for getting love and sympathy from one another as brothers. Happiness and joy are habits or quality of the soul.
The worldly people destroy it by their own evils do and search them in other things. Therefore when the happiness is the quality of our soul and it can be obtained freely in our soul then why should one try to find happiness in worldly things and why should he become selfish and cause quarrels by committing sins and low deeds with foolishness.
There are innumerable living beings on this earth, everyone is full of longings and it is found in multiples in them. In this world the articles of luxury and comforts are in limits. They cannot be fulfilled by any of themselves.
Assuming for some time if any one does it then he cannot use them simultaneously and get enjoyed. While happiness is a quality of soul and not of any of the articles used by him. While it is a quality of soul to get spiritual happiness and not any of the articles of consumption (Bhogopbhog). As the articles of comforts are increasing, the man is becoming uneasy and restless.
So it is wise that if you want to get rid of all the pains want to pass the life peacefully then you should not become slave of senses (Indriyas) and should avoid all these comforts and luxuries. Do not take it as an ideal of life to use them and should not become uneasy and uncomfortable for want of them and avoid oppressing others and destroying the peace of soul.
In order to make others happy and to develop our qualities, one should try to get eternal peace (Parmatma Dasha). In order to spread peace and protect the right of others as our own rights and justly use comforts and luxury received with contentment.
The other distressed and poor persons and creatures should be considered as our own brothers and shelter them in every possible way and it should be our first and foremost aim to serve them without any selfishness.
If any one being a human being does not love his kith’s and keens, neighbors, civilians, countrymen and all human beings even at home and outside then what remains in him, so that why he may not be called an animal?
The man who in a dilemma or knowingly does not believe in himself for the eternal happiness of his soul and being blind with selfishness oppresses others and makes his own aim in life in eating and drinking as well as enjoying and does not pay heed to make his soul pure and avoids his holy aim, actually that man is atheist and he is responsible for destroying peace and happiness of himself as well as others.
Therefore, it is the foremost duty of each and every person that he should think about above matters seriously and act accordingly, so that he may live himself with the other creatures peacefully and have progress towards happiness.
Thus, amnesty and overwhelming holy feelings of world brotherhood be declared and by uprooting the envy caused due to difference of principles and secular discussions and establish unity and equality among various classes of people and by avoiding obstinacy and favourism there should be respect for others ideas or thoughts and showing truth to the one sided ideology and taking them near perfection, the Tirthankaras who were impartial had invented the wonderful Syadvada principle having various methods of thinking, they have given another valuable preaching to the world.
Syadvada or Anekanta (Theory of Relativity)
It means to make our ways of thinking broad, thoughts liberal and mode of speaking generous with no partiality and making it kind and explain our good intentions to others.
It is often seen that one section of a class becomes against others, one caste to the other, one party to the other party and even one brother becomes unkind to the other and raises quarrel with him thus create quarrels with different classes, castes, parties or the brothers have ”’unmatching”’ thoughts which is not proper.
Even due to difference of opinion and thoughts in the name of religion in the past time the blind followers of religions under intoxication of caste system have done innumerable cruelties against other caste people and have burnt them, crushed them in oilseed crusher, cut them with sword, covered them under walls, got their skins separated and filled grass in it.
They by their demonic deeds in the sacred name of religion, blamed it and the pages of history were sprinkled with blood, which is not hidden from any of the learned readers.
In Christianity the Roman Catholics and the Protestants had blood sheds among them and among Hindus even on regarding Lord Buddha as the 24th avtar, the cruelties performed against the Bauddha and Jains at the time of Shankaracharya and the Muslims instead of spreading the Islam religion with love tried to use power of sword and did innumerable cruelties against the followers of other religions and called them Kafitrs’ and put them to death.
All these were due to caste feelings. Were not its evil results then what? Any of the impartial and wise personalities can not live without criticizing those deeds.
Even today the fanatic Muslims think that the Hindus and Christians are their great enemies because their customs and traditions are not favorable to them. In the same way the orthodox Hindus also treat the Muslim and the Christian due to differences of opinions.
Though, majority of philosophers and their own religious scriptures regard that there is only one God which is the creator of the whole world and is regarded as the governor of their fate and therefore as per their opinion the Supreme Power or God, who created Hindus has also created Muslims and Christians.
Even then due to their conservative ideas such persons destroy the principles of their own religions Because there is difference of opinions’.
