Three Jain ways to optimise human conduct

In Jainism, jnana, knowledge; darshan, faith; and charitra, conduct, form an organic whole. They are called the triratnas, the three jewels. The rise or decline in one influences the rise or decline of the other two. Harmonious development of all three leads to the fourfold perfection, that is, ananta – infinite knowledge, infinite faith, infinite power and infinite bliss. The attainment of these fourfold perfections is liberation.

Unquestionable faith in the Tirthankaras’ teachings generates knowledge, which in turn gives rise to conduct. Faith, knowledge and conduct are interconnected because faith and knowledge without conduct are empty and conduct without knowledge and faith is blind. So, the ultimate aim of faith and knowledge is to improve human conduct.

To optimise human conduct, Jainism prescribes five cardinal vows called the pancha mahavratas, the five great vows. The five vows are: ahimsa, non-violence; satya, truth; asteya, non-stealing; brahmacharya, celibacy; and aparigraha, non-attachment.

Ahimsa means non-injury to all forms of life in thought, word and deed. That plants have life, was known to the Jainas, much before Jagdish Chandra Bose discovered and proved it, scientifically. That is why the Jaina notion of ahimsa included injury not only to plants but also to single-celled organisms.

The justification of ahimsa has its roots in Jaina metaphysical belief in the absolute equality of all beings. A soul, howsoever lower down in the scale of evolution it might be, can become as great as any other soul. Jainas uphold that not only human beings, even the primates have the potential to become a siddha, liberated being. So himsa, violence, to any being, is not justified.

Satya, or truthfulness, is ‘abstinence from falsehood’. This vow means speaking the truth in a pleasant manner, creating goodwill. It does not disturb the harmony nor produce malice and frivolity. Such truth is called sunrita. Prerequisites for fulfilling the vow of truth are, overcoming greed, fear, triviality and anger.

Asteya means not stealing others’ wealth. It also means not appropriating in word, deed and thought, what one is not entitled to. Jainas regard wealth as an essential condition for life. So, to illegally take someone’s wealth is to deprive him of his life.

Brahmacharya means refraining from self-indulgence in all its forms – ‘external and internal; subtle and gross; mundane and frivolous; direct and indirect’. Even the hope of enjoyment in heaven in the afterlife or the thought of any carnal desire is violation of the vow of brahmacharya.

Aparigraha means non-attachment. It is the renunciation of worldly objects. Attachment is the cause of bondage. Cessation of attachment to objects of senses – smell, taste, touch, pleasant sounds or music and colour – leads to liberation.

Jainism does not make a distinction between monk and layperson as far as the code of conduct is concerned. It prescribes the same code of conduct for everyone. Whereas the vows, when practised by monks, are called mahavratas, the vows for the laity are called anuvratas, small vows. In the case of monks, they are practised rigorously in word and deed to the core. But in the case of laity, the vows are modified and relaxed. For example, ahimsa for them is limited to non-violence towards moving beings with more than two senses; brahmacharya is restricted to chastity, and aparigraha is limited to contentment.

Approaching secularism from an inclusive prism

Modern India has a secular constitution and prides itself on being a secular country. In Indian usage, “secular”, far from implying antagonism towards religion or towards people of faith, actually implies a profound respect for and tolerance towards all religions. It also implies an inclusive and impartial attitude, which includes non-believers.

This understanding of the term “secular” – to imply mutual tolerance and respect for all faiths as well as for those of no faith – comes from India’s particular historical and cultural background.  In the same way, Western understanding of the term comes from European history. It seems to me that as science began to advance rapidly in Europe, there was a move towards greater rationality. And this rationality involved, among other things, a rejection of what came to be seen as superstitions of the past.
For many radical thinkers from that time to our own day, the adoption of rationality has entailed a rejection of religious faith.  The French Revolution is a good example of this, with its strong, anti-religious element. Of course there was also an important social dimension to this rejection. Religion came to be regarded as conservative, tied to tradition, and closely associated with old regimes and all their failings. The legacy of this history, it seems, is that for more than 200 years, many of the most influential thinkers and reformers in the West have viewed religion, not as an avenue to human liberation, but as an obstacle to progress. Marxism, one of the most powerful secular ideologies of the 20^th century, even denounced religion as the “opium of the people” – with tragic consequences, as communist regimes forcibly suppressed religion in many parts of the world.

