Jainism For All

  Triratna or the Three Gems A simultaneous practice of Samyak Darshana or right faith, Samyak Jnana or right knowledge and Samyak Charitra or right character and conduct leads to liberation. These are the three gems of Jainism. Samyak Darshan or Right Faith Samyak Darshan is also called Samyakatwa. It is faith in the nine essential principles ( Navatattva ) and an attitude of unbiased approach to the real nature of things. It can also be called Vivek-Drishti or discriminating perception. Deluded by ignorance, the Jiva ordinarily takes falsehood for truth and truth for falsehood. The faith directed attitude of consciousness that can perceive truth as truth and falsehood as falsehood is Samyak Darshan or Samyakatwa . The spiritual life of the Jiva begins only when Samyakatwa emerges out of darkness of its ignorance. The Jiva develops an aspiration to know the truth in its essential principles, to renounce what is unwholesome and impure, and to accept all that is high a...

  Moksha or Liberation of Soul, the 9 th Navatattva The ninth or the final principle is Moksha or liberation. When the soul or atma is freed from all bondages to karma and has passed the ever beyond possibility of rebirth, it is said to have attained the state of complete deliverance or Moksha . In other words, the soul’s recovery of its own eternal self from the social bondages by the complete exhaustion or elimination of all different karma s is Moksha . When the soul is released from its karmic envelope, it realises its innate attributes of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite power, infinite bliss and infinite light and ascending to the crest of the “ Loka ”, remains there forever. These free souls never return to the physical world again. They are truly free from the wheel of material existence made up of birth, decay and death. Ascent is the natural movement of the soul from bound state to free state, or from material world to Siddhaloka . Stripped off the...

  Nirjara, the 8 th Navatattva (Elimination of Karma ) The eighth cardinal principle is Nirjara . It means the shedding or removal of karma from the soul. Karma once attached to the soul becomes active when the time is ripe to bear fruit. But if one fails to throw out the karma just before it starts bearing fruit, it becomes much more difficult to eliminate the karma from the soul. Bearing fruit means new karma flowing in by the actions and reactions of the old karma . Therefore, it is necessary for those who aspire for liberation, to exhaust all karma on a regular basis by the prescribed means of meditation, contemplation etc. This process of elimination or exhaustion of karma is called Nirjara. Nirjara is of two types: Bhava nirjara , modification of soul which leads to separation of karmic matter from the soul, and, Dravya Nirjara , actual separation of karmic matter from the soul. Again, Bhava Nirjara is of two types: Savipaka and Avipaka Savipaka or akam nirja...

  Samvara , the 7 th Navatattva (Arrest of the Influx of Karma) The seventh cardinal principle is Samvara . The methods by which the asrava or influx of karma is arrested are called samvara. In this way, samvara is opposite to asrava . Stoppage of the influx of karma is the first significant step in the process of liberation.   The other three steps which deals with karma are asrava (influx), bandha (bondage) and nirjara (release of karma). Samvara can be understood by comparing it with a boat in the sea of samsara or material world. If the boat has a hole in it, water will enter through the hole, fill the boat and the boat will sink. It is necessary to close the hole which stops the water from flowing inside the boat. Samvara is like closing the hole through which karma is entering the soul. There are five types of samvara. 1. Samyakatva Samvara (Right faith) – Right faith consists of a firm conviction in the truth. Tranquility, desire for salvation, detachmen...

Paap or Sin, the 6 th Navatattva The sixth cardinal principle is Paap or sin, which is the opposite of Punya or virtue. Sin is brought about by the evil actions and reactions of the mind, speech and body of the jiva. Paap or sin is generated out of evil or unhappy incidences which disturb the emotions resulting in change in the attitude. If we become the cause of others suffering and unhappiness, then we are the culprit of committing a sin. The consequence of paap or sin acquire bad karma to the soul and are the main causes of asrava and bandha . Jain literature has classified paap or sin into the following eighteen categories. They are: 1) Pranatipata – to hurt or kill any living being or creating violence. Jiva himsa is the most heinous crime. The foundation principle of Jain religion is to abstain from killing. There is distinction between crime in thoughts ( Bhava himsa ) and actual crime ( Dravya himsa ). 2) Mrisha-vada – to speak lie, untruthfulness, asatya is a very ...

  Punya or Virtue, the 5 th Navatattva The fifth cardinal principal is punya or virtue. Punya is earned when our activities are good and comforting to others. When punya matures, it brings worldly happiness and pleasure. The activities involve the Jiva’s mind, speech and body. Our physical activities, speech and thoughts should be pure and beneficial to others. Our actions should not disturb others peace and happiness. Thus, the actions which lead to good karma and bring peace of mind are called punya. There are nine ways of performing actions to acquire punya. They are: i)Anna punya – offering food to the monks and people who are suffering from starvation. ii) Pana punya – offering water or other nutritional drink to the thirsty people as well as birds and animals. iii) Vastra punya – providing clothes to monks and poor needy people. iv) Layana punya – offering space or land to use as temple, hospital or dharmashala where pilgrims, old and sick people can stay. v) ...