Please read Fisher’s account of “Spiritual Practices” found in pages 127-131.
Jainism teaches a threefold discipline, called the “discipline of three jewels”:
Jainism teaches a threefold discipline, called the “discipline of three jewels”:
A. Right Faith.
B. Right Knowledge.
C. Right Conduct.
The Jain discipline leads to liberation or moksha! Moksha, then, is a product following all the three together. And all the three above-mentioned disciplines are interconnected! Doing one of them while ignoring the other will be of no use!
A. Right Faith
1. Jain followers are divided on the actual meaning and content of the “Right Faith”. Professor K.N. Tiwari identifies at least four different ways of looking at this phrase.
B. Right Knowledge.
C. Right Conduct.
The Jain discipline leads to liberation or moksha! Moksha, then, is a product following all the three together. And all the three above-mentioned disciplines are interconnected! Doing one of them while ignoring the other will be of no use!
A. Right Faith
1. Jain followers are divided on the actual meaning and content of the “Right Faith”. Professor K.N. Tiwari identifies at least four different ways of looking at this phrase.
a. Some say it refers to nine Jain categories.
b. Some say it is about six substances and nine categories.
c. Some say it refers to a dharma without himsa (violence) as defined by the Thirthankaras.
d. Some others consider the content of the Jain scriptures.
2. However, it generally means an acceptance of the basic Jain principles outlined by the Thirthankaras. If one does not accept these principles one cannot follow the path of the Jain religion. This also includes accepting the basic Jain beliefs such as:
b. Some say it is about six substances and nine categories.
c. Some say it refers to a dharma without himsa (violence) as defined by the Thirthankaras.
d. Some others consider the content of the Jain scriptures.
2. However, it generally means an acceptance of the basic Jain principles outlined by the Thirthankaras. If one does not accept these principles one cannot follow the path of the Jain religion. This also includes accepting the basic Jain beliefs such as:
a. We are in bondage.
b. Liberation is possible.
c. Personal effort is very important for liberation.
3. If one is sceptical of these basic beliefs, then one cannot proceed, any further. But this does not mean Jainism promotes any blind belief. Jain faith promotes critical thinking and encourages “self-realization”! Here are some of the features – eight essentials – of the “Right Faith”:
b. Liberation is possible.
c. Personal effort is very important for liberation.
3. If one is sceptical of these basic beliefs, then one cannot proceed, any further. But this does not mean Jainism promotes any blind belief. Jain faith promotes critical thinking and encourages “self-realization”! Here are some of the features – eight essentials – of the “Right Faith”:
a. Absence of doubt about scriptures.
b. Absence of desire for worldly pleasures.
c. Absence of doubt about the attainment of the spiritual path.
d. Absence of doubt about the un-confusing vision.
e. Augmentation of spiritual qualities.
f. Re-establishing deviation from the truth.
g. Affection towards the followers of Jain faith.
h Proclamation of the importance of the truth.
B. Right Knowledge
1. Right knowledge is to do with the right perspectives of the reality around us! It is about the right knowledge about “the real nature” of the living and non-living substances!
b. Absence of desire for worldly pleasures.
c. Absence of doubt about the attainment of the spiritual path.
d. Absence of doubt about the un-confusing vision.
e. Augmentation of spiritual qualities.
f. Re-establishing deviation from the truth.
g. Affection towards the followers of Jain faith.
h Proclamation of the importance of the truth.
B. Right Knowledge
1. Right knowledge is to do with the right perspectives of the reality around us! It is about the right knowledge about “the real nature” of the living and non-living substances!
2. Like Buddhism and Hinduism, Jainism too emphasise “ignorance” as the root cause of “bondage”!
3. Knowledge here means not a mere scriptural knowledge, pure cognitive accumulation of information. It is a heart knowledge that is in the form of realization. It is self-attained and self-realized.
4. Right knowledge controls the mind and purifies the heart. Right knowledge is viewed as tapas, “penance”, because it burns the “accumulated karmas” and provides you with liberation!
C. Right Conduct
1. Jain practitioners are expected to adopt the following five vows:
a. Non-violence, ahimsa, consists of not obstructing the life processes of self or of any other living being. This embodies within it the principle of freedom and equality of all living beings.
b. Truth, satya, which means that you always speak the truth and supporting what is true according to one's own perception and experience.
c. Non-stealing, asteya, entails not taking anything that does not belong to you; one takes only one's fair share. [Leaving thing for the next generation!] This also includes being honest in business dealings.
d. Purity of body and mind, brahmacharya, is total celibacy for monks and nuns, and a partial celibacy for laypersons! Partial celibacy means no premarital, or extramarital sexual activities!
e. Non-attachment, or non-possessiveness, aparigraha, which means that you limit your material possessions and desires.
2. By following this five-fold path the Jain expects to minimize himsa, or violence of all forms – physical or mental, direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional – that one may commit. This helps the Jain community to promote a culture of ahimsa and create an atmosphere of trust and goodwill in society.
3. To practice ahimsa, Jains believe, vegetarianism is the first essential requirement. Vegetarianism, they say, not only helps eliminate intentional and avoidable physical violence towards living beings but also the violence to the self. Vegetarianism is believed to provide better health, which in turn produces the right attitude towards others.
4. In addition to these there are also more minute vows prescribed for both monks/nuns and laypersons. These vow also differ between the two major denominations!
Question to Explore:
Explain (a) the three-fold disciplines, and (b) the five vows a Jain practitioner adopts to achieve liberation from his, or her, accumulated karma.
3. Knowledge here means not a mere scriptural knowledge, pure cognitive accumulation of information. It is a heart knowledge that is in the form of realization. It is self-attained and self-realized.
4. Right knowledge controls the mind and purifies the heart. Right knowledge is viewed as tapas, “penance”, because it burns the “accumulated karmas” and provides you with liberation!
C. Right Conduct
1. Jain practitioners are expected to adopt the following five vows:
a. Non-violence, ahimsa, consists of not obstructing the life processes of self or of any other living being. This embodies within it the principle of freedom and equality of all living beings.
b. Truth, satya, which means that you always speak the truth and supporting what is true according to one's own perception and experience.
c. Non-stealing, asteya, entails not taking anything that does not belong to you; one takes only one's fair share. [Leaving thing for the next generation!] This also includes being honest in business dealings.
d. Purity of body and mind, brahmacharya, is total celibacy for monks and nuns, and a partial celibacy for laypersons! Partial celibacy means no premarital, or extramarital sexual activities!
e. Non-attachment, or non-possessiveness, aparigraha, which means that you limit your material possessions and desires.
2. By following this five-fold path the Jain expects to minimize himsa, or violence of all forms – physical or mental, direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional – that one may commit. This helps the Jain community to promote a culture of ahimsa and create an atmosphere of trust and goodwill in society.
3. To practice ahimsa, Jains believe, vegetarianism is the first essential requirement. Vegetarianism, they say, not only helps eliminate intentional and avoidable physical violence towards living beings but also the violence to the self. Vegetarianism is believed to provide better health, which in turn produces the right attitude towards others.
4. In addition to these there are also more minute vows prescribed for both monks/nuns and laypersons. These vow also differ between the two major denominations!
Question to Explore:
Explain (a) the three-fold disciplines, and (b) the five vows a Jain practitioner adopts to achieve liberation from his, or her, accumulated karma.