As a result of this history, in the West, the idea of secularism is so often understood as being antagonistic towards religion. Secularism and religion are often seen as two opposing and mutually incompatible positions, and there is considerable suspicion and hostility between followers of the two camps.

While i cannot accept the suggestion that religion is an obstacle to human development, i do feel that, in the context of history, anti-religious sentiments may be understandable. History teaches the uncomfortable truth that religious institutions and adherents of every denomination have been involved in exploitation of others at some stage or another. Religion has also been used as a pretext for conflict and oppression. Even Buddhism, with its doctrine of non-violence, cannot escape this charge entirely.

So when negative attitudes towards religion, in the West or elsewhere, are motivated by a concern for justice, they must be respected. In fact, one could argue that those who point out the hypocrisy of religious people who violate the ethical principles they proclaim, and who stand up against injustices perpetrated by religious figures and institutions are actually strengthening and benefiting the traditions themselves.

However, when assessing such criticisms, it is important to distinguish between criticisms directed at religion itself and those directed at the institutions of religion, which are two quite separate things. To my mind, notions of social justice are in no way contrary to the principles espoused by religion itself, because close to the heart of all great faith traditions is the aim of promoting humanity’s most positive qualities and nurturing such values as kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience and personal integrity.

Focus on inner rather than outer victories

Success is a sought-after state. For many, movie celebrities, popular netas, highly ranked Forbes personalities, and winning sportspersons symbolise success. Yet these very icons have confessed that they feel something is missing from their lives. Having everything and yet experiencing a void is scary. This is because we are perhaps not aware that success does not mean only a hefty bank account or millions of followers on social media, but something more.

Success needs to be experienced in all aspects of our lives – personal, mental, emotional, financial, social and spiritual. Even if one aspect is left out, the void would continue and would be hard to fill up.

Success can be called true success when it brings lasting happiness and understanding to us, to our near and dear ones, and to our associates. A better understanding of life and a clear, calm head is the prerequisite for being successful. Spirituality is that aspect of life which helps us to define our goals and things we value most.
Paramahansa Yogananda, the author of ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, explains that success is primarily dependent on inner victories. We have to discipline our mind and train our consciousness to attain spiritual and material heights, to be aware of our inner potential, capabilities and clear guidance on which path to follow. If someone gives us step-by-step instructions to do this, all our problems will be solved. No dilemma, no multiple choices; just a direct roadway to happiness. But life’s script is not written that way. We have to use all ingredients in calculated measures for a happy and successful life.

Meditation and the practice of silence help us connect to the higher Self – the Source of all power and wisdom, from which we receive inner guidance to naturally attain that which is legitimately ours. We can then strike a balance between spiritual, mental, moral and material attainment.

Yogananda further elucidates that most people are walking aimlessly in this world, always looking for something new to please their five senses – seeking happiness outside. External entertainment may be alright sometimes but the real treasure of peace and joy are within us.

It is good to make time daily to meditate on the peace and joy within. This, however, doesn’t mean that you should live a life of isolation. When you mingle with people, do so with your heart and soul so that they always remember that they met a peaceful, loving and affectionate person.

Focus your attention inward; there will be a new surge of power and strength which will rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. The trouble with most people is they don’t persevere long enough to get results; so they have problems in focussing the mind one-pointedly on a particular aspect. If muddy water is allowed to stand still for a long period, the mud settles at the bottom, and the water becomes crystal clear. Similarly, in meditation, as the mud of your restless thoughts starts settling gradually, the power of your Divinity gradually begins to reflect in the clear water of your consciousness. Clarity of thought, intuition and discrimination are the fruits that even a new aspirant begins to reap as a result of his meditation practice.