Only due to this-thinking the majority of human beings take the life of others. Peoples all over the world commit great riots in the name of religion.
Due to this difference of opinion, the public quarrels occur in this world and hence in order to do away enmity and establish peace in the world and to bring harmony in thoughts the Tirthankaras have declared that since the beginning of this civilization (Anadi Kala) thoughts of each and every person have been different and will remain so, because it is impossible to have unity of thoughts as the thoughts of every person depend upon his circumstances, capability of understanding and mental desires being full of varieties.
The knowledge of all and their sources are limited. This is the reason that the sons of the same father seem to be more different than between the earth and the sky. Therefore only due to difference of opinion it is not proper to have enmity or quarrel nor it is prudence. Hence one should have tolerance in thinking.
Anekant Form of Substance
The reality is this that every substance has multiple qualities and forms. Someone looks at it in one form and thinks over it. While the other looks at it with the other form.
One who looks at it with the other sight may be right in doing so and you may be right in your thinking, but it does not mean that one sided right is only correct and the other’s is wrong and so all should look at it with their own sight and should not think over it with the other one. Because all are free to think over it with their own sights.
The knowledge of all the persons being towards its one part or quality. it is one part of the knowledge and not the whole of the knowledge about it. For example one man calls his father as father while being his brother the other calls his brother and the third one being his brother-in-law calls him as brother-in-law.
Thus in one man there being the relationship of father, brother and so on and it does not cause any obstacle in it. It is so in reality. But the man, who calls him father, says him to be father of all or being brother of one as brother of all the persons or being brother-in-law of all, then it may cause a dispute among them.
Will that not be foolishness or obstinacy? Hence only there being difference of opinion or difference in sight if one thinks the other to be his enemy and envies or holds discussions. Because different creatures have different nature and angle of sight, so it is quite natural to be difference of opinion.
Therefore, in looking at the form of the subject one should be impartial and generous or liberal and think over it from all the aspects.
In addition to this hundreds of classes of sects have been established by their own Rishies and Munies by their knowledge and experience.
Seeing them do not be irritated or hate them nor disturb in their modes of worship because they will do their religious deeds according to what they have taught by their Gurus.
No one can stop them from doing so and any pressure for it can never be called as religion, nor by doing so, he can be the follower of your religion but on the other hand he would hate your principles as well as you and it would cause discussions and quarrels which may end in chaos.
So if think it to be a wrong path to be followed and want to make them the follower of your own religious principles, then you should preach your principles to them by love. If you fail in this partly then no matter, because take it as your success though partial.
But never try to load your ideas on others which can never be successful. It may be that some one may be doing it unknowingly and he might have misunderstood the subject and even then not everything and you should take it to be the man to be followed and get him understood the reality, otherwise be a middle man and do not think over his foolishness and difference of opinion and never be unsympathetic and try to raise quarrels.
Because due to his habit or want of knowledge, he is helpless to do the work at his will and like you he is also completely free to have his own free ideas and also to do it accordingly.
To make our ideas liberal, tolerant and without favoritism and with the ideas of benefit to every body, it is his first and foremost duty that he should make his policy and feelings to avoid falsehood and honestly adopt truth and should decide that whatever is truth, that is ours.
With these liberal feelings and sight, the man desiring to know a substance in its real form and having captured one thing or quality and not keeping the eyes shut is a man in its real sense a thinker or the person knowing substantial element and can become foreseeing person and all the differences of philosophy may easily be co-ordinate.
This sort of substantial sight may demolish the feelings of communalism (or short sightedness of ideas) and every man though having differences in ideas may have friendship and keeping away quarrels, discussions and opposition may feel necessity of establishing equality, freedom, fearlessness and liberty.
The Tirthankaras have declared that to have differences and to hate others cannot be said to be a religion. The aim of religion is to mitigate differences and enmity and to establish equality and love in the world.
Therefore, if anybody or religious community spreads every, communal feelings, differences, violence, quarrels and divisions then it may not be called as a religion. These are his unholy deeds and his preachers can not be religious person but a sinful person.
Those who are promotors of truth and peace then it is their foremost duty to displace such untruthful ideas by heart. Worldly brotherhood, equality and Syadvada with the ideas of Anekant and declaration of liberal ideas, the Tirthankaras in order to make every creature happy, whatever facts and truthful path has been shown by them is known as Jain religion.
It is called so because those great men who have control over their senses (Indriyas) and evil wishes or love and envy and have controlled these enemies of soul may make their soul as the God himself and they have made their Atma as Parmatma and have received full knowledge and eternal happiness.
By following Jainism, the man not only in the life to me, but at once loses his worries and he gets eternal happiness and peace of soul.
Therefore, religion is actually not a thing which reside in temples or in idols or at Tirtha Kshetras or religious scriptures, the temples and idols of God or religious places are sources of developing these ideas and get Siddhies or success from the sources and objects, so these religious places are properly established by pratistha and then we should try to do our Atma Hita (Self Kalyan).
But we should remember that temples, idols and religious places and worship and prayers etc. and being provoked by these or in their names and to shed blood can never be a religious. Those who do this, they do it due to foolishness and unauthorized desires do not make ones self or the world as sad but they deceive themselves in the name of religion and commit sin and defame the name of the religion.
The direct way to eternal happiness (Samyaka Darshana)
It has been already said that in every soul such qualities are present in natural courses as are in the Supreme Power (God). But these qualities in the God have fully developed and became totally pure (Shudha) and in worldly souls those qualities have been bonded by Karma Bandhan and due to attachment envy and other vices, they are unexpressed and impure.
One who is seeing the innumerable qualities in ones-self including knowledge and having its reflection in the form of power knows his own real form, has a feeling about it and has perfect and firm faith in it that by keeping his soul away from all the blames by good deeds, I may become the God or Parmatma.
He is called a person having right way of thinking and his faith may be called as Samyaka Darshana (Right faith). This right faith is the basis or foundation stone of Dharma.
Those who do not believe in Atma (soul) and its holiness and who thinks that the mixture of five elements the earth, water, fire, air and space (Prithvi, Jal, Agni, Vayu and Aakash) causes the evolution of Atma and after death it meets into the earth, is a deluded person and he can never proceed on the path of religion, if he does so, then for what purpose, when he does not acknowledge his existence after the death.
The object of life of such atheist remains to accumulate (gather) only the articles of luxury and its accessories. He does not want to acknowledge Punya and Pap (holy acts and sins) etc. Hence, so long as he lives, he will pass a lusty life and himself will remain restless and unhappy. Not only this, but he will oppress others in this world and also make it unquiet.
But those who understand that the soul is a separate thing from the body and its elements, then he will get real knowledge in its real form and try to remain full of happiness. Such persons shall proceed on the holy path of self progress i.e. progress of this soul and try to make other happy.
Samyaka Darshana (Right faith)
For the sake of progress of soul, we will have to see and know our own form as well as the form of the world rightly.
Till we do not know it upto that time for the development of ourselves and service of the others holy work shall be impossible. We ourselves are separate from the lifeless substances like our body and we are full of knowledge, thoughts, happiness and other qualities in our soul called living substance.
Our soul is never born nor it is destroyed. It, is formless (invisible to our eyes), whole (unbreakable) and from times immemorial till (unlimited time), it has its free existence and is a matter which is conscious of self. The number of the souls like us are Anantanant (infinite), which appear evidently. Each of them has got their shapes equal to their own bodies.
The soul have power to expand and contract like the light. If its pradesa begin to stretch then even one soul can stretch through all the three Lokas. Since immemorial times this soul is bounded with the Karmas and is entangled with attachment and envy as well as love and sin the man suffers many a pains and has been taking rounds in the animals, Deva and Narak gaties.
If he becomes a right thinker and keeps himself away from attachment and envy and destroys the chains of the Karmas already bounded with his soul then he may seek Shudha Parmatma dasha (Form of God) and may be quite happy.
That only this Gyanananda Swarupanu Bhuti Parakashardha is Samyaka Darshan. That this bliss of knowledge & faith and experience of self is Right faith. Right thinkers are fearless and doubtless in their lives because they know that naturally the soul is everlasting, ever present and free substance, Due to the meeting of the perishable body or with any other substance neither it gets nor it suffers any loss.
The meeting and leaving of eternal substances and their being the cause they take the imaginary pains and gains as the fruits of their previous earned fruits of their karmas and do not think it to be the benefit or loss to their souls. Hence, the moment when one attains right thinking power at the same moment his attraction or love ends and many a forged or imaginary mental pains and he gets wonderful happiness and peace.
Main Sources of Right Thinking
The right thinking is only possible for human beings who are since time immemorial are in the clutches of false love and attachment to the worldly things. When one comes into contact of any Vitaragi (who has left everything) and who knows everything and is Apta Purush Omniscient) then by hearing his preaching or by the guidance of right teachers he many have the knowledge of about self and others.
For this purpose true and the omniscient and His holy voice (Shastras) i.e. Jinendra Vani and the true knowledge of the rightful Guru and their recognition (if necessary) whose voice helps in getting Tatva Gyan (real knowledge) and shows right path.
In the true sense Apta (supreme being) is the man who gets victory over all the vices of soul, becomes completely happy and gets himself to the state of God and shows right path to the other sorrowful creatures of the world in order to make them like himself and also does create sources for the welfare of the world.
In the shashtriya language he is called Apta and in the public language he is called true Lord, God,Omniscient Tirthankara, Parmatma, Arihanta and Jinendra etc. Vitaragi (who has left every thing) knows every thing and preaches for the betterment of all these three qualities which are his special symbols, which shows Aptata.
If Apta (Supreme Being) is not a Vitaragi, away from lust and is like that of other worldly persons, he is amorous, envious, loveborn or passionate. angry and illusive person, then he is not worthy to be called as Apta or Parmatma.
One who has not got victory over vices and whose soul is full of guilt then he is one entangled in worldly whirl-wind and such a vicious person cannot claim himself to be called as parmatma or Supreme Being and those persons who are desirous to make their soul pure may take him to be God and worship him. Being a Vitaragi, one should have complete knowledge and should know everything.
Those, whose souls are not completely developed with knowledge and have lack of knowledge, cannot satisfy others by giving them true knowledge about Atma (soul) and Parmatama (Supreme soul) etc. and the Tatvas (elements).
So their curiosity about the Tatvas can neither be complete nor any Mumukshu (one who is desirous to know) can recognise him as his guide in the form of Apta(Supreme
Being) with due respect, including knowledge of every thing i.e. being omniscience and Vitaragata the Apta must also be a well wisher of all.
By which he may show the right path to salvation to the other creatures of this world he may show the right path to salvation to the other creatures of this world and attains the Apta pada (The Supreme State).
Anybody endowed with the above mentioned special qualities may be called as Supreme Being. Truthful Lord, Tirthankara, Parmatma, God or Lord Jinendra and can be worshiped. To worship such a Lord and his qualities, avoiding the attraction of name and favoritism is helpful in developing qualities of ones soul and hence it is quite necessary.
But the worship of the Lords, who are amorous, envious, lovers, vicious and full of anger etc. is neither helpful in developing the qualities not it does make possible the kalyan (Benediction) of any body but on the other hand by entangling in the whirl-wind of amorous and envies, he may become misguided definitely. Hence, a man who is desirous to get right knowledge should identify the Supreme Being and then worship him.
For want of company of Supreme Beings, their preaching (Agam) is helpful. These preaching are also actually worthy of paying the due respect and are worth reading and teaching by which the true substantial knowledge may develop and it shows path of getting victory over the evil thoughts of attachment, love and envy.
These preach for the benefit of all and by reading which the character may develop and may cause disinterest with sins.
The principles laid down in it may need no proof. On the other hand the shastras (religious books) by reading which attachment and envy is caused or evil vices may increase disgust against good deeds and the justice is denied, giving inspiration for injustice and immorality is not a sacred script or Shastra but it is a weapon.
So the man who wants atma kalyan (benediction of soul) must always remain away from such literature.
Right preachers also are the followers of Vitaraga Marg the way of being away from passions and attachment), they must be free from all evil-vices of Indriyas having equal sight, free from sins and evil habits, leaving away from violence, without any possession and engaged in receiving knowledge, right thoughts, keeping desires away, engaged in penance, truthful and without any evil habits (nirvyasani).
One who himself follows path to salvation and also causes his disciples to follows it. It is quite impossible that persons having no right knowledge and who have evil vices and bad habits and are pakhandi can be able to become true teachers for the path of salvation.
Therefore, it is better to remain away from such Gurus or preachers for the sake of self benediction. One who is himself entangled in evil vices, envy, attachment and is merged in evil deeds and habits, how can he lead others on good path.
A true preacher or teacher is supposed to be like a ship which itself passes over sea and carries others also across it. But like a shone boat, the so called sadhus (hermits) who are hypocritical emerge themselves and also to their followers.
Therefore, it is necessary to be careful and go to the shelter of the Nirgrantha (having no desire for any worldly possession) and who have no evil deeds and it is better to follow the path of self benediction by having faith and following the preaching.
Thus, as only the truthful Lord or God (Deva), Agam (Religious scripts) and Nirgranth preachers or saint can make a man of right thinking.
Therefore, first of all to have faith true Lord, religious scripts and teachers or preachers are the source or (staircase) for right thinking any by having remedy of deeds in its cause and then having faith in it is also called Samyaka Darshana (Right faith).
Hence, for geting rid from this world (to get salvation it is quite essential to have faith in Supreme personalities (Lords) and also to have full faithin the Tatvas and their forms which have been pointed out by them.
Samyaka Gyan or Right Knowledge
Having faith in knowledge of Tatvas with right thinking the true knowledge of self and others in ones soul and the right knowledge about their forms is called right knowledge or Samyaka Gyan.
Reading of Shastras in bulk and having a vast knowledge about the out-world and science without proper knowledge about self and the form of one’s soul, actually such a man is not entitled to become a man of right-knowledge or to be called a Samyak Gyani but if one does not know many other things and has knowledge of one’s self in a proper manner then he may be Samyak Gyani.
Only those who are Samyak Gyanies become sucessful and capable of being helpful to self and others. Hence, any how, one should try to get the true knowledge about self and the Taivas. Reading of the religious scripts, preaching of true saints and Darshan of Vitaraga Deva etc. are its easy sources.
Hence, avoiding prejudice and without favor with a feeling of learning to read and hear the Vitaraga Vani (God’s Preaching) and following the knowledge about Tatvas, obtain Samyak Gyan or true knowledge is the foremost duty of a person who wants to seek it. It is impossible to get rid of the worldly pains without right knowledge or Samyak Gyan.
Samyak Charitra or Right Conduct
On having right thinking and right knowledge it is quite necessary to abide by the principles of Samyak Charitra i.e. right character for the purification of ones soul.
The following of those principles is such as to know about the proper medicine for the decease in order to become healthy and it is also necessary to believe in it and then to take the medicine and not to take harmful things.
As without taking the medicine it is impossible to get rid of the decease, similarly on having the knowledge and believing that one can become God and the self also have all those qualities as are found in God but the person urging for salvation until does not follow the principles which makes the Atma as Parmatma (Supreme Soul.)
How can he get rid of the worldly pains without following Vrat, Sheel, Sanyam, Tapascharan and Kshama etc. and by following voilence, sins and anger and other evil-feelings of Kashaya, which are to be avoided as harmful for soul.
It is not proper to say or suppose that the feelings should be pure and one may do whatever he likes because in order to keep feelings pure the outward character should also be pure, while the sinful acts do not take place without evil feelings and attachment.
Sometimes for want of firmness, due to circumstances the acts are done against faith but under those circumstances the soul being degraded from its duty it is supposed to be fallen to some extent and not holy or pure.
Thus, the reality in faith and genuineness in knowledge and purity in character is the true religion, due to its effects and by adopting them in life, even a sinful person and fallen souls may also become holy and attain supreme power.
Therefore, everybody who is desirous of self benediction and progress of belonging to any class, caste and country should observe according to his own ability the above mentioned Ratnatraya i.e. the religion with right thinking, right knowledge and right character.
Religion is not the property of any special person, caste, class or society but it is the property of every living being. Hence, everybody is entitled to get his own welfare.
The religion which limits to some special persons, caste or class of people and it does not emphasis for the welfare or uplift of all living creatures or which spreads envy and hatred among them and produces chaos in the world then it can not claim to be for all or the real religion of every living body.
Religion should spread the feelings of equality, freedom, self support and holy love and gives solace to sell as the world. It makes holy to a degraded person and carries the soul towards perfection.
The Tirthankars have warned us, while laying strong foundation of worldly religion by explaining the above mentioned omniscience and omnipotent scientific definition for the benefit of this world, that everybody should never believe in false deeds, traditions and unusal acts.
The religion by following which we want to make our life holy and desire to go across the ocean of the world and long to make the soul full of eternal peace and happiness i.e. the Supreme God.
Therefore, it is not wise to take its help with the blind belief. Hence, it is the duty of every desirous and wise person that he should examine every thing on the touch stone of religion and then to believe it and
act accordingly.
